Bonus Insights: The Pre-Code Influence in "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?"
The inclusion of pre-Code films acts as a cinematic bridge between two significant film eras
This post serves as a bonus companion to my latest YouTube video, where I explored the influence of the pre-Code films that appear on the cult classic Gothic psychological horror, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. The 1962 film, directed by Robert Aldrich, not only revived the careers of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis but also subtly referenced their earlier work, particularly that from the pre-Code era of the early 1930s. Below, we’ll explore how those titles—Parachute Jumper, Ex-Lady, and Sadie McKee—helped enrich the narrative and character dynamics in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?.
I’m excited to share with you some additional thoughts and fascinating tidbits that didn’t make it into the video, so if you haven’t seen it yet, I invite you (encourage you 🤗) to check it out before I continue.
From here on, proceed with caution.
Pre-Code Era Resurfaces
The film, centered on two aging sisters trapped in their decaying mansion and their own bitter memories, taps directly into the pre-Code era. The inclusion of footage featuring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in their earlier roles not only adds verisimilitude to the film’s exploration of fading fame but also resurrects the remnants of that brief yet pivotal Hollywood period. The stars’ shared legacy from that era deepens the Baby Jane’s narrative, enhancing the story’s interest and emotional impact.
As previously mentioned, the film references three specific Pre-Code titles: Parachute Jumper, Ex-Lady, and Sadie McKee, each carefully selected to further illustrate the sisters’ backgrounds, differences and past dynamics in Baby Jane. The first two titles were chosen to reflect Jane Hudson’s floundering career as she grew older. In reality, these Bette Davis films didn’t fare well at the box office either, marking a difficult period early in her career just before her breakthrough role in Of Human Bondage (1934) with Leslie Howard. In stark contrast, Sadie McKee tells a different story. Not only was the film successful, but it also highlighted Joan Crawford’s established status as a Hollywood star, having already made her mark in silent films. This contrast between the two performers’ real-life careers mirrors the dynamic between Jane and Blanche Hudson in Baby Jane—one sister’s star fading while the other’s continues to shine. The themes running through these films also touch upon different aspects of their lives, adding depth to their tragic story, which I explore further in the video.
Revisiting the Original Warner Bros. Pressbook
One of the most interesting discoveries of my research came when I stumbled upon the original pressbook by Warner Bros., where Aldrich discussed his selection of the early films featuring the two stars. His remarks further confirmed for me that referencing the pre-Code era was a deliberate and thoughtful choice, even though the film eventually jumps to 1935, when the Hays Code was already in effect. This underscores the value of revisiting these early films, despite their imperfections, as they hold substantial historical and artistic significance.
Take Ex-Lady as an example. While it’s not a particularly well-known film today, it serves as a fascinating reflection of the challenges faced by women in the early 1930s. In the film, Bette Davis plays a strong, independent woman navigating the complexities of love and career while being pressured to conform to societal expectations. Much like Jane Hudson’s struggle with her lost fame, Ex-Lady illustrates how Davis, early in her career, fought to break free from the constraints of the Hollywood system, even as her independence seemed to be under threat. Watching it now, knowing the iconic status she would later achieve, adds a layer of poignancy to her performance and can be seen as a cautionary tale. Ex-Lady not only sheds light on Jane Hudson’s youthful determination, career disappointments, and early signs of the lapidary behavior later exhibited in Aldrich’s film but also bridges two eras of filmmaking and stardom, highlighting the often harsh reality behind what was perceived as a dream-like career, especially for women. But more on that later.
The Davis-Crawford Connection
In the video, I explore how the brilliant casting of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford as sisters and former movie stars came to be. It was both a unique stroke of luck and a bold choice by two performers who were incredibly savvy about what their careers needed and how to make it happen. Despite their personal stances, they recognized each other’s strengths and the potential of their combined star power. Moreover, the decision to include pre-Code films in Baby Jane revealed even deeper connections between Davis and Crawford, beyond their shared time at Warner Bros.
The choice of 1930s films reveals several intriguing coincidences, such as the casting of Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in Parachute Jumper alongside Bette Davis, at a time when he was precisely in the process of divorcing Joan, his first wife. But there are more interesting connections that I highlight in the video. Additionally, as it is mentioned in the pressbook for What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, both Davis and Crawford had just published their respective autobiographies in 1962. Joan Crawford’s A Portrait of Joan (co-written with Jane Kesner Ardmore) and Bette Davis’ The Lonely Life both quickly climbed the U.S. best-seller lists and were used to further promote the film.
Coincidentally, both Bette and Joan went on to publish a second book about their lives. Joan’s My Way of Life, first published in 1971, is a mix of memoir, self-help, and lifestyle advice, offering a guide to being the perfect hostess and an all-around charming working woman à la Crawford. Much like the celebrity lifestyle books and social media posts of today, it’s occasionally out of touch, with Crawford detailing her morning routines, super busy schedule, and tips for “getting the most out of life.” If you detect a bit of irony, you’re beginning to understand my perspective—this book is wonderfully eccentric and fascinating, if you take it for what it is.
