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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: 20th Century Fox
Salesrank: 6537
Released: August 9, 2005 |
| Our Price: $7.90 |
| Used Price: $7.91 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
This is the tale of a wealthy southern spinster Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis) who lives with her eccentric maid (Agnes Moorehead) in a decaying southern mansion, shunned by the townsfolk after the mysterious axe-murder of her late lover. When her jealous cousin (Olivia de Havilland) and her cousin's wily husband (Cotton) arrive for a visit, the two conspire to drive Charlotte insane and have her commited so the two can sell off her estate and pocket the proceeds.
Description of Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte:
Poor Charlotte Hollis. She's been shunned by the community for decades, ever since the fateful night in 1927 when her lover was hacked apart with an axe. Her antebellum southern mansion is slated for the bulldozer, as it stands in the way of highway construction. Charlotte's only hope lies in her cousin Miriam (Olivia de Havilland), coming down from up north to help settle things. Miriam, however, has other designs. Together with her boyfriend Drew (Joseph Cotten), she embarks on a scheme to systematically drive Charlotte out of her mind (not a great leap) and get her mitts on the family fortune. From there, things only get more complicated. Charlotte puts the "gothic" in southern gothic, as a great showcase for completely bizarre, overwrought, and out-of-control performances from all involved. Agnes Moorehead plays Charlotte's loyal, disheveled housekeeper to the hilt, with an odd inflection that calls to mind Amos and Andy more than southern gentility. As the drunken, conniving Dr. Drew, Cotten's accent is indeterminate at times, and seems to come and go. As great as the supporting players are, though, the crown goes to Bette Davis as the shrieking Charlotte, a portrait of isolation and decay stuck in a world of tragic delusions inside her crumbling mansion. De Havilland is a close second as the scheming Miriam; the scene where she slaps the holy snot out of a hysterical Charlotte is itself worth the price of admission. Mary Astor (in her last role) and Cecil Kellaway (as a kindly Lloyd's of London adjuster) put in the only performances with any restraint, acting as counterweights for the rest of the cast. Besides, you'll never get another chance to see Joseph Cotten playing the harpsichord and singing, or caked in mud and lily pads! With Robert Aldrich's claustrophobic direction, Charlotte is as Southern as a field of kudzu, and as subdued as a train wreck. --Jerry Renshaw
Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte Reviews:
Wild and creepy fun ;o) 
2009-11-24 - Bette Davis at her best in this crazy flick. I found some short clips on the net one night and I knew I had to order this excellent movie. Turn the lights out and have some fun.
the damned don't cry 
2009-11-21 - Under no circumstance can I give this movie more than one star after the way that Joan Crawford (may she rest in peace) was mistreated and abused by the producers, the director and the high holy priestess of the silver screen, Ruth Elizabeth Davis.
Although I have never been too interested in her, I know that Bette Davis was a talented actress, but she could also be very callous and vengeful and extremely mean-spirited. I find it inexcusable that she collectively had poor Joan blackballed because Bette Davis was jealous of Joan's beauty and gentility and gracefulness. Joan Crawford, a star who pioneered the modern American cinematic form, a star who acted in silents when Bette Davis was still in nappies, no less, deserved much, much better than she received.
According to Joan's close friends and assistants at the time, Joan was so emotionally and physically torn, drained and beaten down from the wanton abuse that Bette Davis threw at her that she had no other choice but to check herself into the hospital. Joan did not know how to fight. She was not a fighter in the literal sense. Joan was a pacifist who loved people. And we have to remember that this was her doctor's orders and it was for her own personal health and well-being. And while poor Joan was in the hospital she actually heard of her firing over the radio. They just threw her away like yesterdays newspaper. So sad and so tragic and so disrespectful and disgraceful. But Joan (may she rest in peace) was always a professional and always such a kind and wonderful person and even until the day she passed away never had a bad word to say about Bette Davis or the producers of this film.
Bette Davis always got the very best writers, directors, editors and producers and scripts. Like a poor, starving, innocent, puppy, looking for tables-scraps, Joan simply had to make do with whatever the studio was throwing her way. But Joan, unlike Bette, was always able to make it work because she personified the American woman. She worked harder than any other (wo)man in Hollywood and like a cat holding onto it's 9th life, sustained her career for 6 decades.
As if playing second-fiddle to a second-rate "actress" wasn't bad enough, kind-hearted Joan had to contend with the veiled comments about her appearance, too. Yet, these same critics making these comments almost never bothered to mention that Joan always looked at least 17 years younger than Better Davis. Nor did they ever mention how beautiful and elegant Joan always looked whenever she was seen out in public, even when she was well into her late '60s.
