What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (film)

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1962 psychological horror film about Jane Hudson, a child actor who must care to her invalid sister, Blanche, but Jane's behaviour mortifies her.


 * Directed by Robert Aldrich. Screenplay by Lukas Heller. Based on the novel by Henry Farrell.

Sister, sister, oh so fair, why is there blood all over your hair? Taglines

Jane Hudson

 * This isn't Blanche's house. It is my house and I can do what I like!
 * Oh, I wish Daddy could be here right now! You can never lose your talent, he used to tell me. You can lose everything else, but, you can't lose your talent.
 * You mean all this time we could have been friends?
 * I didn't bring your breakfast, because you didn't eat your din-din!
 * I don't want to talk about it! Every time I think about something nice, you remind me of bad things. I only want to talk about the nice things.
 * [running after Flagg as he flees the house] Edwin, you forgot your money!

Elvira Stitt

 * [shocked at some obscenities Jane has scrawled] I can't remember the last time I saw words like that written down!

Dialogues

 * Blanche: Jane, do you remember when I first came back after the accident?
 * Jane: You promised you wouldn't ever talk about that again.
 * Blanche: I know I did. But I'm still in this chair. After all those years, I'm still in this chair. Doesn't that give you some kind of responsibility? Jane, I'm just trying to explain to you how things really are. You wouldn't be able to do these awful things to me if I weren't still in this chair.
 * Jane: But you are, Blanche! You are in that chair!


 * Blanche: Did you have a nice drive?
 * Jane: What are you talking about?
 * Blanche: Nothing dear, I... it's been so long since you were out of the house I thought perhaps you had gone for a drive or something. You know I was thinking, it's ever so long since we had a talk, you know, a real talk about the future and everything. Jane, I didn't want you to be worried about the house, even if I do have to sell it, we'll still be together.
 * Jane: Blanche, you're not gonna sell this house. Daddy bought this house, and he bought it for me! You don't think I remember that, do you?
 * Blanche: You're wrong, Jane. You've just forgotten. I bought this house for the two of us, when I signed my first contract.
 * Jane: You don't think I remember anything, do you? There are a whole lot of things I remember. And you never paid for this house. Baby Jane Hudson made the money that paid for this house, that's who!
 * Blanche: You don't know what you're saying.
 * Jane: Blanche, you aren't ever gonna sell this house... and you aren't ever gonna leave it... either.


 * Blanche: Who was that at the door earlier?
 * Jane: Elvira.
 * Blanche: Where is she now? In the kitchen?
 * Jane: No, I gave her the day off. She has a pretty hard time considering. I told her to come back next week.
 * Jane: [pauses] Oh, Blanche? You know we've got rats in the cellar?


 * Dr. Shelby: I don't quite understand. Is this some mind of emotional disturbance you're talking about?
 * Blanche: Yes, she's emotionally disturbed. She's unbalanced!


 * Jane: I wonder if you can guess who I am?
 * Edwin Flagg: Can you give me a hint?
 * Jane: Well, its not really fair to make you guess. I'm - I'm Baby Jane Hudson.
 * Edwin Flagg: Oh, do you mean you're really - the - Baby Jane Hudson?
 * Jane: Yes, I am! And I'm going to revive my act exactly as I used to do it. Of course, some of the arrangements will have to be brought up-to-date. Music changes so much, doesn't it? And you know they're desperate for new acts: television, Las Vegas, and all the clubs. Well, there are a lot of people who remember me. Lots of them!
 * Edwin Flagg: I don't see how you could fail.


 * Liza Bates: Gee, she must be about 150 by now.
 * Mrs. Bates: As a matter of fact, dear, I think Blanche Hudson is just a few years older than I am.
 * Liza Bates: Really?
 * Mrs. Bates: Yes, dear. Really!
 * Liza Bates: Well, how come we never see her around? We've been living next door to them for six months now. And the only one I ever see is that fat sister slouching around. Don't they ever have company? I mean, it must be awful. You know, Julie says that sister is kind of peculiar. Did you ever notice that?


 * Blanche: Oh, please, Jane. I'm so hungry.
 * Jane: I have to go now.
 * Blanche: Just a little - please!
 * Jane: No! You didn't eat your din-din, so you'll have to wait till lunchtime.


 * Blanche: I was just hoping, maybe, maybe I could meet him and we could have a nice talk - just the three of us.
 * Jane: Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you! Then you could tell him a whole lot of lies about me! Scare him off! Or, maybe have him for yourself!
 * [Jane slaps Blanche]


 * Jane: You know, we're right back where we started. When I was on the stage you had to depend on me for everything. Even the food you ate came from me. Now you have to depend on me for your food again. So, you see, we're right back where we started.
 * Blanche: Why are you doing this to me? Why?
 * Jane: Doing what?
 * Blanche: Making me afraid to eat. Trying to make me starve myself.
 * Jane: Don't be silly. If you starve you die.


 * Blanche: Jane, did you ever stop to think that - if anything happened to me, I mean anything bad, there wouldn't be any money for you? I wouldn't be here to sign the checks. You wouldn't even have pocket money. Did you ever think of that?
 * Jane: Yeah, I've thought about that.


 * [Blanche presses the buzzer multiple times]
 * Jane: OH, SHUT UP!!
 * [Blanche keep pressing buzzer]
 * Jane: DAMMIT! What do you want this time?
 * Blanche: Who's in the telephone?
 * Jane: It's none of your business, what are you ringing for?
 * Blanche: I'm hungry Jane.
 * Jane: Of course you're hungry, that's why you didn't eat your dinner.
 * Blanche: But you didn't bring the breakfast.
 * Jane: I didn't forget the breakfast, I didn't bring the breakfast because you haven't ate your din-din.


 * Dr. Shelby:: I don't quite understand. Is this some kind of emotional disturbance you're talking about?
 * Blanche: Yes, she's emotionally disturbed. She's unbalanced!

Taglines

 * Sister, sister, oh so fair, why is there blood all over your hair?
 * You'd better be shockproof before you dare find out!
 * Too late... too late... too late to call for help.

Cast

 * Bette Davis — Baby Jane Hudson
 * Joan Crawford — Blanche Hudson
 * Victor Buono — Edwin Flagg
 * Maidie Norman — Elvira Stitt
 * Anna Lee — Mrs. Bates
 * Marjorie Bennett — Dehlia Flagg
 * Dave Willock — Ray Hudson
 * Julie Allred — Young Baby Jane Hudson (1917)
 * Gina Gillespie — Young Blanche Hudson (1917)
 * Robert O. Cornthwaite — Dr. Shelby