1/5 the damned don't cry
  by J. Abercrombi
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 it 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.

5/5 Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte
  by Kathy Gaston (Fl, USA)
Love this movie, but ordered for a friend who loves it even more!!! It's a classic!

5/5 FANTASTIC PERFORMANCES
  by David F. Baker
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.

3/5 Great Performances, Some Unintentional Humor and A Tad Bit Junky
  by
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.

5/5 "Bette and Olivia Nearly Destroy Each Other In This!"
  by Terry Richard (Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada)
It was announced in December, 1963 that the two stars of "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?", Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, would be reunited for "Hush, Hush...Sweet Charlotte". After the huge financial and critical success of "Baby Jane", studios were fawning all over themselves for a vehicle the would bring these two movie goddesses back together. Before "Baby Jane" no one wanted Davis and Crawford in their movies, as the film studios felt they did not appeal to the box office. Once Joan and Bette's careers were reignited again, Hollywood was knocking down their doors. "Hush, Hush..." was suppose to star the two, but because of ill health and Davis' harsh treatment of her on the set, Joan fell ill and was hospitalized. What a terrible loss the studio had, as well as us fans, as we never saw Joan as Miriam in the final film. It would have been so neat to see Joan, as Miriam, beating the crap out of Bette as Charlotte, as the complete opposite happened in "Baby Jane", where Bette's character was the antagonist and abuser.
Olivia DeHavilland does, however, give a remarkable performance in this film as Miriam. Olivia detetested doing bitch roles, but both Bette and director Robert Aldrich persuaded her to do the film. What makes her character so evil is the subtext in which she uses in her portrayal: we, as the audience, at the beginning of the picture, believe that Miriam is such a kind-hearted, soft spoken woman who's best interest is her cousin Charlotte's welfare: we soon discover none of this is true as Olivia portrays one of the most evil, psychotic women ever on film.
The rest of the cast is first rate, from Agnes Moorehead, who plays Charlotte's maid Velma, to Joseph Cotten, who plays an unscrupulous doctor, out to destroy Charlotte.
"Hush, Hush...Sweet Charlotte" is the best film in the "Baby Jane" genre. There were many 1960's films that tried to duplicate the success of "Baby Jane", like "Lady in a Cage", Straight-Jacket", and "Dead Ringer", but "Hush, Hush" comes a close second to being the sequel that it was suppose to be to the mother film.
According to Bette Davis, she wasn't overly fond of the film, but fans of these hag-films, like me, love these vehicles: nothing like watching former movie queens, looking like hell, and tearing up the scenery!
This film also received a whopping 7 Academy Award nominations, but winning none: at the time the film set a record for a horror film receiving the most Oscar nods. This record would be broken in 1991 by "The Silence of the Lambs".
There is also another DVD release of "Hush, Hush" that is available, but if you already have the 2005 DVD release of the film I would suggest in passing on it. There is a neat documentary on the film, but it doesn't really offer anything that we ardent Bette and Joan fans don't already know. Contrary to public belief there are no Joan Crawford deleted scenes on the 2008 DVD release. Rumor has it 20th Century Fox destroyed the scenes that Joan did prior to leaving the film. In the second DVD there are still pictures of Joan in character as Miriam, but that is about it.