Bette Davis, on another note, published her second memoir, This ’n That, in 1987, co-written with Michael Herskowitz. Having endured a mastectomy and a stroke, Davis took on the task of writing about these life-altering experiences, her love life, and many other reflections, including the making of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. The book also contained a letter to her daughter Barbara Davis Hyman, B.D., who two years earlier had published her controversial tell-all book My Mother’s Keeper and who, by the way, made her screen debut in Baby Jane. Tragically, this is another shared connection between Davis and Crawford—their daughters’ tell-all books. Christina Crawford’s explosive Mommie Dearest became a cultural phenomenon, further immortalized by Faye Dunaway’s portrayal of Joan in the 1981 film adaptation. The key difference is that Christina published her book after Joan had passed away, whereas Bette was very much alive when B.D. released hers—a blow from which Davis never fully recovered, according to her assistant Kathryn Sermak.
With these painful revelations and tragic parallels, I can’t help but think of that haunting line from Baby Jane: “Then, you mean, all this time we could’ve been friends?” It’s a poignant reminder of the need for greater support between one another, especially among women. These connections also underscore the stars’ courage in confronting harsh realities head-on, regardless of what the media or studios might have said. The resulting film has been celebrated but also satirized, giving rise to terms like hagsploitation, Grand Dame Guignol, and psycho-biddy. These labels, while catchy, underscore the broader issue—there remains significant room for improvement in Hollywood and society at large, especially in how we perceive and value women as we grow older, far beyond the imposed “shelf life.”
Davis and Crawford responded to these challenges with ambition, with their own solution: embracing the roles that mirrored how society viewed them yet showcasing their ability to adapt, endure, and shine. This power move not only solidified their legacies as iconic film stars but also left an indelible mark on Hollywood history and popular culture.
More Than Just a Horror Film
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is often celebrated for its campy horror and the legendary rivalry between its two stars, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. But beneath the surface, the film is a poignant commentary on the dangers of the fickle nature of fame, the inevitable passage of time, and the evolution of Hollywood itself. The more I watch it, the more I find that it offers a reflective look at the status of cinema, transitioning from the Golden Era of the studio system to the transformative period of the early 1960s and beyond. Similarly to Jane and Blanche, studios were facing financial struggles and recession while they were also at odds with television—a fierce competitor that might have been also ‘a friend all this time’ if studios could have fully engaged with it as they had with theaters and distribution networks in the past.
Despite wanting to capitalize on the new medium, studios were barred by the Federal Communications Commission from acquiring television licenses due to their history of monopolistic practices. The 1948 Supreme Court ruling in the United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. case—often referred to as the “Paramount Decree”—had significant implications for Hollywood studios and their ability influence on television development. This restriction forced the studios to look for other ways to draw audiences back to theaters, leading to innovations like 3D, CinemaScope, and other widescreen formats. Therefore, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a great reminder of the significant changes Hollywood had undergone since the 1930s up to 1962 when it was released, reflecting the shifting landscape of an industry in transition.
All in all, the inclusion of pre-Code films within What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? was extremely paradigmatic. The way these films are shown—first in a projection room, as was common practice in the 1930s, and later on television screens, reflecting the 1960s—emphasizes the profound transformation Hollywood underwent during those decades. As I mentioned earlier, these carefully chosen scenes are essential to understanding the psychological complexities of Jane and Blanche, but they reveal even more about society. They act as a cinematic bridge between two significant film eras, offering a powerful commentary on the relentless passage of time and the impact it has on both the industry and the individuals within it.
What Ever Happened to Those Links?
Read What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Pressbook (Warner Bros., 1962) through the Internet Archive.
Browse through a copy of A Portrait of Joan by Joan Crawford and Jane Kesner Ardmore (Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1962) at the Internet Archive.
Check out a scanned copy of My Way of Life by Joan Crawford (1971) through the Internet Archive.
Watch the Behind the Scenes featurette accompanying the release of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) through YouTube.
Give Ex-Lady (1933) a look on the Internet Archive.
Watch Sadie McKee (1934) through the Internet Archive.
Grab a copy of Henry Farrell’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? at Bookshop.org, and when you do, The Best Before Supplement will earn a commission from your purchase at no extra cost to you. Thank you in advance for your support!
I hope this post has offered you a valid excuse to rewatch or to seek out What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, if you haven’t already (?! 😱). These pre-Code connections were so much fun to research and they definitely made me appreciate the film even more.
As always, thank you for joining me on this journey through classic film discovery! Don’t forget to subscribe to The Best Before Supplement for more insightful deep-dives and exclusive posts. Your support means the world to me, and I’m excited to continue exploring cinema together.
Until next time, keep watching classic movies!
All the best,
Miriam