A Hollywood rivalry turned into a cult classic horror masterpiece
In short: When Bette Davis and Joan Crawford teamed up for the 1962 thriller What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, rumors of a bitter on-set feud fueled the film's massive success. Beyond the gossip, the movie launched the psycho-biddy subgenre, blending psychological horror with camp to revitalize two legendary careers.
Directed by Robert Aldrich, the film tells the story of an aging, alcoholic former child star, Jane Hudson, who torments her paraplegic sister, Blanche, in a decaying Hollywood mansion. The narrative, based on Henry Farrell’s novel, explores themes of jealousy and resentment. While critics initially offered mixed reviews, with some dismissing it as a grotesque caricature, the film was a major box-office hit, earning $9 million in North American theatrical rentals and securing five Academy Award nominations.
The production was defined by the complex relationship between its leads. Davis and Crawford, both seeking career comebacks, reportedly clashed throughout filming. These alleged tensions became central to the movie's marketing and enduring legacy, eventually inspiring books, radio plays, and television series like Feud. Despite the drama, both actresses received significant profit-sharing deals, with Davis earning over $500,000. The film’s success was so profound that it recouped its approximately $1 million production costs within eleven days of its New York premiere.
In the decades since its release, the film has been re-evaluated as a cult classic. Scholars note its unique camp appeal, which arises from the contrast between the stars' 1940s glamour and the 1960s psychological thriller format. In 2021, the Library of Congress recognized the film’s lasting cultural and historical importance by adding it to the National Film Registry. Today, it remains a defining work of the psycho-biddy genre, influencing a wave of films that explored the lives of aging, unstable women in Hollywood.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (film)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-what-ever-happened-to-baby-jane-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
