Whatever Happened To Camp?

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) opens with a scene that perfectly captures the relationship between the titular Baby Jane (Bette Davis) and her older sister, Blanche (Joan Crawford). The film opens with a flashback to 1917 when the child star, Jane, is performing for a sold-out crowd in a theatre. We see how Jane adores the spotlight, how she relishes in the admiration of her adoring fans; however, her dark side is revealed when she turns on her family as soon as the curtain falls. We see how Blanche is compliant with her spoiled and demanding younger sister, but also that there is a rage bubbling underneath that might just be a match for Jane. The film then jumps ahead by almost two decades and we can see how the tables have turned. Jane’s meek sister has become a full-blown movie star, while Jane’s star has begun to fade. Flashforward forty something years and this dynamic is still in place, Jane has a much nice demeanour in place when there’s company but as soon as they’re alone behind closed doors, she acts cruel and vindictive towards her sister, now wheelchair-bound due to a mysterious accident in the 1930s. What ensues for the remainder of the film is a tense battle of wits between the siblings, that overshadows any sibling rivalry portrayed on film since.  

While there are many things to admire about Robert Aldrich’s films, the most enduring aspect of the film is easily Bette Davis’ towering performance as Baby Jane Hudson. This performance has entered the pantheon of camp film performances, a type of performance so rarely seen these days. While Crawford turns in a quiet, nuanced performance; it’s towered over by Davis every time she appears on screen. Davis chews the scenery to such an extent that it only makes her character appear more menacing and showcases how unhinged Jane has become after being locked away all these years. Davis relished at the opportunity to provide a showstopping performance, one worthy of the iconic character. From the over-exaggerated make-up to the dresses more suited to young girls to the childish demeanour she maintains throughout, it’s a note perfect performance and something I wish there was more of today. So often we hear and read about how committed actors get with their roles, it’s not that often we see an actor be committed and have fun with it. Jared Leto, take note. 

It would be amiss to discuss the film without broaching the topic of the infamous off-screen feud which rivals the bitter rivalry depicted on-screen. Famously depicted in Ryan Murphy’s FX mini-series, Feud, the rivalry began before the production of Aldrich’s film and continued long after. In terms of infamous behind the scenes feuds, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford walked so Florence Pugh and Olivia Wilde could run. The behind-the-scenes drama of the films of the aforementioned actors threatened to overshadow What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and more recently, Don’t Worry Darling (2022), although Wilde’s film may have already been all but forgotten apart from the alleged spats she had on set with the film’s lead star. What had begun as snide remarks towards one another in the tabloids allegedly became physical violence towards one another onscreen, and audiences ate it up. The sad truth to be seen here is that not much has changed now from how things were then. The public and the industry pit women against each other for their own entertainment.

Aldrich’s film was almost threatened to be overshadowed by the media frenzy surrounding the film’s production, however, thankfully the film has more than enough merits to stand on its own and be remembered by more than the tabloid inches it resulted in. Beneath the camp and macabre exterior, the film is a harrowing depiction of how the entertainment industry chews up and spits out its stars, while also creating bitter rivals of the women within the industry. This aspect of the film makes it as relevant as ever. The final scene of the film is heart-breaking in its reveal that Blanche caused the accident that left her paralysed, not Jane. There is such sincerity to Davis’ line read of “You mean we could’ve been friends all this time?” that one can’t help but think she may not have entirely been acting for this scene but instead talking to her co-star.