Contents


HUSH


Don't Breathe A Word

1998




Hush(1998)  

Directed by 
Jonathan Darby    
  
Writing credits (in credits order) 
Jonathan Darby   (story) 

 
Jonathan Darby   and 
Jane Rusconi   

 
Michael Cristofer   (uncredited) 
  
Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification  
Jessica Lange ....  Martha Baring  
Gwyneth Paltrow ....  Helen  
Johnathon Schaech ....  Jackson Baring  
Nina Foch ....  Alice Baring  
Debi Mazar ....  Lisa  
Kaiulani Lee ....  Sister O'Shaughnessy  
David Thornton (I) ....  Gavin  
Hal Holbrook ....  Dr. Hill  
Richard Lineback ....  Hal Bentall  
Richard Kohn ....  Clayton Richards  
Faith Potts ....  Georgina Richards  
Tom Story ....  Priest  
Jolene Carroll ....  Church Warden  
Jacob Press ....  Usher  
Joe Inscoe ....  Doctor  
Catherine Shaffner ....  Nurse  
Lenny Steinline ....  Paramedic  
Rick Gray ....  Banker  
Tom Holmes ....  Auctioneer  
Owen Valentine ....  Official  
Ricardo Miguel Young ....  Policeman  
Woody Robertson Jr. ....  Policeman  
Charles Thomas Baxter ....  Racing Enthusiast  
Jayne Hess ....  Nursing Home Nun  
Sarah Elspas ....  Helen's Baby  
Rebecca Elspas ....  Helen's Baby  
Jacob Elspas ....  Helen's Baby  
  
Produced by 
Ginny Nugent   (co-producer)  
Helen Whitfield    
Douglas Wick    
  
Original music by 
Christopher Young (II)    
  
Cinematography by 
Andrew Dunn (I)    
  
Film Editing by 
Lynzee Klingman    
Robert Leighton (I)    
Dan Rae    
  
Casting 
Billy Hopkins    
Heidi Levitt    
  
Production Design by 
Michael Johnston (I)    
Thomas A. Walsh    
  
Art Direction 
James F. Truesdale    
  
Set Decoration 
Michael Seirton    
  
Costume Design by 
Ann Roth (I)    
  
Make-up Department 
Vivian Baker ....  key make-up artist  
  
Production Management 
Richard J. Gelfand ....  unit production manager  
  
Assistant Director 
Kristin Cameron ....  second second assistant director  
Rick Clark (II) ....  second second assistant director  
Carla Corwin ....  assistant director  
Tom Davies (II) ....  assistant director  
Linda Montanti ....  first assistant director  
  
Sound Department 
David Acord ....  cable person  
Pamela Bentkowski ....  foley editor  
Sandy Berman ....  supervising sound editor  
Jerelyn J. Harding ....  supervising adr editor  
Robin Harlan ....  foley artist  
Sarah Jacobs ....  foley artist  
Stephen Janisz ....  adr editor  
Mark L. Mangino ....  sound effects editor  
Jay Meagher ....  sound  
Thomas Milano ....  supervising sound editor  
Mark Pappas ....  foley supervisor  
Steve Pederson ....  sound re-recording mixer  
Tom Perry ....  sound re-recording mixer  
Randall J. Smith ....  boom operator  
David Williams (II) ....  sound effects editor  
Gary Wright ....  foley editor  
  
Special Effects 
Werner Hahnlein ....  special effects  
Kevin Hannigan ....  special effects  
David P. Kelsey ....  special effects co-ordinator  
  
Stunts 
David Barrett (II) ....  stunts  
Mike Boyle (II) ....  stunts  
Diane Branagan ....  stunts  
John Branagan ....  stunts  
Linda Fetters ....  stunts  
Glory Fioramonti ....  stunt co-ordinator  
Scott Howell ....  stunts  
Maria R. Kelly ....  stunts  
Donald Oldaker ....  stunts  
Rex Peterson ....  stunts  
  
