What Ever Happened to Baby Jane (1962): House of Broken Dreams
1962 • Robert Aldrich • 1.78:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1962 film directed by Robert Aldrich and based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Henry Farrell. This independent horror-thriller revolved around two former child stars living in isolation in a decaying Hollywood mansion. One is now paralysed and at the mercy of the other, who has become delusional due to her jealousy and sense of grandeur.
Starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, it is a psychological drama showcasing two of the greatest actresses of their time. Despite their age, the two big talents delivered genre-defining performances in a film that questions Hollywood’s treatment of ageing female stars. It’s the kind of film where the lore adds layers that Aldrich’s direction never ceased to emphasise.
Despite colour being standard by 1962, it was intentionally shot in black and white to enhance the grotesque texture and shadow contrast. This had a great effect when coupled with Davis’s exaggerated make-up and childlike mannerisms, while the use of extreme close-ups heightened the emotional grotesquerie. Then there’s the house: a claustrophobic, cluttered and fading prison. A theatre of abuses and a madhouse for broken dreams.
Technical Specs:
- The Story: A former child star and her wheelchair-bound sister live together in decaying Hollywood isolation, where resentment, cruelty, and long-simmering trauma erupt into a sadistic battle for control.
- Actors: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono, Wesley Addy, Anna Lee.
- Director: Robert Aldrich
- Year: 1962
- Cinematographer: Ernest Haller
- Origin: American Cinema
- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Genre: Horror / Psychological Drama
