It takes a great deal of guts to be a successful woman in Hollywood, and it was a lesson that plenty of Golden Age actors understood well.

Although an actor may enjoy plenty of roles in their youth, there is always a risk of a downturn in roles the older they get.

It was at one of these low points that Joan Crawford and Bette Davis agreed to star in Robert Aldrich’s film, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? The film would become an enormous success, though neither actor had any idea when shooting began.

During an interview with Boze Hadleigh in Bette Davis Speaks, Aldrich acknowledged how the two women differed when searching for future roles. While Crawford wanted to play it safe, Davis wanted to take a risk.

“Joan always wanted to be the heroine, wanted people rooting for her,” said Aldrich. “She [Davis] knows that people go to the movie house for something unusual. They want to be entertained or scared. Bette doesn’t always want to repeat herself. If Joan could’ve played the Queen Mother, she’d have been content to repeat herself into infinity. Bette Davis needs a challenge, and brother, she’ll drive you crazy trying to meet that challenge.”

Crazy as she may have made him, Aldrich acknowledged that the reason the film was still so successful to this day was in part because of Davis’s performance.

“Davis is the greatest sadist the movies ever had, and Crawford’s no slouch at dishing it out herself,” said Aldrich.