Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte directed by Robert Aldrich, is a Southern Gothic horror psycho-melodrama. In the last third of the drama the film reveals its intentions as some of the characters drop their facade. Until then the film keeps you guessing.
In 1927 John Mayhew (Bruce Dern) is a married man who plans to leave his wife and run off with sweet Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis). Charlotte's father, Sam (Victor Buono) is the local big shot and plans to have none of it. He forces John to tell Charlotte that it is all off. It seems in a fit of anger, Charlotte brutally kills John with his hand and head being chopped off. All this happens before the opening titles.
Thirty seven years later, Charlotte is regarded as a local psycho, she lives alone in her family mansion, being irate with her servants. She is being forced out from her house as a highway will be built across her land.
Her long time friend and physician, Dr Bayliss (Joseph Cotton) calls in Charlotte's cousin Miriam (Olivia de Havilland) to come over after some years to deal with Charlotte. Her housekeeper Velma (Agnes Moorehead) is suspicious of Miriam, poking her nose after so many years away.
Yet Miriam thinks strange things are happening, her old clothes get ripped, Charlotte thinks she is hearing or seeing things. People start to disappear.
This starts of very grisly and then becomes rather twisted. Davies really is effective as someone who is unhinged after getting away with murder all those years ago. Also good performances from the Cotton as well as De Havilland who returns to the mansion almost as a stranger until the past reignites other passions.
In 1927 John Mayhew (Bruce Dern) is a married man who plans to leave his wife and run off with sweet Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis). Charlotte's father, Sam (Victor Buono) is the local big shot and plans to have none of it. He forces John to tell Charlotte that it is all off. It seems in a fit of anger, Charlotte brutally kills John with his hand and head being chopped off. All this happens before the opening titles.
Thirty seven years later, Charlotte is regarded as a local psycho, she lives alone in her family mansion, being irate with her servants. She is being forced out from her house as a highway will be built across her land.
Her long time friend and physician, Dr Bayliss (Joseph Cotton) calls in Charlotte's cousin Miriam (Olivia de Havilland) to come over after some years to deal with Charlotte. Her housekeeper Velma (Agnes Moorehead) is suspicious of Miriam, poking her nose after so many years away.
Yet Miriam thinks strange things are happening, her old clothes get ripped, Charlotte thinks she is hearing or seeing things. People start to disappear.
This starts of very grisly and then becomes rather twisted. Davies really is effective as someone who is unhinged after getting away with murder all those years ago. Also good performances from the Cotton as well as De Havilland who returns to the mansion almost as a stranger until the past reignites other passions.