What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? Image: Robert Aldrich, 1962.
M | 128 Mins | 1962 | 35mm | US | D: Robert Aldrich
Once-famous Hollywood star Blanche (Joan Crawford) finds herself at the mercy of her bitter, alcohol-dependant sister Baby Jane (Bette Davis) after becoming a paraplegic. Baby Jane holds her sister captive in her Hollywood mansion, driven by spite at the demise of her own childhood fame and Blanche’s subsequent success.
Forever linked to the legendary off-screen rivalry between Davis and Crawford, this psychological horror and black comedy from director Robert Aldrich is a searing study of jealousy, control and captivity. Long regarded as a classic, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? was a box-office hit and a critical success, netting five Oscar nominations and a win for costume design.
‘…nothing about Davis simmers. She cranks the dial to 11, then snaps off the handle and feeds it to you for dinner – on a bed of your worst fears’ – The Guardian
Presented on 35mm film prints from the NFSA collection.
The details
What: What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? screening
When: 6 pm, Thursday 29 August 2024
Where: Arc Cinema, NFSA Acton
Cost: $12–16 via the NFSA website
