Hag Horror Heaven: ‘Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?’ 1969

Ruth Gordon VS Geraldine Page in "Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?"

One measure of a film’s success is by how many imitations it spawns. When Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? was released in 1962, it instantly became a surprise smash. This was because it starred two aging female stars, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, in a low budget thriller. Baby Jane’s success unleashed a wave of suspense films with aging divas gone wild. Geraldine Page and Ruth Gordon carried the terror torch toward the end of the cycle, Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?

Ruth Gordon's worst suspicions confirmed in "Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?"

Baby Jane director Robert Aldrich produced this outing, with Leo H. Katzin at the directorial helm. But Bob’s trademarks are noticeable in the film and its promotion: the grand acting, spine tingling score, and the gimmicky trailer and ads. Also, Aldrich was not above borrowing from prior films, his and others, for Aunt Alice: the put upon housekeepers recall Baby Jane’s Elvira; the villainess dragging her victim along in a car ride is from both Baby Jane and Sweet Charlotte; and the slow sinking of a car from Psycho.

Despite these derivative plot details and the fact we know Geraldine Page is a murderous mistress of her domain from the opening credits, Aunt Alice is a tidy thriller as well as housekeeper.

Nothing gets past the baleful gaze of Geraldine Page in 'Aunt Alice.'

Sidenote: Interestingly, there wasn’t a wave of “he-hag” horror films, starring aging male actors. Imagine a Whatever Happened to Little Caesar? with Edward G. Robertson or Hush, Hush, Sweet Harvey with Jimmy Stewart! Nope, most mature male performers were put out to pasture with westerns.

Geraldine Page as the newly poor widow, Claire Marrable. This poor little widder isn't about to be swept under the rug!

Geraldine Page is a newly destitute widow, Claire Marrable, who relocates to Arizona, to be near her nephew and regroup. Soon, Claire is back on her feet, thanks to knocking off housekeepers after she swindles them out of their life savings. Her latest victim is Mildred Dunnock, ever tremulous and wide-eyed, as the hapless sad sack Edna Tinsley. And with good reason, since Mrs. Marrable treats her housekeepers like personal foot servants. I realize this film came out 50 years ago, but doubt that the era’s household staff was required to keep the lady of the modest ranch house plied with cocktails 24/7, with verbal abuse as their bonus.

Veteran character actor Mildred Dunnock plays Edna Tinsley,
the mistress of the house' latest murder victim.

However, Page must up her game when Tinsley’s pal, Alice Dimmock, played by Ruth Gordon, arrives to apply as the latest housekeeper. Alice is actually there to figure out whatever happened to her missing friend, and finds herself in a battle of will and wits with the indomitable Mrs. Marrable. Maybe they should have called this thriller Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore!

Page's Claire Marrable finds shovels not only handy for planting pines, but for cracking skulls, as well.

Stage and film star Geraldine Page is considered one of the great actresses. Page was also one of the most idiosyncratic performers and could ham with the best of them. In this slim little suspense tale, Geraldine is gaga as gorgon Mrs. Marrable. And I mean that in a great way. Page pulls out all the stops and she’s imperious, garrulous, querulous, demanding, commanding, neurotic, and psychotic, as the widow who wants to plant her pine tree and watch it grow! Especially every time she puts a housekeeper six feet under for their money. Page has some pretty plum dialogue as the delusional grande dame. And Geraldine gives each line, word, and syllable, that distinctive staccato reading, punctuated by her trademark raucous laugh, every time she gets away with anything. This star character actress has a number of great lines, a number of them involving her appreciation of alcohol. My favorite, however, is at the finale: “I’d make a very handsome pine tree!”

You might want to dial m for murder, Ruth!

Surprisingly, Ruth Gordon, no stranger to over the top acting, plays it surprisingly straight as Alice. Gordon is feisty as ever, but Ruth is also restrained. More importantly, while her Alice is wily, she’s also a straightforward, empathetic soul, which Gordon effortlessly conveys. It’s also a much-needed contrast to Page’s unrelenting barrage of bitchery. The main surprise in this film is therefore: Which worthy adversary will defeat the other?

Ruth Gordon was 72 at the time of making 'Aunt Alice,' fresh off her Oscar win for 'Rosemary's Baby.'

Although this ABC Film was released in theaters, it feels like an elevated TV movie. Especially during this time, when the late ‘60s and early ‘70s saw a lot of golden girls from the Hollywood studio era take their horror act to television. This is no knock on Aunt Alice. Despite young co stars, Robert Fuller and Rosemary Forsythe, playing in competent TV style, the film makes no pretense but to be a simple suspense story, with roles for veteran stars Page and Gordon to rock.

Who's Afraid of Claire Marrable? We all are, said her housekeepers!

The greatest surprise was that Geraldine Page was only 44 when this film was made, compared to Ruth Gordon, who was 72 at the time! I’m assuming with the gray wig, Page was supposed to play older. But still, no “aging” makeup seemed to be required—I guess this is why Page was considered a character actress. It’s also a reminder how actors aged more naturally, back in the day. Ironic that Mrs. Marrable catches Alice without her wig and derisively laughs at her, since Page is obviously wearing a wig herself. I also found it amusing that Page’s wig looked a lot like another film harridan, Elizabeth Taylor’s Martha, in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

ET wants her wig to come home, stat!

Aunt Alice is based on a book “The Forbidden Garden” by Ursula Curtiss, who also wrote the story that I Saw What You Did was based on, with Joan Crawford. I’m surprised that nobody thought of Crawford for Mrs. Marrable, who was closer in age for the part than Page and also knew a thing or two about herding household help! What with Crawford’s guide to gracious living, “My Way of Life,” in the works, perhaps Joan and Mamacita could have starred in Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice? Kidding! Still, I can totally hear Joan imperiously demanding, “Mrs. Dimmock, are you aware that the cocktail hour has come and gone?!”

A shame Joan Crawford didn't play Claire Marrable instead of subbing in 'Secret' for daughter Christina.
'Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?' started shooting about the same time.

For its 50^th anniversary, Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice? got the BluRay treatment in early 2019, so you get to see Geraldine Page and Ruth Gordon in all their glory. More suspense than “hag horror,” this close relative of the genre is still highly entertaining and well worth a watch.

'Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?' got especially good personal reviews for the stars, Page and Gordon.