Joan made a classic movie of her own in 1964, titled "Strait-Jacket." And as Ms. Diane Baker (Joan's co-star in the film said in the '02 DVD featurette) if it hadn't been a horror movie, where, by now everyone had all of these preconceived notions about Joan, she likely would have been nominated for an Oscar.
Incidentally, the plot of "Hush...Hush...Sweet Charlotte" is actually rather similar to Joan's other 1964 film, "Fatal Confinement," which is much, much better than "Hush...Hush...Sweet Charlotte" (and came out first.)
I found the performance (or lack there of) by Bette Davis to be lacking in anything even remotely real and human. Like most of her roles (with a very, small exception) she came off as hard, brazen, not very ladylike and rather inhuman (and inhumane) and un-relatable. Incidentally, Agnes Moorhead looked like a regular transvestite. The only performance that was not lacking pretense was that of Ms. Olivia de Havilland (who is still very much alive and kicking.)
If you can find the rare Key Video release of this film, I say get it only because it has a rather unusual cover. However I do not recommend this movie for any other purposes, but if you really must see it wait for it to come on TV.
According to Wikipedia there is actually an original scene in the movie that Joan filmed that is still intact, "There is a long shot in the beginning of the movie, when Miriam gets out of the taxi upon her arrival at the Hollis plantation, that actually shows the back of Joan Crawford's head and not de Havilland's." Why would Joan's portion be left in and not cut out? Some conspirisists think that this was done on purpose to capitalize on Joan's huge name and worldwide box office appeal and loyal public, who, to this day only have the best to say about her.
Contrary to many books and reports stating otherwise, there was never a "feud" between Joan and Bette Davis. Joan was too much of a lady to wallow in the mud with the pigs and simply found it beneath her to ever disrespect anyone, so she simply said nothing. That is one of the (many) reasons why I have so much respect for her.
No, this is not the review you probably came here to read but I didn't start witting reviews on this forum more than 10 years ago (over 500 to date) to be anyone's patsy. These are my opinions and I stand by them because this is how I feel about a very poor movie that could have been very good. Sometimes I really believe that I would be more welcome at a clan rally because some people on this forum are so threatened by anyone else's different opinions because they're afraid that it will undermine their own.
Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte
2009-11-16 - Love this movie, but ordered for a friend who loves it even more!!! It's a classic!
FANTASTIC PERFORMANCES
2009-09-26 - Bette Davis, Olivia deHavilland & Agnes Moorehead gives fantastic performances in this wonderful if slightly over the top horror classic. This film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards and when you watch it you can see why. In my opinion this film is even better than "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" Just the dialogue and snappy lines alone is worth watching this movie and having Bette, Olivia & Agnes deliver those lines is pure fun! Some of the lines that Bette says in the film: "Where you are I could spit in your eye...with no strain at all", "What do you think I asked you here for...company?!", and the best line of all (directed at Olivia deHavilland)- "You're a vile, sorry little [...]!" Wonderfully witty and campy dialogue that is a joy to watch and see. Agnes Moorehead has some great lines with her drawn out southern accent: "You know she broke that dadburn teapot up there...tea running all down the walls! Shooooweeee! "She nottin but a chil'" and my favorite (also directed at Olivia deHavilland) "Oh so your finally showin' the right side of you'face ain't ya...well I seen it all the time". If you can't find something to love about this film, then there is something wrong with you. They don't make classic suspense/horror films like this anymore.
Great Performances, Some Unintentional Humor and A Tad Bit Junky 
2009-07-21 - Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte by Robert Aldrich has a some very tacky elements to it. The conspiracy from two "good" characters to "nobody" playing the piano in the wee hours of the morning compile with some, surprisingly, excellent acting and some funny scenes. The scene that really got me laughin' was the first murder. "OH NO MY BELOVED HAND! OH MY GOD!" throw in the incredibly fake severed hand and I do believe we have a comedy. Another thing that confused the hell outta me was the countless twists and turns that came. First Charlotte killed John, then her dad, then **SPOILERS** Jewel, Charlotte's rival.
The film really catapulted off of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'s success, and HHSC portrays no comparison to WEHBJ, it was actually intended to be a follow up with Joan Crawford. The similarities between the two are uncanny, aging woman, going crazy, hostages, murder the list goes on.
Performances in Hush... Hush are actually great. Bette Davis is great, as usual, Agnes Morrehead is brilliant as loyal servant, Velma, Olivia de Havilland is intriguing toward the end of the film. But, Joseph Cotten sort of drifts away from the rest of the cast but somehow finds his way back.
Cinematography is simple and quite boring. Joseph Biroc provides no interesting shots what so ever.
The plot and idea in general is quite cliche and unoriginal. Murder from many years ago, conspiracy against murderer, murderer is not who you think. Seen it before? I seriously think that you have.
