In 1917, Baby Jane is a famous, but spoiled child star that performs a show with her father under the jealous look of her sister Blanche. In 1935, Blanche Hudson (Joan Crawford) becomes a famous and glamorous actress in Hollywood and the untalented Baby Jane Hudson (Bette Davis) only acts because Blanche forces the producers to give parts to her. One night, they go to a party and there is a car accident.

In 1962, Blanche is a crippled woman that has been left wheelchair-bound after the accident that lives with her alcoholic sister Baby Jane in a decaying Hollywood mansion. Baby Jane does not recall the accident since she was drunk and is in absolute control over Blanche that is completely isolated without any contact with the outside world and dumping her correspondence in the trash. As Baby Jane becomes more insane, she decides to return to the stage and hires the idle Edwin Flagg (Victor Buono) to play piano. Meanwhile she continues to torment Blanche and her cruelty increases.

"What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" is one of the greatest American movies ever, with top-notch performances of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The disturbing story of sibling jealousy, rivalry, malevolence and insanity has a surprising plot point in the end that really surprises. I believe the three lead characters – Baby Jane, Blanche and Edwin Flagg – are a field day for psychologists. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "O Que Terá Acontecido com Baby Jane?" ("What Might Have Happened to Baby Jane?")

In 1917 "Baby Jane" Hudson is an adored vaudevillian child star, while her sister Blanche Hudson lives in Jane's shadow. By 1935, both sisters are movie actors, but their fortunes have reversed: Blanche is a successful film actress, while Jane is forgotten and languishes in little-seen B-movies. One night, an inebriated Jane mocks Blanche at a party, provoking Blanche into running away in tears. That night, Blanche is paralyzed from the waist down in a mysterious car accident that is unofficially blamed on Jane, who is found three days later in a drunken stupor.

In 1962 Jane has descended into alcoholism and mental illness, and treats Blanche with cruelty.

What happens is a waking nightmare but the ending is more shocking than Bette Davis appearance.

Now this film is fun to watch. You need to see this. This was an instant classic upon its release. In 2017 the film returned to public conscienceless because of the Ryan Murphy Mini Series "Feud". That mini series is all about "Betty & Joan". It details the making of this film and all the events that surrounded it.

"Subtle"? No way. "Well-crafted"? Not exactly. "Sleazy and captivating"? YEP, you betcha!

This is definitely a "guilty pleasure" movie. You know, one that you love to watch but is certainly not sophisticated or subtle. Though a psychological drama, the movie is loud, loud, loud to the extreme--and therein lies most of its cult charm. At her most dramatic and bellicose is Bette Davis--who plays a totally insane and vindictive wench. And, believe it or not, Joan Crawford UNDERPLAYS her part! I know to lovers of classic cinema this seems impossible, as Ms. Crawford might just be one of the biggest over-emoters in the history of film! No, this film is really Bette Davis' film from start to finish--Crawford is just there as an object to be tortured and tormented by our anti-hero, Bette ("Baby Jane"). According to one biography I read about Ms. Davis, she really DID torture Ms. Crawford--walloping the crap out of her on several occasions during filming and then claiming it was all an accident!!

So, if you are the type person that loves Shakespeare, Jeeves and Wooster or documentaries about the plight of the Eskimos, then this film probably isn't for you. If instead, you like over-the-top, silly and somewhat scandalous films about insane people doing really nasty things, then have I got a film for YOU!

PS--While I enjoyed this film, similar films from the era that I actually enjoyed more are Davis' follow-up HUSH, HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE and Crawford's STRAIT-JACKET. HUSH, HUSH was more intelligently written and subtle and STRAIT-JACKET was much more over-the-top and campy.