What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? vs. Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte

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Battle of the psycho-biddy films. I know What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is the original and that Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte is little more than a riff on its more famous sister, but I still prefer the later film. Baby Jane is more disturbing, definitely, and in the end more tragic, plus Bette Davis is a tad better in it. Charlotte is just campy fun. And to make up for Davis's OTTness, there are some wonderful supporting turns by Mary Astor, Cecil Kellaway, and especially Olivia de Havilland.

Two of Bette Davis' most signature roles and proof positive that Davis knew how to play a woman with a grudge. Charlotte is better than Baby Jane because of Davis' performance as well as Olivia de Havilland. As good as Davis is in Baby Jane and as strong as Joan Crawford is in the film, Charlotte has the stronger back story for Davis' condition. In Jane, it's due to jealousy which leads to rage and feelings of revenge. In Charlotte, it's because of guilt and fear of the truth, which is a stronger story.