Cousin Bette

Starring:Jessica Lange, Elisabeth Shue, Bob Hoskins, Hugh Laurie, Aden Young, Kelly Macdonald, Toby Stephens, Jefferson Mays, Geraldine Chaplin, John Benfield, Paul Bandey, Laura Fraser (II), Janie Hargreaves, Gillian Martell, John Sessions, Henrik Wager, John Quentin, Tim Barlow, Heathcote Williams, Philip Jackson (II)
Director: Des McAnuff
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Poor Charlotte Hollis. She's been shunned by the community for decades, ever since the fateful night in 1927 when her lover was hacked apart with an axe. Her antebellum southern mansion is slated for the bulldozer, as it stands in the way of highway construction. Charlotte's only hope lies in her cousin Miriam (Olivia de Havilland), coming down from up north to help settle things. Miriam, however, has other designs. Together with her boyfriend Drew (Joseph Cotten), she embarks on a scheme to systematically drive Charlotte out of her mind (not a great leap) and get her mitts on the family fortune. From there, things only get more complicated. Charlotte puts the "gothic" in southern gothic, as a great showcase for completely bizarre, overwrought, and out-of-control performances from all involved. Agnes Moorehead plays Charlotte's loyal, disheveled housekeeper to the hilt, with an odd inflection that calls to mind Amos and Andy more than southern gentility. As the drunken, conniving Dr. Drew, Cotten's accent is indeterminate at times, and seems to come and go. As great as the supporting players are, though, the crown goes to Bette Davis as the shrieking Charlotte, a portrait of isolation and decay stuck in a world of tragic delusions inside her crumbling mansion. De Havilland is a close second as the scheming Miriam; the scene where she slaps the holy snot out of a hysterical Charlotte is itself worth the price of admission. Mary Astor (in her last role) and Cecil Kellaway (as a kindly Lloyd's of London adjuster) put in the only performances with any restraint, acting as counterweights for the rest of the cast. Besides, you'll never get another chance to see Joseph Cotten playing the harpsichord and singing, or caked in mud and lily pads! With Robert Aldrich's claustrophobic direction, Charlotte is as Southern as a field of kudzu, and as subdued as a train wreck. --Jerry Renshaw

Description

This is the tale of a wealthy southern spinster Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis) who lives with her eccentric maid (Agnes Moorehead) in a decaying southern mansion, shunned by the townsfolk after the mysterious axe-murder of her late lover. When her jealous cousin (Olivia de Havilland) and her cousin's wily husband (Cotton) arrive for a visit, the two conspire to drive Charlotte insane and have her commited so the two can sell off her estate and pocket the proceeds.

Customer Reviews:

A HAIR RAISING SHOCKER.......2007-06-09

THIS SUPERB FILM STARS BETTE DAVIS AS CHARLOTTE HOLLIS WHO HAS BEEN CLOSETED IN HER MANSION SINCE THE GRISLY MURDER OF HER MARRIED LOVER MANY YEARS EARLIER. FINE SUPPORT COMES FROM OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND AS HER COUSIN MIRIAM AND JOSEPH COTTEN AS DOCTOR DREW BAYLESS. THIS THRILLER WILL HAVE YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT AND SPECIAL MENTION MUST BE MADE OF CHARLOTTE'S LOYAL SERVANT OSCAR NOMINEE AGNES MOOREHEAD - I DON'T THINK EVEN THIS FINE ACTRESS HAS DONE ANYTHING BETTER. FINE REMASTERING FROM THE 1964 PRINT ADDS TO ONE'S PLEASURE SO DON'T MISS THIS REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT.

What A Twisted Tale Of Life-Long Deception!.......2007-05-26

Davis and DeHavilland are truly at their best in this shocking thriller, set in the bayou country of Louisiana. The setting, the family dynamics, and the un-expected twists and turns in the story will keep your attention riveted to the screen. I enthusiastically recommend this movie to all lovers of Hollywood classics...

Great entertainment.......2007-02-12

The story behind the conception of "Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte" is well documented, so the question is: without being another Bette Davis/Joan Crawford battlefest, does it match up to the runaway success of "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane"? My opinion is that it ranks as a good movie, but falls into the shadow of it's predecessor.

