Whatever Happened to Baby Jane is a thriller that follows two siblings that have both passed through successful stages in their lives. Jane, when just a little girl, was billed as Baby Jane Hudson and did a vaudeville style routine with her father to the delight of paying crowds everywhere. Of course, she was a little terror. Later, her older sister Blanche became a big Hollywood actress and insisted they make a movie with Jane for every movie they made with her. One night, there was an "accident" at Blanche's house that leaves her crippled for life and Jane on the run. Now, in the present time of the movie, Jane takes care of her sister in a large house. Blanche is thinking of selling the house and moving away, leaving Jane on her own but Jane has other plans. A slowly escalating game of psychological and physical warfare begins between the two from there.
This was almost like the Picture of Dorian Gray in that the movie is mostly a drama but, unlike Gray, there are a few moments of genuine fright. Jane begins a horrible running gag of serving...let's say inedible food to her sister and takes measures to isolate her in every way possible. Victor Buono, who played King Tut on Batman, is an out of work pianist who befriends Jane in hopes of getting money from her. He does an excellent job of playing a craven cad. Once things get to an actual murder, you can tell the movie isn't going to end well for anyone. I generally liked this, even if it is a bit overlong at two hours and fifteen minutes.
This is rightly considered a classic and even my mother had a false memory of the movie so it might be time to revisit if you haven't in awhile.
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