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What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

RELEASED October 31, 1962 RUNTIME 135 mins DIRECTOR Robert Aldrich 

WRITERS Lukas Heller (screenplay), Robert Altman (dialogue), Henry Farrell (novel) 

STARS Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono

COUNTRY United States LANGUAGE English 

STUDIO Associates & Aldrich Company, The 

GENRES Drama, Thriller, Horror

Streaming on: Hoolpa, Criterion




The plot: Two aging actresses live as recluses in an old Hollywood mansion. Basically what starts as Gypsy ends as Grey Gardens.


Random observations:

  • I want their mansion.
  • I've heard people complain about the score being too melodramatic, but I found it unimposing.
  • Apparently, Joan Crawford insisted on having Blanche's hair and nails perfect as well as her costumes pressed. Bette Davis argued that someone who had been a recluse for 20 years wouldn't have any of these traits and that Crawford had "made a mistake". 

It's been a pretty minute since I had watched this film, but I think it still holds up pretty well. Bette Davis steals the show as the resentful, spiteful, alcoholic sister of Joan Crawford. 

Bette said that she was given creative design of her makeup and she decided that Jane would be the type of person who in her state would just keep applying new makeup in the morning without washing her face in between. Her daughter was the first person to get to see Davis's makeup and reportedly said, "Oh, mother, this time you've gone too far."

Maybe she did, but it's just far enough for me. :)




1/1 Directing
1/1 Cinematography
1/1 Visual design
1/1 Editing
1/1 Plot 
1/1 Dialogue
1/1 Acting
1/1 Soundtrack/Score/Sound
1/1 Originality
1/1 Rewatchability
Total: 10/10 Binge Bones




The verdict: I don't want to sign up for Jane's Delivery Meal Service, but I DO love this movie. <3
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