Cheap What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (DVD) (Bette Davis, Joan Crawford) (Robert Aldrich) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Betty Davis as Jane Hudson and real life nemesis Joan Crawford as sister Blanche Hudson make for comic and scary thrills. Quick retread: Jane was "Baby Jane Hudson", a child star who lost her popularity after puberty. Blanche Hudson was jealous as a child but becomes a top rated adult movie actress. Jane, of course, becomes an increasingly insane alcoholic. Trouble ensues when Blanche is mysteriously crippled in a car wreck forcing 'whack-job' case sister Jane to care for her. The plot thickens as quickly as Jane loses her mind. It's hilarious. But the sadistic scenes Jane carries out on Blanche are both scary and hilarious, making this film a true cult classic. The ending is a masterpiece of plot twists!

I can't get into more details other than to tell you that every time I've shown someone this movie, they goes nuts over it! It's frightening and comedic simultaneously. It's no wonder these two characters have been Halloween favorites for years!

Quality of 'black & white' is okay and sound is what you would expect from an early 60's nightmare, but it's worth it. Before you pick up your main course covered dinner plate, remember what Jane said to Blanche - "By the way Blanche, did you know we have rats in the cellar?!"

Davis shows a hilariously horrific side to her as Baby Jane.
The dark comedy "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" is by far one of Bette Davis's best performances, gaining her an Oscar nomination. The movie starts in 1917 as child star Baby Jane Hudson is singing for her many fans an eerie, yet amusing-sounding song entitled "I've Written a Letter to Daddy," and also shows some of the behind-the-scenes events that take place with the child [and her family]. The next scene is in 1935 when Jane's sister, Blanche (played by Joan Crawford), has evolved into a beautiful woman, and also the new talent of the family; she has become a very successful actress. However, There is an accident, of which Jane is held accountable, and Blanche is crippled for life. The final jump in time is to "Yesterday" (as it is called in the movie), with Blanche in a wheelchair and Jane as her caretaker. They live in an old mansion where Blanche is blocked off from the rest of the world, and Jane terrorizes her, apparently as revenge for having to take care of the sister she hates. This current week, a television station is having a "Blanche Hudson Marathon," making Blanche more and more desired by the public to be seen. Enraged with jealousy, Jane terrorizes Blanche more than ever, starving her and taking the phone, her last "window" to the outside world, away from her. As all this unfolds, Jane goes from an old, cruel, drunken woman to a childlike maniac, trying to relive the days when she was famous. "...Baby Jane" has many turns and surprises, right until the very end. The chemistry between Davis and Crawford is, peculiarly, almost real (hmmm...). The film is not rated; however, some scenes are objectionale for children [crude language (not often) and semi-graphic violent images/sounds (often)].

WHO the Hell is Norman?
Check out the editorial review "Sadistic Jane and their servant Norman????" The only servant, err, make that housekeeper in this saga is ELVIRA [No, NOT THAT one!] who meets ..... [Clunk!~ Thud!]

WELL, this utterly dark little Gem of Joy still pack many a wallop!

No quite dated, but such an acidic picture of Tinseltown - as a matter of fact you can still see these old [er] Dolls and Guys on Hollywood Boulevard - or Rodeo Drive [botox-powered] for that matter.

IT hasn't really aged that badly - Crawford is superb as the wheelchair bound glam queen Blance ~ utterly dependent on her increasingly insane sister Jane ~ Davis probably on a par with her turn in THE STAR. Davis sacrifices all for this role, including figure and looks, shuffling around the house in flip-flops, dragging on a cigarette and swigging booze has NEVER been this fun!

Bring along a creepy VICTOR BUONO [debut role] as a grifter with an accent and his dear old Ma ... nasty little jewels they are - check out the scene with Davis and Buono and the sandwich plate ... then the booze scene later! Priceless [It's almost Norman Desmond and Joe - the later years].

Superior lensing and direction etc. etc. etc.

Davis daughter BD HYMAN plays the teen next door.

Roaring fun for late at night viewing - double billed with Sunset Boulevard.

[Now wasn't there a musical version of this one ....?]