Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Fiction, especially for fans of the film
Review: Film fans who love the movie version will enjoy the book on which it was based, but should be prepared for how very different the novel is. Readers will see what an arduous task it was to adapt as a screenplay...and what a commendable job they (and the director & stars) did, as well. Since virutally no one nowadays will read the book first, it serves as an interesting character study into the psychology of the Jane and Blanche characters. And if anyone saw the ghastly TV movie remake starring the Redgrave sisters and John Glover, you will hope they hold on tightly to the novel and leave well enough alone!!

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Fiction, especially for fans of the film
Review: Film fans who love the movie version will enjoy the book on which it was based, but should be prepared for how very different the novel is. Readers will see what an arduous task it was to adapt as a screenplay...and what a commendable job they (and the director & stars) did, as well. Since virutally no one nowadays will read the book first, it serves as an interesting character study into the psychology of the Jane and Blanche characters. And if anyone saw the ghastly TV movie remake starring the Redgrave sisters and John Glover, you will hope they hold on tightly to the novel and leave well enough alone!!

Rating:
Summary: WE STILL LOVE YOU BABY JANE !!!!
Review: I absolutely loved baby jane it was such a great book nomatter how bad it was lol. i love the movie also and its soooo hard to find that soundtrack i love that hip song they play when blanche is trying to throw the letter out the window it was hilarious baby jane is one of the all time best thrillers !

Rating:
Summary: If You Know The Movie, You Should Read The Book
Review: The two most interesting things about the novel are that
given the film's popularity the book has been out of print for
so long and that it demonstrates how ingeniously the filmmakers
used the components to create a film that stands on its own.
For nowhere in the novel are the descriptions of Jane or Blanche
in any way representative of Bette Davis or Joan Crawford. To
be sure, the key elements are here--the vaudeville prologue,
the rat and the parakeet, the relationship between Edwin Flagg
and his mother, the dance on the beach at closing--but the novel
has very little dialogue and none of the film's wit. Readers
waiting to read Baby Jane saying "But ya are, Blanche, ya are!"
will be sorely disappointed. The novel takes itself serioiusly
and is rather dark and frank about the physical abuse of Blanche
by Jane that at the time must have been shocking. Of course
what made the story shocking is something we know now all too
well--that aberrations of all sort take place behind closed doors
with neighbors unaware--and while the baroqueness of the setting
and the characters lives are the stuff of which ficiton is made,
the abuse factor gives 'Baby Jane' its one salient point of
credibility. Those fascinated by the film will learn much
by reading the novel.