Overview
A chilling exploration of madness and sibling rivalry unfolds in a decaying home.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- oppressive
- grotesque
- nightmarish
- classic horror night
- gothic movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a memorable psychological horror classic driven by extraordinary performances, though some object to its excessive grotesquerie and overextended structure.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film is a defining example of the psycho-biddy cycle, focusing on two aging actresses locked in a terrifying household conflict.
The black-and-white photography, dim Hollywood home, and harsh shadows intensify the sisters' emotional and mental collapse.
Jane and Blanche's childhood celebrity and adult acting careers provide the basis for envy, humiliation, and control.
Blanche's wheelchair confinement and Jane's control over communication turn the shared home into a prison.
Films like What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, and why
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Shared psychological horror, claustrophobic domestic abuse, theatrical grotesquerie, and aging female characters consumed by resentment.
Whatever Happened to Helen?
Shared psycho-biddy tradition, gothic domestic confinement, cruel sibling dynamics, and heightened performances.
The Nanny
Shared psychological thriller tension, unreliable appearances, domestic imprisonment, and a dark portrait of celebrity and identity.
The Night Walker
Shared black-and-white gothic atmosphere, obsessive control, emotional cruelty, and a deteriorating family relationship.
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Aldrich
- Release Date
- 1962-10-31
- Runtime
- 135 min
- Rating
- 7.9 / 10 (1195)
Cast
- Bette Davis
- Joan Crawford
- Victor Buono
- Wesley Addy
- Julie Allred
- Anne Barton
- Marjorie Bennett
- Bert Freed
- Anna Lee
- Maidie Norman
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? about?
- Two aging vaudeville sisters turn a Hollywood home into a vicious theater of jealousy, dependence, and psychological terror.
- What is What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? as mild.
- What did critics think of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane??
- Critics broadly regard the film as a memorable psychological horror classic driven by extraordinary performances, though some object to its excessive grotesquerie and overextended structure.
- Which films are like What Ever Happened to Baby Jane??
- Films with a similar feel include Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte, Whatever Happened to Helen?, The Nanny, and The Night Walker.
- How long is What Ever Happened to Baby Jane??
- What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? runs 135 minutes.
- Where can I watch What Ever Happened to Baby Jane??
- In United States, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