The plot follows Davis as Charlotte, an eccentric recluse who has been shunned by the townsfolk ever since her married lover was found brutally murdered at a party when she was a young girl. Branded as the killer, Charlotte has grown into a bitter and lonely old woman, who is finally forced to come out of her isolation when the county wants to knock down her house to build a new road. The main part of the film begins as Charlotte's cousin Miriam arrives in an attempt to talk some sense into her, and all the skeletons of the past come to light again.

The film is built around it's two central stars, Bette Davis and Olivia de Haviland (who plays Miriam). The two could scarcely be more different. Davis plays Charlotte as wide-eyed, shrill and in a constant state of nervous terror, while de Havilland delivers a performance of sleek velvety calm. The film hinges on the relationship between these two women, and out of the two of them, it is Miriam rather then Charlotte who suggests a character with much more going on beneath the surface, thanks to de Havilland's glacial cool. Davis is brittle and exhausting nearly all the time, and although she was one of the greatest Hollywood stars of her time, some more subtelty would have greatly enhanced the character of Charlotte in places. However, for the most part she is terrific, in fact her performance gets better and better as the film progresses, culminating in a very moving conclusion. De Havilland also does a great job, speaking in silky soft tones for the most part, but capable of erupting into surprisingly venomous anger as more of her true character comes to light. As is usual with a well known film like this, the twists and surprise revelations are already well known, but what impressed me was the the way the various strands were worked into the film, and how effectively some of the twists were then later built up into new twists! It must have been very effective for first time audiences in 1964, and for anyone who has not seen it even today.

The film looks great. Beautifully shot in black and white, it makes great use of selective lighting and deep shadows, more often than not inside the grand but rotting mansion that Charlotte lives in. There are also some great lines in the script, most often spoken by Davis, which make the proceedings border on high camp some of the time, but for the most part it is a quality product. What detracts from the enjoyment are some very lazy post dubbing in several places (where you can see that the actors are either mouthing something different or not speaking at all!), and the opening prologue set at a party supposedly in 1927, which has no attempt at period detail at all as most of the party goers are dressed in contemporary 1960's oufits (one girl even has a beehive hairdo!). This lack of care by director Robert Aldrich is more in line with one of William Castle's schlocky (but enthusiastic) efforts, rather than a major studio production like "Charlotte" was supposed to be.

I haven't really got that many bones to pick though, as the film delivers solid entertainment for most of it's 2hour running time. It IS a little long, but the constantly unravelling plot together with the performances from it's stars (not forgetting to mention the hilarious turn by Agnes Moorhead as the tousled maid) keep you hooked all the way through. Although some of the early parts are a bit of a screech-fest, it definitely improves as reaches the end, in fact Davis' performance in the last half hour becomes quite touching (barring her cross-eyed freak out on the stairs), and the ending scene especially shows that the film has a real heart.

If you haven't seen the movie before...............2007-01-18

......don't watch the film with the commentary feature
activated. The long-winded, overexcited announcer gives
away the plot details within minutes of the opening credits.

Otherwise, this film is a wonderful, nostalgic presentation
of the B-movie style, black and white thrillers of the
late 50's/early 60's. Bette Davis, fresh off her success
of "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane," returns in a film
adaption of another Henry Farrell story. She reprises the role
of a mentally disturbed dame (in this case, done Southern style)
and she takes it way over the top, but still within the threshold
of high cinema. Fellow Academy Award winner, Olivia de Havilland
(replacing Joan Crawford, who was originally slated for "Miriam")
gives a good performance as the goodhearted relative with dark
ulterior motives.

This is a great movie. The theatrical trailers are laughable at how they present this film as the most suspenseful, horrifying film ever.
Well,given the time period, who knows? In any case, this is an enjoyable
exercise in suspense with Bette Davis at the helm, which always
translates into worthwhile cinema. Along with Davis and De Haviland, Agnes Moorhead
gives a remarkably delightful
performance as the feisty housekeeper,
receiving a well-deserved Academy Award nomination.

Highly Recommendable.

TURN OFF THE COMMENTARY FEATURE UNTIL YOU'VE HAD THE CHANCE
TO SEE THE MOVIE FROM START TO FINISH!!!!!!! If not, the
entire suspense element will be ruined.