Other crew 
Pete Anthony ....  orchestrator
conductor  
Charles Thomas Baxter ....  location manager  
Robert Blasi ....  art department assistant  
John Cambria ....  first assistant camera: "b" camera  
Babette Dickerson ....  assistant editor  
Andrew Dickler ....  assistant editor  
Susan Ehrhart ....  production assistant  
Robert G. Endara II ....  assistant production co-ordinator  
Katie Gilbert ....  production co-ordinator  
Robert Gray (IV) ....  key grip  
Mo Henry ....  negative cutter  
Alec Hirschfeld ....  director of photography: second unit  
Peter Iovino ....  still photographer  
Kris Fullan Martinez ....  production co-ordinator  
Elizabeth Marx ....  extras casting  
Andrew Menzies ....  set designer  
Bob Putynkowski ....  color timer  
David Reynolds (II) ....  conductor 
conductor 
orchestrator (uncredited)
(uncredited) 
Steven Samanen ....  graphics artist  
Michael Sarley ....  storyboard artist  
Mike Schwake ....  dolly grip  
Easton Michael Smith ....  set designer  
Cheryl A. Stone ....  accountant  
Marion Tumen ....  script supervisor  
Chris Ubick ....  property master  
  
 
 


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                                 HUSH
                     A film review by Steve Rhodes
                      Copyright 1998 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****):  * 1/2

HUSH, the latest in the tradition of the mad mother movies, feels like a hundred other films you've seen before. Only the delightful acting by Gwyneth Paltrow, as the daughter-in-law, breathes any life into it. Jessica Lange, as mother-in-law Martha Baring, plays the same role of the fidgety woman that she's played so often. The twist is that this time her restlessness is the hint that her sweetness isn't genuine.

Opening with the hazy close-up of a child's toy merry-go-round as it plays "Hush little baby, don't you cry," the movie immediately telegraphs where it is going. With images of the creepy old Bette Davis movie HUSH... HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE firmly planted in their minds, the audience meets young lovers Helen (Paltrow) and Jackson Baring, played as unbelievably naive by an unemotional Johnathon Schaech. Helen has all of the intelligence that Jackson lacks, and Paltrow acts rings around Schaech.

Helen is the first woman Jackson has ever brought home to visit his mother -- one in a long series of clues that makes the film so obvious that every "twist" becomes completely predictable. When Helen sees the Mount Vernon-sized mansion and massive grounds of the family estate, Jackson attempts to argue its commonness. "It's a farm," he tells her nonchalantly. "There's a mortgage. It's no big deal."

His constantly smiling and utterly agreeable mother welcomes them with open arms. Even when she walks in on them starting to have sexual intercourse in the hall -- not something most young adults would do in such a situation -- she smiles and walks away, trying not to disturb them.

As is patently obvious, all is not right at the family farm. Soon Helen becomes mysteriously pregnant, so she and Jackson decide to marry. (The pregnancy may be a mystery to Jackson and Helen, but not to the audience.) After they decide to marry, events then encourage them to move in with Martha. Martha quickly poisons their relationship with Helen seeing what is happening but Jackson remaining as blind as the proverbial bat to every obvious, sinister turn of events.

The script by Michael Cristofer and the director, Jonathan Darby, serves up many incredulities. One of the show's harder to believe claims is that Martha keeps her huge house immaculate without the aid of servants. That she would have trouble keeping help is plausible, but her doing all of the housework isn't. Helen falls asleep without make-up after having her baby but wakes up with fresh lipstick and makeup. Finally watch how Helen's very prominent pregnancy waxes and wanes like the moon, with one scene in particular showing her losing a half dozen inches off her waist and regaining them in the next.

The show does have its moments. The romance between the two young lovers, she being witty and intelligent, and he being a handsome airhead, works beautifully. A nice little romantic comedy could have easily been fashioned from the show's promising beginning.

The show's last act is so ludicrous that members in my audience were laughing out loud at it and engaging in conversation about how overdrawn and ridiculous it was. Even with all of story's problems, the final confrontation scene, in which the people being attacked attack back, is great fun.

HUSH runs 1:35. It is rated PG-13 for some violence, sensuality and brief strong language and would be fine for teenagers.




Have I seen this movie: Yes
And what did I think: This was a rather boring and dumb movie that didn't hold my attention at all. The only thing interesting in it was Gwyneth Paltrow, but she didn't have a very good role. Jessica Lange was ok as the mad mother, but didn't come off evil enough. There wasn't anything else of note in the movie. I wasn't too happy with the end, It would at least been interesting to see a knockdown dragged out fight between Gwyneth and Jessica. All we got was a slap in the face. Exactly what I needed to keep me watching this I suppose. Although, I did hear there were scenes cut out of them fighting, they should have left them in I suppose. The one good thing about this film is that I watched in on cable instead of shelling out 3 bucks to rent it.

I give Hush 1 out of 5 stars

Review written June 29, 1999
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