Batty Old Dames

Somewhere between horror and thriller, but closer to the latter, movies focusing on "Batty Old Dames" constitute a cinematic niche that focuses on older women who are mentally unstable and/or certifiably insane, usually played by iconic actresses who are past their prime. Most commonly, these films portray mentally disturbed women with a glorious past - former singers, actresses, dancers - who are struggling to accept the fact that their glory days are behind them. Narcissistic personalities on the brink of the abyss, these faded stars become immersed in a fantasy world of mementos and memories, and inevitably end up going off the deep end.

Some possible variations on the theme notwithstanding, the main character's mental fragility is the common thread in films of this genre. Whatever the origin of her difficulties (e.g., a traumatic episode, an obsession with past glory, underhanded individuals gaslighting her for their own shady purposes etc.), she soon finds herself caught up in harrowing events which only exacerbate her pathological tendencies. (+)

Despite the presence of a notable forerunner such as "Sunset Boulevard" (Billy Wilder, 1950), the "psycho-biddy" genre didn't hit its stride until the following decade, and is largely confined to the period from the early 1960s to the late 1970s. The quintessential "Batty Old Dames" film was the highly successful "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962) (+), which benefitted immensely from the contributions of three genuine talents: director Robert Aldrich, actress Bette Davis, and novelist/screenwriter Henry Farrell, who had a real knack for the genre.