A Gay/campy chronicling of daily life in NYC,with individual kernels of human truth. copyright 2011 by The Raving Queen
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
The Redgrave Version Had No Bite, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My girls all know, by now, that this is Gina Gillespie (sister of Convicted Felon and Grown Mouseketeer, Darlene, whose younger sister, a lawyer, repeatedly bails her out!!!) in her signature child role as young Blanche Hudson, at the start of 'Baby Jane', just as she about to utter that iconic line--"I won't forget! You BET I won't forget.
This line is so important, as is Gina's delivery, because, when we get to the ending on the beach, think back to it, and you realize Blanche has been the real villain all along. Gina and Joan (Crawford) both dripped venom; neither Vanessa or her child portrayer conveyed any sense of bitterness or acrimony.
"What Ever Happened To Baby Jane" resonates for so many. It is a story of a family destroyed by the father's obsession with show business and fame. Many of us, and I speak certainly here for myself, see in this film the childhood I wished I had had---ie; Jane's. Jane may be bitter, but at least she had it.
Poor Lynn and Vanessa were just so wrong. No wit, no camp, no idea of what is actually going on. Done as a cheap TV movie, maybe it was inevitable. But put it on the stage, say, and it might be a different situation.
And I am ready to play Baby Jane, anytime, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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