IMDb > Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) More at IMDbPro »

Videos
Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) -- The arrival of a lost relative, engulfs terror upon an aging southern belle, forever plagued by a horrifying family secret.

Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   3,721 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 12% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Henry Farrell (screenplay) &
Lukas Heller (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
24 December 1964 (USA) more
Tagline:
Don't Tell Anyone What Happened In The Summer House! more
Plot:
The arrival of a lost relative, engulfs terror upon an aging southern belle, forever plagued by a horrifying family secret. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 5 wins more
User Comments:
Great film but slightly flawed in the middle more (99 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Bette Davis ... Charlotte

Olivia de Havilland ... Miriam (as Olivia deHavilland)
Joseph Cotten ... Drew

Agnes Moorehead ... Velma
Cecil Kellaway ... Harry
Victor Buono ... Big Sam
Mary Astor ... Jewel Mayhew
Wesley Addy ... Sheriff
William Campbell ... Paul Marchand
Bruce Dern ... John Mayhew
Frank Ferguson ... Editor
George Kennedy ... Foreman
Dave Willock ... Taxi Driver
Michel Petit ... Gang Leader (as Michael Petit)
John Megna ... New Boy
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
What Ever Happened to Cousin Charlotte?
more
Runtime:
133 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The first horror film to receive at least 7 Academy Award nominations. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Shots of Bette Davis (shot in heavy shadows) and an obviously much younger double are unsuccessfully cut together in opening prologue sequence. more
Quotes:
Velma Cruther: Think I don't know a due bill when I see one? more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Catch Us If You Can (1965) more
Soundtrack:
Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
31 out of 39 people found the following comment useful.
Great film but slightly flawed in the middle, 14 January 2005
8/10
Author: Brandt Sponseller from New York City

John Mayhew (Bruce Dern), a married man, is having an affair with Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis). When Charlotte's father, Sam (Victor Buono), a local bigwig (the town is even named after the family) finds out that John was planning on eloping with Charlotte, he demands that John tells Charlotte during a big party that he's breaking off their relationship. John ends up dead, and Charlotte is the likely suspect. Thirty-seven years later, Charlotte is still living as a recluse on her family's plantation, but now she is being forced to move, as a highway is going to be built across her property. Gradually, people come back into her life to ostensibly help her.

For at least the first 45 minutes to an hour or so into the film, Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Charlotte is a 10 out of 10. Unfortunately, given a 133-minute running time, director Robert Aldrich can't sustain the intensity for the length of the film, but Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Charlotte finishes as an 8 out of 10 for me.

Although there are some thriller and horror elements, both take up relatively little screen time. At that though, these elements are extremely effective. Some parts are surprisingly graphic for 1964--just enough to be a surprise and evoke the appropriate sense of shock. The best horror/thriller material in the film is in the haunted house vein, and for a time, we wonder if Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Charlotte is going to end up being a ghost story.

But the focus here is primarily on Charlotte and Miriam Deering (Olivia de Havilland) and their relationship to one another. Davis and de Havilland are both incredible in the film, and both go through a very wide range of emotions. Oddly, Agnes Moorehead (as Velma Cruther) was more recognized for her performance than the rest of the cast in terms of awards and nominations, with de Havilland receiving neither. Not that Moorehead wasn't good, but in my view, she wasn't the standout performance. However, that's just further fuel for my belief that the Academy Awards have little to do with rewarding the best films, actors and filmmakers.

There are also broader themes explored as a subtext, including the changing way of life in the southern United States between the early and mid-20th Century.

I subtracted two points because the film lost a bit of its momentum and direction in the middle, but the last half-hour is as exciting as the beginning.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (99 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
3 DVD editions, wich one should I take? patlang
Question about endings **spoiler** absters24
Act I costumes and do's. Mkeydude
Drew and Miriam's plan (possible spoilers) mikwalen
My Take on this Movie HOHNancy
hush hush sweet joan is it a good docu? chrisreno181
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Gone with the Wind What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Making the Headlines Home from the Hill The Spiral Staircase
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Drama section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.