ABC SUNDAY NIGHT MOVIE: WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television production, based on the novel by Henry Farrell, is about a former movie star tormented in her home by her half-mad, alcoholic sister. The program begins by showing successful child star Baby Jane Hudson on a movie set, singing the lullaby that became her trademark tune, "Tomorrow Is Not Far Away." Meanwhile, older sister Blanche discontentedly acts as her stand-in. Blanche dreams of stardom and thinks the successful Jane treats everyone around her cruelly. Blanche also notices how her parents seem to prefer Jane. By the time she is an adult, a now-paralyzed Blanche re-watches an old movie of hers on television. Then, the outlandishly attired Jane returns to their house and mocks her sister, who ultimately ended up being more successful. Meanwhile, new neighbors Connie and Frank Trotter discuss the fates of Blanche and Jane, with Connie claiming that Jane may have been responsible for paralyzing Blanche. Then, Connie drops by the Hudson home, being greeted at the door by Jane. Jane is rude to Connie and quickly chases her away. Later, Blanche calls Jane upstairs to ask about their neighbors. Jane cuts Blanche's hair as they reminisce about their childhoods. Blanche is shocked at the results of the haircut, thinking it awful. Jane claims Blanche never thinks she does anything right. The next day, physical therapist and aspiring actor Dominick stops by the Hudsons' home to see Blanche. Dominick also tells Blanche that Jane has begun drinking again and seems to be going crazy. Blanche assures Dominick that Jane will be put in an institution before the house is secretly sold. After hearing that Blanche has cut off credit at the liquor store, Jane makes Blanche a sandwich filled with worms.
Jane falls further into dementia, singing "Tomorrow Is Not Far Away" in the dark, late into the night. The next day, Jane reveals that she knows Blanche is trying to sell the house -- and then get rid of her. Later, Jane yells at Frank for his barking dog. Jane goes to a video store where she asks if they have any "Baby Jane" movies. Employee Billy Korn, a film buff, displays his knowledge of Baby Jane films and impresses Jane. Billy then recognizes Jane and says that he is honored to meet her. Soon, Billy is having a coffee with Jane, discussing how he hopes to be a manager and wondering what she means about wanting to restart her career. Meanwhile, Blanche crawls around the house, phoning Dr. Shelby to reveal that Jane is drinking and has become hostile. Then, Jane returns and overhears Blanche, sure that her sister is conniving against her. Disguising her voice as that of Blanche, Jane calls Dr. Shelby back and cancels his intervention. Jane then attacks Blanche, claiming she was never thanked for how her earnings as a child star set the family up financially. Meanwhile, Billy begins gathering old memorabilia on both Hudson sisters. After Jane shows off the leash of the Trotters' dog, then serves a meal shaped like a cooked canine, Blanche tries in vain to alert the neighbors that the dog is in danger. Later, Billy goes to the Hudsons' house to meet with Jane, who greets him in an outfit modeled after her Baby Jane costumes. Billy learns that Jane has lived with Blanche since her accident. When Blanche buzzes for Jane during the visit, Jane goes upstairs and rips out the communication system. When Blanche threatens Jane's financial future, Jane responds that she's making a career comeback. She then locks a terrified Blanche in her room and returns to Billy.
Jane shows off her singing "talents" as Billy plays the piano to "Tomorrow Is Not Far Away," and Billy asks Jane to pay him $1,000 for her first showcase. Meanwhile, Blanche tries to communicate with Connie by recording a taped message and throwing it toward Connie's shrubberies. Billy reveals to Jane that the owners want Blanche to join Jane for her showcase, a concept which an infuriated Jane refuses to acknowledge. Meanwhile, Jane continues neglecting Blanche's nutritional needs and Blanche is forced to fend for herself. Looking in Jane's room for any edible scraps, Blanche finds a sheet of paper on which Jane has practiced forging Blanche's signature. When trying to get to the phone, Blanche falls down the central staircase. Jane goes to the bank and cashes a forged check, allowing her to pay $500 to Billy. Even Billy has begun to be put off by Jane's crazy antics. Returning home, Jane grabs the tape Blanche made for Connie. Then, Jane discovers an unconscious Blanche at the base of the stairs. After dragging Blanche upstairs, Jane leaves her bound and gagged in her bed. Then, Dominick arrives, and Jane tells him that Blanche has hired another therapist. Dominick doesn't believe her and eventually finds Blanche tied up. While Dominick tries to free Blanche, Jane stabs him in the back with scissors. He dies after falling on top of them and driving them into his body. As Jane disposes of Dominick's body, Billy arrives at the Hudson house. Later, Billy rehearses Jane at the club for her musical performance. There, the club manager tells Billy the gossip about Jane's lifelong rivalry with Blanche, and how Blanche got Jane released from an asylum.