HUSH HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE.......2007-01-13

It was just as I remembered it. I had a good time watching it with my daughter.She can't believe what we use to think was scary.
Laura

Average customer rating:

"Learn to profit from your miseries."
This version has been cut!
you're right, george!
FINALLY

Cousin Bette
Starring: Janet Key , Ellen Pollock , David Garth , Margaret Boyd , and Ursula Howells
Director: Gareth Davies
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000K7UBVG
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Amazon.com

Helen Mirren's career may have reached a late peak with her acclaimed performance in The Queen, but her talent flourished just as powerfully in the 1971 British mini-series of Honore de Balzac's classic novel of revenge, Cousin Bette. When Bette (Margaret Tyzack, I, Claudius), the poor cousin of a wealthy family, finds her one passion betrayed by her relatives, she seeks a fierce and relentless revenge. Her instrument is the young and luscious Valerie (Mirren, Prime Suspect, Gosford Park), whose seductive ways bring the family to ruin. Both Mirren and Tyzack are phenomenal as the scheming pair, but fans of Mirren will particularly delight in her astonishing coifs, ample cleavage, and smoldering looks--Cousin Bette came during the height of Mirren's days as the sexpot of Stratford. The first episode (of five) lumbers as it lays out exposition, but with its second episode Cousin Bette plunges headlong into the dark side of human nature, the sinuous story full of dark humor, cunning twists, and truly ferocious performances. The British excel at literary adaptations and this is one of the juiciest. A must-see mini-series. --Bret Fetzer

Description

The BBC dramatization of Honoré de Balzac's novel about the fury of a woman scorned

In this acclaimed drama seen on Masterpiece Theatre in the 1970s, Margaret Tyzack (The Forsyte Saga) stars as Balzac's furious spinster with Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect) as the beautiful young siren who helps her lure men to their ruin.

Born plain and poor, Bette Fischer endures her lot, until her wealthy cousin's family steals her only treasure—the young sculptor she has taken under her wing. Joining forces with the ambitious, greedy, and alluring Valerie Marneffe, Bette vows to have her revenge and sets out to ruin the family by exploiting the sexual appetites of the men and the naiveté of the women.

Also starring Colin Baker (Doctor Who), Thorley Walters (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), and Ursula Howells (The Cazalets).

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE bio of Honoré de Balzac and cast filmographies.

Customer Reviews:

"Learn to profit from your miseries.".......2007-02-24

Set in 19th century France, the BBC miniseries "Cousin Bette" is the tale of a bitter spinster, the poor relation of the wealthy and powerful Hulot family. Based on the novel by Balzac, the film follows the novel fairly faithfully, and the result is an intense study of corruption, deceit, revenge and human greed.

When the film begins, plain spinster, Cousin Bette (Margaret Tyzack) is dependent on the charity of her wealthy relations. Consequently, she makes herself 'useful' to them but secretly she despises them all. She particularly loathes her cousin, the elegant attractive Adeline Hulot (Ursula Howells). Bette and Adeline grew up together, but whereas Adeline made an important match and moves in the best parts of society, Betty is relegated to the questionable position of poor relation. She's not quite a servant, but she's certainly not an equal. Receiving handouts and cast-off clothing, the Hulots imagine that Bette is grateful, but in reality, she's resentful.

Bette's resentment of the Hulot family turns to hatred and a thirst for revenge through her relationship with impoverished Polish exile Count Wenceslas Steinbock (Colin Baker). Bette saves Steinbock from a suicide attempt, and furnishes him with the necessary money to fund his budding career as a sculptor. Although ostensibly there is no romantic relationship between Bette and Steinbock, she nurses some rather twisted feelings for him. Controlling and domineering, Bette doesn't hesitate to remind Steinbock how much he owes her. There's an irony to this. While Bette secretly desires more from the relationship, fundamentally, all she can express is the sum of Steinbock's debt in francs and sous. And so that's exactly how he treats her--as a debtor he wants off his back.

While Bette keeps Steinbock as a sort of pet, she can't help bragging about her new friend to the Hulots. Suddenly her life is interesting and she has something to capture the interest of an audience. But unbeknownst to Bette, Hortense (Harriet Harper) Adeline's daughter seeks out Steinbock, and falls in love. A marriage is arranged--all behind Bette's back but with the full participation of the entire Hulot family.

