The new series, which began on FX in the US on Sunday, reimagines the cat fights between Crawford and Davis on the set of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Actress Jessica Lange is playing the role of Crawford, while Susan Sarandon has taken on the part of her glamorous rival Davis.
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, the two stars openly traded insults on set and purposefully hurt each other during stunt scenes for the 1962 film.
The actresses also clashed off set and their cutting comments about each other have gone down in history as some of their most memorable quotes.
Davis once said: “Why am I so good at playing bitches? I think it’s because I’m not a bitch. Maybe that’s why Joan Crawford always plays ladies.”
Crawford gave as good as she got and was not above making comments about Davis’ looks in comparison to her own.
She noted: “Miss Davis was always partial to covering up her face in motion pictures. She called it ‘art.’
“Others might call it camouflage – a cover-up for the absence of any real beauty”.
The rivals teamed up for What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? after they were well into middle age and past the height of their fame.
Even though Crawford asked Davis to join the cast, it did not stop their incessant feuding and arguments during filming.
Davis would later say: “The best time I ever had with Joan Crawford was when I pushed her down the stairs in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”
It is believed that their rivalry fist started during the making of 1935 drama Dangerous when Davis fell for Franchot Tone, who starred opposite her.
Tone was dating Crawford at the time and went on to marry her soon after filming for Dangerous ended. They got divorced just four years later.
The actresses were in direct competition for roles for much of their careers and remained rivals for long after their heyday.
After Crawford’s death, Davis famously said: “You should never say bad things about the dead, you should only say good… Joan Crawford is dead. Good.”
Daily Express :: Entertainment Feed
