| Blanche Hudson | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? |
| Created by | Henry Farrell |
| Portrayed by |
Joan Crawford (1962) Vanessa Redgrave (1991) |
| Information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | actor |
| Relatives | Baby Jane Hudson |
Blanche Hudson is a fictional character in the thriller novel What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? by Henry Farrell and in two films which are based on it. The role has been interpreted by three actors: Joan Crawford in the 1962 film directed by Robert Aldrich, Gina Gillespie in same movie as young Blanche Hudson and Vanessa Redgrave in the 1991 TV remake.
As a child, Blanche lived in the shadow of younger sister Jane, a successful vaudeville star known as "Baby Jane Hudson". Their father evidently favors Jane and builds a popular vaudeville act around her "Baby Jane" persona, whilst Blanche is forced to look on from the wings. The sisters' mother, however, promises Blanche her day will come.
When the sisters grow up fate reverses their roles: Blanche becomes a beautiful and respected actress, whilst Jane degenerates into an alcoholic has-been who is given roles only because Blanche's studio contract demands that her sister be kept on the books. Jane quickly grows to despise Blanche, whom she holds responsible for the ruin of her career.
A mysterious car accident at the gate of the mansion they share leaves Blanche paralyzed from the waist down, and completely dependent on Jane for her care. Jane, blamed for the accident, slides deeper into alcoholism and mental illness.
A television revival of Blanche's films triggers a sharp decline in Jane's stability. She keeps her sister a prisoner in the house, subjecting her to such tortures as killing her pets and serving them to her, and then severely beats her and ties her up. When the housekeeper discovers Blanche, Jane kills her with a hammer. Jane takes the weakened Blanche on the lam with her. With her dying breath, Blanche confesses that she was at fault in the incident that crippled her; she had been trying to run over Jane, who saw the oncoming car, moved out the way and the car slammed into the metal gates resulting in Blanche snapping her spine and accidentally crippling herself. Jane had been too drunk to remember the truth. Jane's response to this is: "You mean, all this time, we could have been friends?"
The success of the movie led to the director's undertaking a film using similar themes and characters, Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte, which was supposed to reteam Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Crawford became ill during shooting and was replaced by Olivia De Havilland.
Blanche Hudson is referenced as a character in the short story "The Other Side of Midnight" which is part of the Anno Dracula series by Kim Newman.