A more judicious use of editing could have trimmed at least half an hour off this overlong dark house melodrama which begins to lose steam midway before revealing some surprising twists. As it stands, it's still a very watchable, very entertaining film of its kind.
Winner of seven Academy Award nominations, it borrows heavily from the French film "Diabolique" for its main plot twist. Still, it's vastly entertaining with some really fine performances--although restrained acting is not evident except for two performers--Mary Astor in a wonderful five-minute encounter with Cecil Kellaway at an outdoor patio and Olivia de Havilland, offering a counterpoint to Bette Davis' wilder performance as the pathetic Charlotte suffering from delusions. Davis actually has some toned down moments where she makes her character pitiful and sympathetic--but most of the time she is shouting like a mad witch at everyone in sight. If it were not for the calmer performances of de Havilland, exquisitely refined and elegant as the visiting cousin, Joseph Cotten, Mary Astor, Cecil Kellaway, the film would be too far over the top to be believable. Bruce Dern, George Kennedy, Ellen Corby and others in supporting roles do fine work.
Agnes Moorehead is enjoyable as a slatternly housekeeper protecting Charlotte from her wicked cousin--but she too is given to outrageous moments of mugging. If Robert Aldrich had been able to tone down the whole thing and keep Davis and Moorehead in check, this might have been handed even more kudos than it received.
Mary Astor in a pivotal role lingers in the memory for a marvelous scene in which she mouths dialog that sounds like Tennessee Williams, talking of "ruined finery" as she toys with her lace sleeves. Her acting is so restrained it seems to belong to another film. It is the most genuinely moving moment in the entire picture.
Summing up: Excessive footage should have been trimmed and more restrained acting from Davis would have helped--but it still manages to be an absorbing dark house mystery.
Trivia note: It began shooting with Joan Crawford in de Havilland's role until Crawford feigned illness to bow out. Script changes were made to give the character "more refinement" for Olivia--and it works beautifully for better counterpoint between Davis and de Havilland.
Winner of seven Academy Award nominations, it borrows heavily from the French film "Diabolique" for its main plot twist. Still, it's vastly entertaining with some really fine performances--although restrained acting is not evident except for two performers--Mary Astor in a wonderful five-minute encounter with Cecil Kellaway at an outdoor patio and Olivia de Havilland, offering a counterpoint to Bette Davis' wilder performance as the pathetic Charlotte suffering from delusions. Davis actually has some toned down moments where she makes her character pitiful and sympathetic--but most of the time she is shouting like a mad witch at everyone in sight. If it were not for the calmer performances of de Havilland, exquisitely refined and elegant as the visiting cousin, Joseph Cotten, Mary Astor, Cecil Kellaway, the film would be too far over the top to be believable. Bruce Dern, George Kennedy, Ellen Corby and others in supporting roles do fine work.
Agnes Moorehead is enjoyable as a slatternly housekeeper protecting Charlotte from her wicked cousin--but she too is given to outrageous moments of mugging. If Robert Aldrich had been able to tone down the whole thing and keep Davis and Moorehead in check, this might have been handed even more kudos than it received.
Mary Astor in a pivotal role lingers in the memory for a marvelous scene in which she mouths dialog that sounds like Tennessee Williams, talking of "ruined finery" as she toys with her lace sleeves. Her acting is so restrained it seems to belong to another film. It is the most genuinely moving moment in the entire picture.
Summing up: Excessive footage should have been trimmed and more restrained acting from Davis would have helped--but it still manages to be an absorbing dark house mystery.
Trivia note: It began shooting with Joan Crawford in de Havilland's role until Crawford feigned illness to bow out. Script changes were made to give the character "more refinement" for Olivia--and it works beautifully for better counterpoint between Davis and de Havilland.