Review of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) by Blake P — 06 Sep 2011

"What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Sisters Blanche (Crawford) and Jane (Davis) Hudson are both has-been actresses-- Jane was a vaudeville child star, and Blanche was even more famous as an extremely popular film actress.

Now over twenty years since Blanche has made a movie, and way over forty years since Jane "Baby Jane" brought money for her family. But here's the thing: Blanche's career ended when a devastating car accident ended her career, and Jane was blamed, and now is left to take care of her poor sister.

Well, now Jane is a complete wackjob who thinks that she's five and still a star, and thinks Blanche will ruin her "fame" so she tortures her. In the meantime, Jane hires a mamma's boy (Buono) to be her pianist, while Blanche is weak from hunger, locked in her bedroom.

"What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" was the perfect vehicle for the three stars, Davis and Crawford were has-beens just like their characters, but Buono was still a newcomer, but who new this movie could change their careers? This is a genius movie-- it is mostly a (VERY) black comedy, but it blends good old fashion horror with family drama, all which blend into a movie that resembles "Sunset Boulevard" in a way.

In the past, Bette and Joan very popular and very glamourous, this role does the opposite and turns them into aging horror queens, with Davis as the iconic psycho villain (and overacts), and Crawford as the helpless victim (who underacts).

Both are phenomenal, and Buono is fantastic in his role. They all seem to contrast each other perfectly, and everybody is perfectly casted. Everyone knows Davis and Crawford had a feud over the years, and makes the screwed-up relationship between their characters even more delicious.

Smart casting on Aldrich's' part. It's not easy to call it simple, but in the end, "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" is a masterpiece in cinema. Highly recommended.