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Anybody who knows me knows I love Bette Davis: young, old, or somewhere in between. Any time, any place. Bette Davis all the way. Here we have the queen of Hollywood playing Baby Jane Hudson, a washed up former child star who has lost all of her "marbles" but who still wants to rekindle her long ago performance career with the help of momma's boy Victor Buono (who is fabulous in his first role, especially when he snidely comments to his mother about how he was conceived, and leaves her standing speechless in the kitchen. Later he played Bette's father in 'Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte.') Joan Crawford plays Jane's crippled sister, Blanche, who has maintained a love-hate relationship with Jane going back to when they were both children. It isn't long before we learn that each of them has her own set of secrets that ultimately will threaten to destroy them both; the biggest one not being revealed until near the end and believe me, it's a whopper! I first saw this movie when I was a child and it was frightening to me at that time. When I saw it again years later, I could appreciate the unintentional humor, sadness and absolute high camp of it all. This is a wonderful movie. If you see it a couple of times you're bound to start quoting some of the lines just as I do: "But yar, Blanche. Yar in that chair." (Bette as Jane says this one to Joan as Blanche while she has an absolutely insane look on her face. The fashion designer, Issac Mizrahi does a great imitation of Jane saying this one in his film 'Unzipped'.) Don't miss a cameo by Bette's real-life daughter, B.D., who wrote a tell-all book about being the daughter of Bette Davis, as well as the appearance of a youthful Anna Lee who later came to fame playing the elderly Mrs. Quartermaine on T.V.'s 'General Hospital.' Rat for lunch, anyone? Or would you rather have parakeet? Perfection!Read full review
Well of course I had to write a review on the one the only BABY JANE HUDSON wonderfully played by the one and only Betty Davis her self. This classic title and role has so many meanings behind it!!! As 2 womans of a life time never to be forgotten along with Betty Davis co stars the one and only Joan Crawford WOW what a team, Ones that despise one another. In this film Jane must take care of the one and only sister she has Joan Crawford as Blanche Hudson who desired to be the star good ol brat baby Jane as childhood had it all. Voice stage and what else attention attention attention. Until Blanche Hudson gets in a gig or say more then two as the sister's grow up to despise one another, Blanche Hudson aka Crawford hits one hit after another on the set while Baby Jane starts to fall with lack of skills and then comes rage uhhh ohh. Jane must take care of her now retired by an accident HUMMM or was it? For Blanche is now in a chair upstairs and must depend on the wanna be evil and mean ol sister who just wont stop till she gets what she wants, Boy these girls go at it! Not just in the movie but on set as well. The 2 queens of there prime really hated one another with no respect. Doing this movie had to be fun and scary at once. For not the evil onset but off set these brawls go at it, from kicking in the head needing Crawford stitches, so in return on set Crawford put bricks in her dress as Betty Davis had to drag her across the room so the queen of don't mess with me fellas loaded her dress up with them bricks to make it hard to drag!!What a drag. I have to say yet the girls stood there ground on stage and shocked us all with this 5 star set and movie. Yes they hated each other but yet they fought to win the title of the best of the both. But no matter what in this area of time these girls stood it out and made the one and only. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? For those who have not seen this film you must its a classic as up in with Mommie Dearet,& fits in with our cult flowing classic Psycho (1960), So if your looking for a movie of its time that continues as the others 2 mention then this is a hot pick, best if you liked Psycho (1960) in b/w of course so here's another black and white classic horror,yet reality and one you will never forget!!so get out the pop corn and enjoy that one art work is all about. Release Date:31 October 1962 (USA),Drama | Horror | Thriller, famous tag line: Sister, sister, oh so fair, why is there blood all over your hair? watch and just see how or if. Thank you for reading hope this helps 10 stars out of 5 here.....Enjoy always yours Baby Jane Hudson hahahahaha ;)Read full review
