The narrative explores the tragic aftermath of child stardom through (Bette Davis), a former vaudeville child star known as "Baby Jane". Once the family breadwinner, her fame faded as she reached adulthood, eventually eclipsed by the successful film career of her sister, Blanche (Joan Crawford). Decades later, the two live as recluses in a decaying Hollywood mansion. Jane, now an alcoholic and mentally unstable, "cares" for the wheelchair-bound Blanche, who was paralyzed in a mysterious car accident years prior—an event Jane has long been led to believe she caused. Psychological Warfare and Symbolism What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) - Plot - IMDb

Directed by Robert Aldrich and based on the 1960 novel by Henry Farrell, the 1962 film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? stands as a definitive landmark in the psychological thriller and gothic horror genres. It is famously credited with originating the "psycho-biddy" or "hagsploitation" subgenre by casting legendary, aging actresses in grotesque, horror-centric roles. The Shadow of Child Stardom