What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
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- This article is about the book. There is also an article about the movie of the same title.
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a novel by author Henry Farrell published in 1960.
This gothic story of chilling suspense and psychological horror deals with two aging sisters, Jane and Blanche Hudson, who are living alone together in a Hollywood mansion. Jane, a former dark headed child star of early vaudeville known as "Baby Jane," was spoiled, pampered, and given all the attention of her father, while her younger sister, Blanche, was practically ignored as she lived in Jane's shadow. Their roles reversed, however, after the death of their parents, due to influenza, when both children moved to Los Angeles to live with an aunt. Blanche was favored for her blonde and blue eyed looks and was even encouraged to pursue a film career. Blanche became a star while Jane, who also worked in films, was not successful. Jane could only play small parts in her sister's films, as Blanche had a clause in her contract stipulating Jane be hired for such roles.
At the height of her success, Blanche was paralyzed by a car crash into the big iron gates in front of the mansion where she and her sister live. They were returning from a party that night and Jane was drunk. When the police found her, Jane could not remember what happened. She was held responsible and accused of the attempted murder of her sister. Nothing came of the charge, but Jane's film career ended with Blanche's career.
Now, years later in 1959, Jane, a slatternly and alcoholic former child star, and Blanche, a disabled former reigning screen goddess, continue to live together in the same mansion in a neighborhood that is no longer fashionable. Jane resents having to live in the shadow of her sister, who became more famous than she ever was, and who is now being remembered because of a revival of her films on television. Jane hates having to cook, clean, and care for Blanche, an invalid who is stuck upstairs in her bedroom and has managed to keep her good looks.
Blanche, whose only other contact with the outside world is Elvira Stitt, a weekly cleaning woman, and her telephone conversations with her doctor and attorney, finds she is growing old in the shadow of her mentally ill sister. She decides to sell her mansion and move them to something nicer and easier to take care of. She then calls her lawyer and tells him she is planning to sell. She hears the extension downstairs click.
Jane, who eavesdrops on her sister's calls, believes that Blanche wants to sell the house and put her away in a mental hospital. Blanche, who sees Jane's sinister, brooding mood beginning, tries to talk to her sister about her decision. Jane will not listen, however. In a drunken daze, she decides to revive her childhood singing and dancing act of Baby Jane, reasoning that Fanny Brice had success with Baby Snooks. Jane then hires a musical accompanist, Edwin Flagg.
As reality topples crazily into eerie fantasy, Jane abuses her sister with monstrous malevolence while embezzling her money to buy liqueur and revive her act.
Themes include family secrets, resentment, hatred and deceit, and Jane's realization that she has gone from being the cute and beloved Baby Jane to old and unloved. The story culminates with an unusual twist.
See also
- What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (motion picture)