Joan Crawford been left near-penniless following Alfred Steele's death, accepted a small role in "The Best of Everything" (1959). Although she was not the star of the film, she received positive reviews. Crawford would later name the role as being one of her personal favorites. By 1961 Joan Crawford was once again her own publicity machine with a new script, "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?", sent by Robert Aldrich. Crawford starred as Blanche Hudson, an elderly, disabled former A-list movie star who lives in fear of her psychotic sister Jane, in the highly successful psychological thriller "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?"
What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? "chilling". "The Guardian" said it was one of the author's best should be "read it one sitting". Film rights were bought by Robert Aldrich who had produced two successful horror films , "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962) and "Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte" (1964). Both films dealt with aged women who become scheming or demented, resorting to violence and murder. In September 1967 Aldrich announced he would make the film under the title "Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?" It would be made by his production company, The Associates and Aldrich. In October Aldrich announced the film would be part