Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Movie Review: "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?"


Movie Review
"Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?"
Starring: Bette Davis & Joan Crawford

I would like to start out this review by stating I am not the best reviewer in the world. But I thought it would be a fun thing to do occasionally on my blog anyway!

So I had seen a part of this movie as a preteen or teen (not sure when exactly) while my mom was watching it once. And ever since then I had this desire to watch it! It seemed so creepy and interesting and I just wanted to know what was the actual storyline. I thought about having The Hubby watch it with me because he is really into the Dish Network 1-4 stars rating system and this had 3.5 stars. But I figured as it was an old movie about women he wouldn't care much to see it. So one night after I bathed Baby L and The Hubby was putting him to bed, I started it. I had not idea it was so creepy and intense! I was freaking out the whole time wondering what was going to happen!

The basic storyline is (borrowed from Wikipedia):

"Baby Jane Hudson is a vaudevillian child star. She performs to adoring crowds, and there’s even a–rather expensive–“Baby Jane” doll. Jane is also a spoiled brat, and her doting stage father gives in to her every whim. Her jealous sister Blanche watches from the wings.
"The movie then jumps to 1935, and the sisters' roles are now reversed. Both are movie stars, but Blanche is the successful and glamorous one, while Jane’s films have flopped. Unable to establish her talent as an adult actress, Jane has taken to drinking. One night after a party, one of them is at the gate of her mansion while the other one, in her car, steps on the gas and smashes into the gate. It is unclear to the viewer which sister is driving at this point.
"In the present (1960s), both Blanche (Joan Crawford) and Jane (Bette Davis) are now retired from their acting careers and living in their decrepit old mansion. Blanche is crippled from the automobile accident and is usually holed up in her bedroom watching her old movies on television. Jane is a shadow of her former self, still drinking and wearing caked on make-up. She is abusive towards her sister, who now depends on her. There are not many visitors at the house, except for their cleaning woman Elvira. Elvira fears for Blanche’s safety because of Jane’s erratic behaviour. She even tells Blanche that her sister has been opening her mail and dumping it in the trash. Later, when Jane finds out that Blanche intends to sell the house and put her in a sanatorium, she responds by increasing her abuse."


So it starts getting intense with this increased abuse towards Blanche. Jane ends up taking away Blanche's phone and since she is in a room upstairs and in a wheel chair she has no hope of escape! So whenever Jane left Blanche would have to attempt to get help! it was crazy intense!

A super creepy movie that I loved! It was awesome! Charming joined me at one point and was like totally creeped out (I think that is why he left, haha!) He came back in time to see the super creepy ending and then afterwards he took the remote from me and said, "now we have to watch something happy before bed." How cute is that? So we watchd something happy and then another funny The Hubby moment is we went to bed and when we woke up and the first thing he starts talking about is the" creepy, crazy lady" (Bette Davis) on "that movie last night". What a cutie!
Anyway, I think it is an awesomely thrilling creepy movie! Watch it if you dare! ;-)