MovieChat Forums > MizhuB > Replies
MizhuB's Replies
I think that this episode has been following a trend of being 'Crawford heavy', and I hope the next episode focuses on how Davis treated her so badly that she feigned illness...and got out of the picture. Which forced Aldrich to Sweden (I think) to convince DeHavilland to take the part.
Otherwise, it's turning into another bio pic of Crawford. I miss Davis (Sarandon) when she's not given equal time. But there's lots of material that CAN be covered about that. We'll see.
I also think that although John Waters bore absolutely no resemblance to William Castle, it was inspired, tongue-in-cheek casting. He definitely got the showmanship of manipulating audiences down correctly.
Joan's going to steal away Oscar night from Bette Davis, and yet it's also an act of assured self-destruction. Joan knows that she'll be damning herself forever by doing this, that this stunt will loom over her whole career and memory.
-------------
True. Joan Crawford cut off BOTH their noses to spite Davis' face.
I always thought Pat Hitchock's performance in her one scene in 'Psycho' was also excellent. When she said to Janet Leigh, 'He was flirting with you! I guess he must've noticed my wedding ring', people laughed at the CHARACTER, not her.
I don't think it's been mentioned here (nor do I know if anyone cares), but the song Bette Davis sang on the Andy Williams show was taken directly from Baby Jane, the film. It plays twice, but in an instrumental version.
The first time, when Blanche is typing the letter to her neighbor, asking for help. The second time is toward the end, during the opening shot of the daytime beach, it's playing on a transistor radio before it's interrupted by the news that the maid's body has been found.
And to change subjects: Regarding B.D. Merrill's performance as the neighbor. I remember years ago watching the film with my mother (who was a huge Bette Davis fan). Nobody knew who B.D. was yet, but I remember my mom saying, 'Who the hell hired HER? She MUST be some producer's daughter or something!'
I agree. I have a difficult time thinking of anyone's performance that was worse. True, she wasn't an actress, but she was just plain embarrassing.
I was a huge lurker in the discussion forums on IMdB. Read ecarle, swanstep, many others for years. But I did sometimes participate in discussions. Mostly when someone asked a question about a film I knew the answer to.
I also got involved in a few arguments, which I regretted (because in my 'real' life, I hate arguments). But I let them stand because I felt, 'Well...I DID say that.'