Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte

Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte is a 1964 20th Century Fox gothic horror/thriller motion picture starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, and Joseph Cotten, with Agnes Moorehead, Cecil Kellaway, Victor Buono, Mary Astor, Bruce Dern, and George Kennedy.

Related Topics:
1964 - 20th Century Fox - Gothic - Horror - Thriller - Motion picture - Bette Davis - Olivia de Havilland - Joseph Cotten - Agnes Moorehead - Cecil Kellaway - Victor Buono - Mary Astor - Bruce Dern - George Kennedy

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The movie was directed by Robert Aldrich. It was adapted for the screen by Henry Farrell and Lukas Heller, based on the novel Whatever Happened to Cousin Charlotte? by Henry Farrell.

Related Topics:
Directed - Robert Aldrich - Henry Farrell - Lukas Heller - Novel - Whatever Happened to Cousin Charlotte?

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It received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress (Agnes Moorehead); Best Art Direction (Black-and-White) (William Glasgow Art Direction, Raphael Bretton Set Decoration); Best Black-and-White Cinematography (Joseph Biroc); Best Costume Design Black-and-White (Norma Koch); Best Film Editing (Michael Luciano); Best Original Score (Frank DeVol); and Best Song ("Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte" Frank DeVol (Music), Mack David (Lyrics).

Related Topics:
Academy Award - Best Supporting Actress - Best Art Direction (Black-and-White) - William Glasgow - Raphael Bretton - Best Black-and-White Cinematography - Joseph Biroc - Best Costume Design Black-and-White - Norma Koch - Best Film Editing - Michael Luciano - Best Original Score - Frank DeVol - Best Song - Mack David

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Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte received more Oscar nominations than any other horror movie ever. The record was finally broken by Silence of the Lambs (1991).

Related Topics:
Silence of the Lambs - 1991

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The movie reunited two of the stars from Aldrich's What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, Davis and Buono. Joan Crawford was cast to play the de Havilland role, but dropped out (see: "Trivia" below).

Related Topics:
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? - Joan Crawford

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This gothic melodrama is an engrossing tour-de-force. The horror and thriller elements are effective and some parts are surprisingly graphic, only enough to evoke the appropriate sense of shock. It probably stands as the finest achievement in the psycho-biddy genre, concerning murder, guilt, family rivalry, and the apparent ghosts of the dead.

Related Topics:
Psycho-biddy - Genre

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The black-and-white cinematography adds a great deal to the mood.

Related Topics:
Black-and-white - Cinematography

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133 mins.

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Charlotte Hollis (played by Davis), a middle aged, wealthy spinster lives in a big house on a rural Louisiana plantation that has been in her family since the days of the antebellum South. The parish intends to demolish her plantation house and build a new highway through the property. This decision is met with opposition from Charlotte, who, ignoring the eviction notice and refusing to leave, keeps the foreman (played by Kennedy), his demolition crew and bulldozer, away with her rifle as she shoots at them. They finally give up and leave for the time being.

Related Topics:
Middle age - Wealth - Spinster - Louisiana - Antebellum - South - Parish

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In 1927, Charlotte was in love with a married man, John Mayhew (played by Dern). Her father, Big Sam Hollis (played by Buono), found out they were planning to run away and spoke to John. During a large social party at the Hollis plantation, John and Charlotte had words in a small out building. He told her he was breaking off their relationship and she ran from him crying. He was then murdered in a grizzly fashion with an ax, his hand and head chopped off, although the movie does not show any gruesome or disgusting gore. Charlotte then came to the ballroom with blood on her dress and everyone froze. Her father held out his hand and began telling her to come with him, as she backed away, saying, "No, Papa. I don't want to, Papa."

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Sam Hollis, a local big shot, the town is even named after the family, paid to get her a good defense. Though everyone believed she murdered Mayhew, and she was the most likely suspect, her guilt was never proven.

