What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962 film) What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962 film) What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1962 American psychological thriller–horror film produced and directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, about an aging former actress who holds her paraplegic ex-movie star sister captive in an old Hollywood mansion. The screenplay by Lukas Heller is based on the novel "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" by Henry Farrell. Upon the film's release, it was met with widespread critical and box office acclaim and was later nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one for Best Costume Design, Black and
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962 film) age could purchase a copy of the film. However, in 2004, the film was re-submitted for a theatrical re-release, and it was given a 12A certificate, now meaning persons under 12 years of age could view it if accompanied by an adult. It remains at this category. The film's success spawned a succession of horror/thriller films featuring psychotic older women, later dubbed the psycho-biddy subgenre, among them Aldrich's "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte", "What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?", and director Curtis Harrington's "Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?" and "What's the Matter with Helen?". It was parodied by the Italian comedy film "What