Review of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) by Amelia L — 10 Jan 2010

An excellent gateway for younger film viewers to start their look into cinema's past, this film is not that old but its two lead stars Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, both in top form, already had 20+ years of films behind them that this excellent film might pique the interest of younger viewers enough to make them want to look into them.

Bette Davis in particular is astonishing in this film. She's crass, strange and outright terrifying at times, and she's frequently shifting from one mood to another with fluid grace that is a wonder to behold.

This is, hands down, one of the most tense and foreboding films I have ever seen. My only complaint is wondering why Joan Crawford's captive, crippled character is so dependent on the phone. So her phone is taken away and she can't use it to call for help.

.. she could just raise her voice and cause enough ruckus to maybe draw attention, like screaming for help to the neighbor she tries to toss a handwritten note out the window at... but she never tries.