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These many years later, she has become a recluse in her plantation house. People pretty much look on her as a murderer who got away with it. She is even taunted by a cruel children's rhyme. She has a weird servant, Velma Cruther (played by Moorehead), who is loyal and takes care of Charlotte's needs and the house.

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In the meantime, Charlotte wrote to her cousin, Miriam Deering (played by de Havilland), who has been living in Europe for years, and asked her to come and help her. Miriam is Charlotte's next of kin, and stands to inherit the Hollis fortune. When she arrives, it turns out that this sweet-faced, smiling, refined lady does not intend to help Charlotte save the place; she merely wants to help her pack up and vacate.

Related Topics:
Europe - Next of kin

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Charlotte is naturally upset by this and has heated words with her cousin, who still behaves in a well-mannered, classy and eloquent fashion. The focus of the movie is primarily on Charlotte and Miriam and their relationship as both go through a wide range of emotions.

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It seems that Charlotte's bizarre and reclusive behavior and the fact that she wants to keep the old and decaying plantation is because she is hiding something, that she believes her father committed the murder. Dr. Drew Bayliss (played by Cotten) is concerned with her mental state. Strange things begin happening that threaten to drive her over the edge, as she begins her descent into madness. It appears the house is haunted as she thinks she sees things...or she really does, including the ghost of John Mayhew.

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A well meaning older man, Harry Willis (played by Kellaway), shows up. He is interested in the old case and wants to talk to the people who were there when the murder occurred. While Miriam is in town she sees the once rich, but now poor, widow, Jewel Mayhew (played by Astor), and greets her beside Jewel's old car in a friendly and gracious manner. Jewel acts as if she has been approached by the devil himself. Miriam acts as if she cannot understand such a strange reaction. Harry visits Jewel and they have a long talk. She asks him to do something for her in the event of her death.

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One night in the ballroom, Charlotte is under stress and again sees the ghost of John Mayhew. The flowers in her hand during the fantasy sequence is actually a gun and she shoots him. Miriam comes down from her room, turns on the lights, and discovers it is Dr. Bayliss. She then becomes a cold bitch, turns to Charlotte and tells her that she has killed him.

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As they are taking away the body, with Miriam driving, Charlotte is hysterical. She is shouting that she just can't touch the body. Miriam finally snaps. She stops the car and slaps Charlotte's face multiple times. Her hatred, disgust, and resentment, is revealed, as well as the fact that she always felt like the poor relation.

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While Charlotte is in bed heavily medicated, Velma arrives. She is trying to get her up when Miriam catches her. They have words out on the landing. Though poor Velma is an over-exaggerated oddball, possibly socially retarded, her devotion for "Miss Charlotte" is sincere. She is going for help. Miriam overpowers her and shoves her down the stairs, killing her.

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That evening, Charlotte awakens. She hears talk and laughter coming from the patio below as she walks out on the terrace. It is Miriam and Dr. Bayliss drinking cocktails and discussing with satisfaction how they have driven her insane and will get her money when Miriam has her committed, as they stand together and neck in a rather amorous fashion. Charlotte is suddenly filled with wrath and shoves a large, heavy flower pot from the edge of the balcony. They look up and scream just before it strikes and kills them.

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The following day, Charlotte is dressed in a nice suit and looks rather attractive as she is led out of the house to the Sheriff's car. A couple of the spectators, two women, dispense the news that when Jewel Mayhew heard what happened she dropped dead.

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Harry Willis is there with a note from Jewel to Charlotte. Though she apparently did not reveal the truth to Harry, Jewel had no more money because she paid blackmail for years to Miriam, who saw her leaving the small out building the night of the murder. With her source of income gone, Miriam really returned with the sole intention all along of getting the Hollis fortune.

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Harry gives Charlotte the note just as the car is leaving. She reads it and apparently learns that it was Jewel who committed the murder of John Mayhew. Her "Bette Davis eyes" widen appropriately. She then attempts to call to Harry, waving the note in his direction. He thinks she is waving good-bye and waves back at her while smiling kindly.

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