Jane returns home to speak with the still-bound Blanche, showing off her new outfit and proclaiming that her comeback is imminent. At the nightclub, Jane is rushed into the spotlight for her big number: lip-syncing to a song once sung by Baby Jane and young Blanche, "There Should Be Love." However, she becomes unhinged when Billy joins her on stage -- in drag as Blanche. She then realizes that the club is a hangout for transvestites and drag queens, all of whom boo her off the stage. A despondent Jane returns home, where she watches an old Baby Jane movie with her Baby Jane doll. Then, Billy comes by the Hudson home, still in drag as Blanche, to get his remaining $500. He quickly discovers the trussed-up Blanche, after which Jane impales him on her stiletto-like "Sword of Excellence Best Child Actress of 1949" award. By morning, a delusional Jane takes Blanche to Venice Beach, burying her in the sand up to her head. Blanche is thirsty and tries to speak with her sister about the accident. Thinking that she's dying, Blanche admits what happened on the night of the crash: She tried to run down a drunken Jane with her car, but was was thrown from the vehicle and ended up paralyzed. Blanche then told the still-inebriated Jane that she was behind the wheel, which the police put in their report. Absorbing the revelation, Jane simply responds that they could have been friends over the decades. As the police arrive, Blanche passes out and an ambulance is called to rush her to the hospital. Jane tries to drown herself in the ocean but is rescued by an officer and brought back to shore, having gone completely mad. Includes commercials. Also includes "ABC News: The Gulf War Update" with Jack Smith.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: February 17, 1991 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:54:38
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:21648
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense; Siblings
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1991
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Calgon bath accessories
- TV - Commercials - Chrysler automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Diet Pepsi soft drinks
- TV - Commercials - Dole fruit juices
- TV - Commercials - Dristan cold medicine
- TV - Commercials - General Mills Oatmeal Crisp cereal
- TV - Commercials - Little Caesars pizza
- TV - Commercials - Mazda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Shedd's Country Crock butter substitute
- TV - Commercials - Toyota automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Tropicana orange juice
- TV - Promos - "Coach"
- TV - Promos - "Columbo: Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health"
- TV - Promos - "Davis Rules"
- TV - Promos - "Doogie Howser, MD"
- TV - Promos - "Fire! Trapped on the 37th Floor"
- TV - Promos - "Good Morning America"
- TV - Promos - "Growing Pains"
- TV - Promos - "MacGyver"
- TV - Promos - "Roseanne"
- TV - Promos - "Who's the Boss?"
- TV - Promos - "thirtysomething"
CREDITS
- William Aldrich … Executive Producer
- Steve White … Executive Producer
- Barry Bernardi … Producer
- Brian Taggert … Co-Producer, Writer
- Chris DeFaria … Associate Producer
- David Greene … Director
- Henry Farrell … Based on the novel "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" by
- Peter Manning Robinson … Music by
- Lawrence E. Finegold … Music by
- Vanessa Redgrave … Cast, Blanche Hudson
- Lynn Redgrave … Cast, Jane Hudson
- Bruce A. Young … Cast, Dominick
- Amy Steel … Cast, Connie Trotter
- John Scott Clough … Cast, Frank Trotter
- John Glover … Cast, Billy Korn
- Samantha Jordon … Cast, Baby Jane
- J. Michael Flynn … Cast, Ray Hudson
- Erinn Canavan … Cast, Blanche (Age 9)
- Alexandra Johnson … Cast
- Bradley Mott … Cast
- Vinny Argiro … Cast
- Pat Skipper … Cast
- Barry Dennen … Cast
- Beans Morocco … Cast
- Scotch Byerley … Cast
- Tari Tabakin … Cast
- Art Chudabala … Cast
- Philip Arthur Ross … Cast
- Roy Fegan … Cast
- for "ABC News: The Gulf War Update"
- Jack Smith … Anchor