DUELING DIVAS

"We won't give a dime for those OLD BROADS" was the consensus of the major studios when pitched  the idea of Bette Davis & Joan Crawford to star in WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE (1962). The idea was unappealing having two washed up Movie Stars from the Silver Screen Era to headline a  new motion picture. Thankfully, Director Robert Aldrich was able to get the funding through independent film company...Seven Arts Productions which released the film through Warner Brothers. The rest is cinema history, the film became a BLOCKBUSTER after the movie going audience came out in droves to see Davis and Crawford. 

The Film resurrected  the careers Davis & Crawford and other veteran actresses like Barbara Stanwyck , Tallulah Bankhead, Olivia de Havilland and so on. Once considered WASHED - UP are now bankable in a new genre...PSYCHO BIDDY GENRE. Now, these actresses were no longer victims of the aging process. The tide has turned  raising their careers to new heights which were sinking fast.

After the huge success of WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962), it was only natural to want  reciprocate that triumph with another with  the Leading Ladies that made the film a hit. But Davis had no intentions in doing another film with her arch rival Crawford. Especially after the stunt Crawford pulled  at the Academy Awards  after hearing that Davis was nominated for BEST ACTRESS  for WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE . Crawford render her services to all other nominees in the BEST ACTRESS category who could not attend the ceremony to receive their OSCAR for them.  And Crawford did just that received  the OSCAR for Anne Bancroft who won over Davis .But Davis would soon  succumb to Director Robert Aldrich after offering a staggering allot more money than Crawford do  to the picture. Davis received 200,000.00 while Crawford only make 50,000 to do HUSH.. HUSH ..SWEET CHARLOTTE.

Director Robert Aldrich was accustomed to playing referee with two feuding stars since WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE. But this time was different Davis was determine to undermine Crawford whom she felt publicly slapped her in the face with that Oscars stunt. Every chance she could she would berate Crawford's performance which made Crawford insecure.

Crawford doing a scene with Joseph Cotton.

Crawford with Agnes Moorehead. 

After only shooting for two days  Crawford had enough of Davis's antics. Crawford was determined to have the LAST LAUGH by not returning  work due to a respiratory illness which held up the production for months.  Because of the amount of money being lost, the insurance company gave Aldrich the ultimatum either scrap the picture or fire Joan Crawford. Aldrich unwillingly fire Crawford to save the production.

Aldrich desperately needed a LEADING LADY and his first choice was VIVIEN LEIGH. But that option didn't settle too kindly with Davis who still begrudged Leigh for winning the role of Scarlett O' Hara over her. Leigh turned down the role flatly for of the idea of  having get up every morning act with Davis was too much to ask. Leigh added that  she would have consider working with Crawford but with Davis that quite a different undertaking altogether.

 Davis  had another actress in mind to replace Crawford , her old colleague from Warner Brothers in 1940's...Olivia de Havilland.

When HUSH HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE was release, it was only a modest hit not the runaway blockbuster that WHATEVER TO BABY JANE was. One can't help but wonder how different the film would have been if Crawford had stayed on. De Havilland did a superb job as the scheming cousin Miriam who tries to gaslight Davis for the family fortune. I believe that Crawford could carry herself quite well maybe even surpassing De Havilland's performance. Crawford and Davis had that chemistry that makes screen team great. But unfortunately their bitter rivalry got in the way of their craft. HUSH ..HUSH ..SWEET CHARLOTTE is now regarded as Classic film and  has gained the status as a Cult Classic as well.