What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

I opted to watch What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? on TCM instead of the Oscars on Sunday, and I can not say I regret it.  The acting was over the top (in a good way) and Bette Davis was truly creepy as a psychotic woman stuck in her childhood.
 
I spent most of the time wondering how much they paid the then 53 year old Bette Davis to look like this on screen:

Baby Jane Hudson feels pretty, oh so pretty

I always loved Bette Davis.  She had a real presence about her, beyond just her super-famous eyes.  Not many women could appear on screen with Marilyn Monroe (in All About Eve, though it's brief) and steal the attention.  Not to mention that Marilyn was 20 years her junior.  Bette can somehow be over the top and believable at the same time. 

My interest in Joan Crawford's work is much more recent.  She plays the tortured sister in Baby Jane beautifully.  And Joan is oh-so gorgeous, with that regal quality as always.

Of course, the best movie Joan Crawford made was Mildred Pierce, which I saw for the first time over the summer.  It was an instant favorite.

I'm not going to comment on the feud that took place between Bette and Joan because, well, I'm not a film historian and I think half of the things said about the two of them are probably exaggerated.  But, in my opinion, a feud between two stars of their caliber does indeed make for a great story.  Especially because there isn't really any proof. 

They didn't talk about hating each other in interviews.  There were no photos of Bette Davis with her hands around Joan Crawford's throat. 

And that is the "problem" with the world we live in now.  The very same fantastic technology that allows any idiot to put their thoughts into the world (yes myself included) also takes away any semblance of mystery that once surrounded our idols.

For example, do I need to see live instagrams of Katy Perry's nail salon visit?  Or know when Kim Kardashian is getting cellulite treatments?  Or, worse, when Ashton Kutcher has an opinion? 

Am I the only one who can barely remember the days when celebrities used to take shits in private?  

Of course, I have a double standard.  Because I tweet constantly and blog and use Facebook like every other person.  But there's just something romantic about a time when I couldn't find out every detail of every person's life with ease.

I mean, can you imagine Joan Crawford and Bette Davis tweeting nasty comments about each other in 1962?

Bette Davis @YouBette
SO NOT surprised that @THE_JoanC put weights in her pockets b4 I had to drag her bony ass across the floor all day - #ThingsIPutUpWith !!


Joan Crawford @THE_JoanC
@YouBette Maybe it will teach you not to make contact next time we have a 'kicking crippled sister in head' scene.


Bette Davis @YouBette
@THE_JoanC If I have to tell you that was an accident one more time, I'll ACTUALLY kick you in the head.


Joan Crawford @THE_JoanC
@YouBette Come at me.

OK, I guess I did comment on the feud.  So sue me!  (note: please don't sue me.)