It is this act--Steinbock's engagement to Hortense--that turns Bette from simmering resentment of the Hulots to a full-fledged plan of revenge. To her, the Hulots have deprived her of the one thing she cared for, and now they must pay.

Exactly how Bette carries out her vicious revenge is the meat of this riveting mini-series. By understanding human nature and possessing a ready ability to exploit weaknesses, Bette creates a trap that the Hulot family falls into. A key element of the revenge is the Baron Hulot's uncontrollable appetite for extravagant young mistresses. Bette exploits Baron Hulot's vice in close partnership with the avaricious wife of a petty government official, Madame Marneffe (played by a young Helen Mirren).

The film is at its very best when portraying the symbiotic relationship between Madame Marneffe and Bette. These women each have their own separate ambitions, but when they team up to loot the Hulots, they form a powerful, malicious alliance. The camera catches each subtle nuance, each facial expression as this delicious drama ensues. This 2-disc DVD set is composed of five parts, and while the conclusion was a little disappointing, overall it did not detract from this fine adaptation. Margaret Tyzack delivers a fine performance as the plain spinster whose loveless existence covers a morass of vindictive hatred. Helen Mirren is also excellent as the perfectly amoral Madame Marneffe--a woman who juggles lovers quite superbly. This adaptation directed by Gareth Davies conveys the hypocrisy and corruption of the times, and while the Hulots and their upper class friends move in a society which hands out favours, titles, and commissions, the second tier of society--the Marneffes and the Cousin Bettes of this Balzacian world--attempt to manipulate a way in which to carve themselves a bigger piece of the pie. DVD extras: a bio of Balzac and cast filmographies. Excellent!--displacedhuman

This version has been cut!.......2007-02-09

I remember watching this on TV in 1971 when I was about 15 ( I'm English ) and the thing I remember most about it was Helen Mirren getting her kit off. So when I saw it was finally out on DVD, I couldn't wait to buy it. What a disappointment, her nude scene has been cut! Why does this happen? Was the version shown on Masterpiece Theater censored for the American public? I would really like to know if there's the original version still knocking around showing Helen in all her naked glory. Does anyone know if it still exists? Anyway, apart from that, it's still great. Helen still plays the siren like only she can, and the rest of the cast are pretty good too. Some of the sets look a bit flimsy, but the costumes are superb. Worth the long, long wait.

you're right, george!.......2007-02-08

The previous review anticipated all I wanted to express about this remarkable production. At times when it was first released, I found the plotting an annoyance. But the final thirty seconds of the title character's performance is absolutely priceless! I've been searching this program's availability in either delivery format for years, and am delighted to see it's ready at last.

FINALLY.......2006-12-01

In the early 1970's I watched this Masterpiece Theater's presentation of "Cousin Bette" which is based on that wonderful novel "Cousin Bette" by the French author Balzac. I can remember that this Masterpiece Theater production was considered by many very controversial mainly due to the sexual nature of the story (in fact, there were those that tried to cut-off the government funding to PBS because of this show); however, now, as then, I find it just very engrossing as is the novel. Since the 1970's, I've desired for it to be released commercially. Now, the powers that be, have finally released it on DVD. I'm thrilled because it is a most wonderful presentation that is filled with fabulous performances by especially Margaret Tyzack as Cousin Bette and a very young Helen Mirren, as Valerie.

In a "tour de force" performance, Margaret Tyzack is simply fabulous as the vengeful and supposedly homely Cousin Bette who is the poor relative to her, sort of, snooty but stupid cousins Mariette Hulot (played wonderfully by Margaret Boyd) and Celestine Hulot. She always appears to appreciate her "better off" Cousins' tolerance (and "cast offs") towards her while, at the same time, she resents it like hell and wants to see them and the rest of her "better off" and stupid relatives in the preverbal gutter and in ruins. After suffering the extreme humiliation involving a handsome young art apprentice that she has rescued and has become very fond of and that her cousin Celestine, more or less, "steals" from her, she is out for their "blood" and wants to see them destroyed and by god she'll have her way no matter what or who is trampled on and/or killed. Helen Mirren also turns in a `knock them dead" performance, as Valerie who is young and cute and more than willing to use her "sexuality" to better herself and is very willing to be guided by Cousin Bette in her desire to ruin her dumb family. My understanding is that this role was at the very beginning of Mirren's career and obviously she has gone on to distinguish herself as one of today's leading actresses. Needless to say, Cousin Bette initially succeeds in destroying her family primarily because her cousin Mariette is married to Baron Hector Hulot a very stupid man with a keen weakness and an excessively "roving eye" towards the very young and very pretty ladies--Valerie fits the aforesaid criteria and Cousin Bette uses her to get her vengeance. My god Tyzack is good. Just my thinking about her in this role, sends chills up and down my spine! In fact, this presentation is filled with a lot of great acting.

