Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)

84% of critics liked it
(19 reviews)
82% of users liked it
(7,630 ratings)

An unusually long pre-credits sequence establishes the roots of faded Southern belle Charlotte's (Bette Davis) insanity; she'd been witness to the dismemberment murder of her fiance (Bruce Dern) and the suicide of the murderer, her own father (Victor Buono). Years later, Charlotte remains a recluse… More An unusually long pre-credits sequence establishes the roots of faded Southern belle Charlotte's (Bette Davis) insanity; she'd been witness to the dismemberment murder of her fiance (Bruce Dern) and the suicide of the murderer, her own father (Victor Buono). Years later, Charlotte remains a recluse in her decaying southern mansion, zealously guarding the secret of her father's guilt; she is cared for by her slatternly housekeeper (Agnes Moorehead). When her house is targeted for demolition, Charlotte fears that this will uncover her lover's body parts and thus confirm that her father was a murderer. She desperately summons her seemingly sweet-tempered cousin Miriam (Olivia De Havilland) to help her fight off the house's destruction. Miriam brings along the family doctor (Joseph Cotten) to calm Charlotte's frayed nerves. When Charlotte begins to be plagued by horrific visions of the homicide/suicide of so long ago, it appears that she has gone completely insane. But soon we learn who is behind these delusions...and why. Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte was intended by director Robert Aldrich as a follow-up to the successful Joan Crawford/Bette Davis horror piece Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (1962). Ms. Crawford was originally slated to play Miriam, but became seriously ill shortly before filming started. Davis, who disliked Crawford intensely, suggested that the role of Miriam be filled by her best friend, De Havilland. On the first day of shooting, Davis and DeHavilland pulled a "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" routine by toasting one another with Coca-Cola--a catty observation of the fact that Joan Crawford's husband was an executive with the Pepsi Cola company! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Robert Aldrich
Written By: Henry Farrell, Lukas Heller
Genres: Horror, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Dec 15, 1964 Wide
On DVD: Aug 9, 2005

Critic Reviews

Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine
Bette Davis and Agnes Moorehead overact against each other like Miles Davis and John Coltrane traded fours. Thank Jesus no one suggested a sand dance-off.
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Bette Davis in her late, creepy mode...and still effective.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Davis' near-crazed performance being over-the-top but satisfying in a campy way.
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine
Director Aldrich's work on Baby Jane was already a study in hysteria, and his style for Charlotte is, if anything, even more ornate.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Thrillers don't always make perfect sense, and a degree of open-mindedness is needed to enjoy any of them.... Charlotte passes a good, spooky few hours.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
If it's Grand Guignol you're after, here's where you'll find it.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
This film is bonkers ... heady Southern Gothic decadence, histrionics from just about everyone involved, and severed body parts that pop up at the most inopportune times.
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
Smothered in Spanish moss, creakily derivative of Baby Jane, this one proves you can't borrow from the same well twice.
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
essentially: well-shot schlock

Read all 9 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

_kelly .

"So Fucked Up" highlight: the plot twist
Cindy I

I saw this the first time -- or was at least exposed to it -- when I was 4. Parents went to the movies with me and my brother in tow, not realizing what kind of film it was. All I remembered for years was a head rolling down a staircase and a whole lot of screaming. This film could… More
I saw this the first time -- or was at least exposed to it -- when I was 4. Parents went to the movies with me and my brother in tow, not realizing what kind of film it was. All I remembered for years was a head rolling down a staircase and a whole lot of screaming. This film could have been the reason I was so scared of horror movies until I was about 15. When I finally saw the whole film as a grown-up, I was surprised on how gruesome it actually is for 1964. Still pretty scary in places too. Good flick.
AJ V

This movie is advertised as being for people who liked What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, but you don't really need to have seen that movie to appreciate this one. The story is brilliant, and so are the actors, it's a modern murder mystery movie, one of my favourites.… More
This movie is advertised as being for people who liked What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, but you don't really need to have seen that movie to appreciate this one. The story is brilliant, and so are the actors, it's a modern murder mystery movie, one of my favourites. It's very intense and exciting, I highly recommend it.
Tim S

At times, very creepy and always engaging.
First L

Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964): Starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead Alot of very old hollywood stars come out of the woodworks to appear in this 60s horror film. Music was written by Devol, who wrote the theme songs to the Brady Bunch as… More
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964): Starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead Alot of very old hollywood stars come out of the woodworks to appear in this 60s horror film. Music was written by Devol, who wrote the theme songs to the Brady Bunch as well as My Three Sons. The movie begins in 1927, as Charlotte's father puts the kibosh on her romance with a married man. Someone runs off with a meat cleaver, and the next thing you know, the married man is hacked up and charlotte's party dress is covered in blood. Jump ahead to 1964, and the city is going to demolish Miss charlotte's house to make way for a new bridge. Charlotte's embarrassed to be wearing her hair in long braids when her cousin shows up at the house not looking like a hillbilly, but like an update modern 60s woman. Thelma the housekeeper thinks everybody is a snooty city slicker (except for Miss Charlotte, of course). These old broads are still pretty attractive, and they chew up the scenery with some very campy (yet very enjoyable) acting, especially Thelma (Agnes Moorehead). It's not a horror film in the traditional sense of the word, but it's enjoyable for no other reason than seeing the performances.
Jason V

Not necessarily a horror film as defined in 2011, nor is it truly a mystery, Hush..Hush, Sweet Charlotte is something entirely different I'm not sure how to name. Southern 1960s thriller? A complete mind frack? A study in long, slow torture of an individual without resorting… More
Not necessarily a horror film as defined in 2011, nor is it truly a mystery, Hush..Hush, Sweet Charlotte is something entirely different I'm not sure how to name. Southern 1960s thriller? A complete mind frack? A study in long, slow torture of an individual without resorting to Saw-like shenanigans? See, the film doesn't really let on what's going on until late in the picture, as it should. Until that point, we assume Charlotte is the crazy one. Why? Because we're told she is. Everything the camera shows leads to that conclusion in one way or another. Some parts are underutilized, such as a British insurance investigator, which is a pity, considering how pivitol he turns out to be in the end. I can certainly understand wanting to throw the audience off the scent (so to speak), but HHSC comes off a a bit schizophrenic because of it. However, any deficiencies are easily made up by the actors on screen, all of whom try to overact the others. Davis and de Havilland take the cake in this regard, though Agnes Moorehead is almost campy fun as well.
John M

The pacing of the story in "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte" runs a little slow, and the film tends to be slightly longer than necessary and somewhat confusing but the direction, acting and a few atmospheric scenes make this worth seeing at least once. The opening hatchet… More
The pacing of the story in "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte" runs a little slow, and the film tends to be slightly longer than necessary and somewhat confusing but the direction, acting and a few atmospheric scenes make this worth seeing at least once. The opening hatchet murder is (for its time I was not expecting that scene) pretty shocking and bloody.