So nice to see Crawford and Davis sharing the screen. Away from their "famme fatale" characters, not as young but always competitive, they bring the characters of these two also competitve sisters to live in a horrifying story of envy and insanity. Full of suspense. Great B&W photography. Perfect for a stormy and cozy Friday night at home along with some good cheese and wine. Enjoy. ..!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
FINALLY A PAIRING OF BETTE DAVIS AND JOAN CRAWFORD. IT TOOK OVER 30 YEARS! DAVIS GOT THE NOMINATION, BUT CRAWFORD MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS THAT THE AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS GOES TO ANNE BANCROFT FOR HER PERFORMANCE IN THE MIRACLE WORKER! BETTE NEVER FORGAVE JOAN FOR THIS, AND MADE LIFE SO MISERABLE FOR JOAN DURING THE FILMING OF THEIR NEXT EFFORT, HUSH, HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE THAT JOAN HAD TO LEAVE THE SET! BETTE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS HAVING EVERYONE ON THE SET DRINK COCA-COLA INSTEAD OF PEPSI JUST TO SPITE TO SPITE JOAN, AS JOAN WAS STILL ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT PEPSI-COLA. FORTUNATELY, OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND WAS EXCEPTIONAL IN HER PERFORMANCE IN THIS FOLLOW-UP FILM TO BABY JANE. A REAL DISAPPOINTMENT IS THE OVERLAY COMMENTARY THAT ACCOMPANIES THE FILM. GENERALLY, THIS IS DONE WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO EITHER WERE INVOLVED IN THE MAKING OF THE PICTURE, OR A FILM HISTORIAN. UNFORTUNATELY, THE TWO MEN PROVIDING THE COMMENTARY ON THIS DVD, SEEM TO ACTUALLY KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE FILM, ADMITTING THAT IT HAD BEEN YEARS SINCE THEY HAD SEEN IT. THE COMMENTS ARE SUPERFICIAL, AND OFTENTIMES THEY ADMIT TO NOT KNOWING MUCH ABOUT THE FILM, OTHER THAN THEIR OWN REMEMBRANCES FROM A VIEWING SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER. A DEFINITE DISAPPOINTMENT, AS WITH FILM HISTORIANS OR INDIVIDUALS WHO REALLY ADD ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE FILM, THIS IS NOT THE CASE HERE. YOU CAN BY-PASS THE COMMENTARY ON THIS ONE, AND JUST READ ANY ADDITIONAL HISTORY FROM THE FILM BOOKS. IT WILL BE MUCH MORE INTERESTING THAN WHAT IS PRESENTED ON THIS COMMENTARY. THIS IS THE WORST COMMENTARY I HAVE EVER HEARD USED FOR THE ADDITIONAL MATERIAL ADDED TO ANY DVD THESE DAYS. I WAS SURPRISED THIS COMMENTARY WAS APPROVED. IT SEEMS TO BE A LAST MINUTE EFFORT, WITH VERY LITTLE PREPARATION (IF ANY) IN WHAT IS SAID REGARDING THE FILM. ONE OF THE STARS IN THE FILM IS ACTUALLY SEEING SCENES OF THE LOS ANGELES HANCOCK PARK AREA AND LARCHMONT VILLAGE, AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL WESTERN COSTUME BUILDING CIRCA 1962. MUCH HAS NOT CHANGED, BUT THE FEELING OF LIFE IN LOS ANGELES IS WELL REMEMBERED IN THIS FILM PRIOR TO THE SUBSEQUENT DOWNHILL TREND IN SOME OF WHAT HAD BEEN LOS ANGELES MOST BEAUTIFUL AREAS, ESPECIALLY THE MACARTHUR PARK AREA AND THE MIRACLE MILE ON WILSHIRE BOULEVARD INCLUDING THE BULLOCKS WILSHIRE DEPARTMENT STORE BUILDING, WHICH IS NOW A COLLEGE. THE HANCOCK/MACARTHUR PARK AREA IS NOW CRIME RIDDEN AND NO LONGER HABITABLE. AT THE TIME OF THIS FILM, THIS PARK HAD BEEN ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PARKS OF ANY CITY IN THE WORLD. THE FAMOUS AMBASSADOR HOTEL, HOME OF THE FAMOUS COCOANUT GROVE, ALSO IN THIS AREA WAS JUST RECENTLY TORN DOWN EVEN WITH THE PROTESTS OF DIANE KEATON AND OTHER HOLLYWOOD STARS MEETING AT THE HOTEL. GOOD THAT THIS FILM PRESERVES HOW BEAUTIFUL LOS ANGELES ONCE WAS PRIOR TO THE CURRENT DOWNHILL TREND, ESPECIALLY IN THE WILSHIRE. MIRACLE MILE DISTRICT. ANOTHER STAR NOT GENERALLY MENTIONED IS THE CLASSIC LINCOLN CONTINENTAL CONVERTIBLE BETTE DAVIS DRIVES DURING THE FILM. WHAT ELSE CAN ONE SAY? THIS IS ONE OF THE GREAT CLASSIC FILMS OF LATER HOLLYWOOD, WITH TWO OF THE GREATEST WOMEN STARS EVER TO COME OUT THIS CITYS LONG AND IMPRESSIVE ROSTER OF ACTORS AND ACTRESSES. PROBABLY THE BEST THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN! VIEWS OF LOS ANGELES WHICH NOW ARE NO LONGER THERE TO BE SEEN, AS WELL AS THE COMFORTABLE NATURE OF THE CITY ARE SADLY LONG GONE. THE FILM DOES PRESERVE THAT WONDERFUL PERIOD OF TIME IN LOS ANGELES THAT SADLY NO LONGER EXISTS.Read full review
I have always liked this movie, to see Joan Crawford and Bette Davis in their roles for this movie is really quite amazing. I am a fan of old movies and I have raised my children to appreciate the old movies as well. My daughter loves this movie and I have looked everywhere trying to find it,looking on EBay was a suggestion from a friend and I am very happy that I was able to find it there--it is to be a Christmas present for my daughter and I'm sure she will be ecstatic to receive it.
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