Don't expect the quality of the picture, production and the reincarnation of the era to be up to today's standards; it was "state of the art" for the 70s (very strange wigs and all). Nevertheless, BBC has done a great job of bring it to the DVD format with very good sound and a very sharp and a clear picture. Believe me, you'll soon forget that this is an old presentation because the acting by ALL will astound you--it really is a fantastic presentation.

Average customer rating:

Very funny movie, along the lines of Valmont
A mostly good cast, wasted on a poor script
Toby Stephens fans - save your money
Don't Mess with Cousin Bette; your life is at stake
A Fiasco!

Cousin Bette
Starring: Jessica Lange , Elisabeth Shue , Bob Hoskins , Hugh Laurie , and Aden Young
Director: Des McAnuff
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000FE2D
Release Date: 1998-12-22

Description

With little persuasion, Jenny is soon sleeping with, then discarding, every man in Paris, setting off a chain of disastrous events that ensnares almost everyone in its web - everyone, that is, except Cousin Bette. Who knew adultery, financial ruin, life - threatening duels and murder could be such fun?

Customer Reviews:

Very funny movie, along the lines of Valmont.......2007-06-10

If you like a humorous/tragedy stricken movie, this one is for you. I admit I have to be in a certain kind of mood to watch it. Toby Stephens is sensational, and I think it's an outrageously funny performance by him. My only complaint is I wish he had more screen time. I wish he would take on more comedic roles - set aside the lovey dovey stuff (Jane Eyre) and the bad guy stuff (Die Another Day) and do some more comedy. He's brilliant!

A mostly good cast, wasted on a poor script.......2007-05-09

A very uneven and rather unsatisfying, though beautifully costumed, film based on the writings of Balzac. Elisabeth Shue is very much miscast as a singer. She does not convince at all, and her accent is ridiculous. Jessica Lange, Bob Hoskins and Hugh Laurie do better, but the script is lacking. Too bad the latter three actors were wasted on this.

Toby Stephens fans - save your money.......2007-04-28

Toby Stephens has a very small supporting role in this film (I'd estimate maybe 5 minutes screen time). He is funny, cute, and overlooked in favor of very inferior actors. Bob Hoskins is surprisingly good as a French aristocrat.

Don't Mess with Cousin Bette; your life is at stake.......2007-02-21

Sometimes it just does not pay to screw with someone's emotions.Not since the wickedly cool performance of Glenn Close in DANGEROUS LIAISONS has there come another so deliciously detached revenger as Cousin Bette.Jessica Lange could not have been a better choice to play the woman whom once scorned will manipulate everything and everybody to achieve her perfect reckoning.Yes,this is a screenplay based out of the Balzac novel COUSIN BETTE which may upset the purists,but as an adaptation,the spirit of Balzac is wickedly and comically captured and I dare say you will ever see a better Bette on screen than Jessica Lange.This film truly has an all-star Academy Award studded cast with Bob Hoskins(MRS.HENDERSON PRESENTS),Elisabeth Shue(LEAVING LAS VEGAS),Hugh Laurie(now Golden Globe winner for HOUSE), Kelly MacDonald (GOSFORD PARK) and Geraldine Chaplin (DR.ZHIVAGO)
Excellent companion films would be DANGEROUS LIAISONS and COLONEL CHABERT (also an adaptation from Balzac)

A Fiasco!.......2007-02-13

Save your hard earned money and buy the Masterpiece Theatre version by the BBC. It's faithful to the spirit of Balzac's novel and is extremely well done. This version is an incoherent mess. Someone snorted a few lines of coke before making this Eurotrash version ....

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