For forty years, spinster Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis) has lived in seclusion after the brutal murder of her married lover. The hapless lothario was hacked to pieces after Charlotte’s father forced him to finish his affair with her. The county want to tear down her decaying southern mansion to build a highway and she fears her lovers dismembered body will be discovered. Charlotte seeks her cousin Miriam’s (Olivia De Havilland) help. She is accompanied by the family doctor Drew Bayliss (Joseph Cotten) as Charlotte is plagued by horrific visions of homicide/suicide. As she spirals deeper into madness the truth of the tragedy begins to unfurl.
Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte was director Robert Aldrich’s follow-up to his phenomenally successful What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, and based on the short story What Ever Happened to Cousin Charlotte? by Baby Jane author Henry Farrell. The title of the film was changed so audiences wouldn’t think Hush… was a sequel, which although similar in tone it definitely isn’t.
The picture quality of Eureka’s Blu-ray is exceptional. Joseph F. Biroc’s black and white Oscar-nominated cinematography is showcased to perfection. The whites are clean and vibrant, the blacks deep and luxurious with a slight grain that add to the grand guignol atmosphere.
There are two audio commentaries. One from a previous 2005 release by film historian Glenn Erickson, the other is by critic Kat Ellinger and is new and exclusive to Eureka’s release. Erickson’s commentary is as dry as the Gobi desert and sounds like he is delivering the Budget. Anyone who has read Shaun Considine’s Bette and Joan: The Divine Feud, or has watched the TV adaptation Feud, will know of the bitter animosity between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford that plagued the production of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? This carried over into Hush… which resulted in Crawford being replaced by Olivia De Havilland during the shoot. This is merely glossed over by Erickson in a very staid manner. Fortunately Ellinger’s commentary is a far more rewarding listen with insightful warts-and-all history of the production as well as meaningful psychological evaluations of key scenes.
Hush…Hush, Sweet Joan: The Making of Charlotte is a fascinating featurette which includes behind-the-scenes footage and stills. It also reveals Davis’ concern regarding the gore quota. Bruce Dern Remembers has the legendary actor waxing lyrical about his time making the film as well as his experiences working with Alfred Hitchcock. Wizard Work is an archival behind-the-scenes look at the film, narrated by Joseph Cotton. Finally there’s the obligatory Trailer & TV spots plus a collectors’ booklet featuring a new essay about the film’s tumultuous production, written by Lee Gambin and illustrated with rare archival imagery.
HUSH… HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: ROBERT ALDRICH / SCREENPLAY: HENRY FARRELL / STARRING: BETTE DAVIS, OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND, JOSEPH COTTEN / RELEASE DATE: 21ST JANUARY
