PLOT
Two sisters—both former actresses—live together in a big house. One is a paraplegic due to an accident caused by the other who is plagued by guilt and mental problems. The strained relationship soon turns abusive.
REACTION
NOTE: This is a spoiler-free reaction. If you want to, you can still watch the film before you read it.
Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Two legends. Two of the most extraordinary actresses in film history. I’ve heard their names since I was a kid. Though oddly enough, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any film with either of them. Or perhaps I have but just don’t remember. That’s not as unlikely as it might sound. For one thing, I watched A LOT of movies in my childhood, before I started paying attention to names; for another, I’ve always had a really bad memory. That’s part of the reason why I now like to write reviews and to make lists of what I watch as it helps me keep track.
Point is, to the best of my knowledge, this was the first time I saw anything with either of them. And what a blow it was. This was quite the experience.
This film is terrifying. But in a good way. In the same way “The night of the hunter” is terrifying. It starts nicely enough, but only gets darker and darker. I was genuinely surprised by some of the extremes it went to—all in the service of art.
Of course, the highlights here are its two stars. Davis and Crawford are perfect. I’ve read that Bette never thought of herself as beautiful and didn’t mind making herself ugly if a role required it. You can see her doing this here to startling effect. But let’s not ignore Victor Buono’s contribution. I was pleasantly surprised to see him listed in the cast—and he got third billing, no less. Turns out this was his first credited film appearance, though he’d been in a few TV shows before this.
Buono first came to my attention in the 80s when I saw him in the short-lived show Man from Atlantis where he played the recurring villain Mr. Schubert. He is perhaps best remembered now as King Tut, another villain that he played on Batman. I always found him to be a very expressive and convincing actor, and his part here only further cements this impression. He shines in every scene he’s in, nearly stealing the spotlight from Davis herself in the few they share. His facial expressions are worth a thousand words.
Speaking of which, I also want to commend Gina Gillespie. She only appears very briefly at the beginning of the film, playing a younger version of the Joan Crawford character, but in those few minutes she manages to convey—without words, just from her acting—all the rage and jealousy she feels toward her sister. So much so I was surprised by how self-effaced Blanche became later in life. I thought there was a disconnect there, but... I was wrong. I don’t want to spoil this for those who haven’t watched it yet, so all I’ll say is that there is a lot more going on here than you might first think.
I’d almost call this a masterpiece. The only reason I don’t is because of two little details that bug me. [ALERT: minor spoilers coming. Skip to the next paragraph to avoid them.] Starting with the crumpled note Blanche tosses out her window, asking for help. Jane finds it and gives it back to her sister. So what I don’t get is why doesn’t she just try to throw it back out at a better time? Not to mention she could just write another one. The second issue is at the end, when they park the car at the beach. In the morning, there’s a whole crowd there and a radio gives out the description of the car. Yet nobody seems to connect the dots. Sure, eventually, it happens, but it takes a damn long time and that doesn’t feel believable. [Spoilers end here.]
Despite these details, this is a really really good movie, perhaps the ultimate revenge story—and in more ways than one. It’s a chilling portrayal of a spiraling descent into madness—touching on issues of mental health, alcoholism, jealousy—that also shows how fame can pervert individuals. All this with a healthy dose of black humor, because why the hell not?
What else can I say? Watch this if you haven’t already! Like, right now. Go, go, go!
And then, of course, let me know in the comments what you thought of the film... I mean, was I right or was I right?
Let us know in the comments.
CREDITS
Directed by Robert Aldrich.
Screenplay by Lukas Heller, from the novel by Henry Farrell.
Produced by Robert Aldrich.
Music by DeVol.
Cinematography by Ernest Haller.
Edited by Michael Luciano.
Starring Bette Davis as Jane Hudson, Joan Crawford as Blanche Hudson, Victor Buono as Edwin Flagg, Wesley Addy as Marty McDonald, Julie Allred as 9-year-old Jane, Ann Barton as Cora Hudson, Marjorie Bennett as Dehlia Flagg, Bert Freed as Ben Golden, Anna Lee as Mrs. Bates, Maidie Norman as Elvira Stitt, Dave Willock as Ray Hudson, William Aldrich as lunch counter assistant at beach, Ernest Anderson as Ernie the ice-cream vendor, Russ Conway as police officer, Maxine Cooper as bank teller, Robert Cornthwaite as Dr. Shelby, Michael Fox as TV commercial man, Gina Gillespie as 13-year-old Blanche, B.D. Merrill as Liza Bates, Don Ross as police officer, James Seay as police officer, John Shay as police officer, Jon Shepodd as police officer, Peter Virgo as police officer, Bobs Watson as clerk in newspaper classified ad department, Debbie Burton as young Jane's singing voice.
Produced by Seven Arts Productions / The Associates & Aldrich Company.
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Released on October 31, 1962.
Running time: 133 minutes.
Genre: Psychological thriller.
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Text (c) 2024 by Alex S. Garcia.
Header image: screenshot of the film’s title card.
Film poster courtesy of IMDB.