Robert Aldrich Hudson, made for Douglas' company at Universal. Aldrich tried to make "Cross of Iron" with John Mills but could not get finance. Aldrich then went back to Italy where he directed a Biblical spectacular, "Sodom and Gomorrah" (1962) for Joseph E. Levine. Aldrich disparaged the final film, which ended up costing $6 million. Aldrich rejuvenated his career by optioning the novel "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962) for the Associates and Aldrich Company. He signed Bette Davis and Joan Crawford as stars, got Lukas Heller to write the script, and raised finance through Warner Bros. The film was a
Baby Jane Hudson they spot Blanche lying on the sand and rush to her aid. Jane is too caught up in her delusions to notice the policemen's presence. Among the film's most recognized images is Bette Davis as the aged Jane in blond Mary Pickford-like curls performing the syrupy song "I've Written a Letter to Daddy." Jane's final scene in the film is patterned on the final scene of "Sunset Boulevard", where Gloria Swanson's character descends the stairs for an imagined film scene after killing her lover. The success of the movie led the director to undertake a film using similar themes and