10 Best Female Villains in Classic Movies, Ranked

The role of the villain is always a crucial element in every great movie and while most film fans automatically think of villainous men, there are just as many women who rank as some of the best in movie history. Classic characters such as Sunset Boulevard‘s Norma Desmond, Baby Jane Hudson from Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and the eerie Mrs. Danvers in Alfred Hitchcock‘s Rebecca, are just a few notable names who are among some of the best female villains audiences love to hate.

Between the unassuming female villains, like Veda Pierce in Mildred Pierce and Eve Harrington from All About Eve, to the more obvious evildoers such as The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz and The Evil Queen from Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the female villains in classic movies are sometimes more intriguing and fascinating to audiences than their male counterparts. With signature evil dames like Phyllis Dietrichson in Billy Wilder‘s Double Indemnity and Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte‘s Miriam Deering, these are the ten best female villains in classic movies ranked.

10 Olivia de Havilland as Miriam Deering

‘Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte’ (1964)

Known for her kind and gentle characters, Olivia de Havilland goes against-type in one of her few villainous roles as Miriam Deering in one of the best Southern Gothic films, Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte. The story follows a former Southern Belle, Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis) who, after the tragic murder of her lover, becomes the prime suspect in the crime, but despite never being charged, the scandal leads her to live the rest of her life as a shut-in. When she’s evicted from her home by the state, she calls on her cousin, Miriam, to help her, but shortly after Miriam arrives, strange things begin to happen, and old secrets are finally uncovered.

De Havilland gives an initial unassuming impression with her natural beauty and graceful smile, but behind that angelic face is a cruel and greed-stricken woman who is willing to kill anyone who stands in her way of financial fortune. She takes her tactics to a sinister level as she plays on her cousin’s agony and pain of losing her lover, playing the song he wrote for her to toy with her emotions to no end. Miriam is the ideal female villain and queen of cruelty who mastered her skills in trickery long ago and knows how to effectively play her audience to her advantage.

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9 Bette Davis as Regina Hubbard

‘The Little Foxes’ (1941)

Bette Davis is regarded as one of the most versatile actresses in classic cinema and her role as the devious Regina Hubbard in The Little Foxes is proof of her incredible range. The Little Foxes is a drama centered around Hubbard and her brothers, who intend to get rich off a cotton mill but must first gain access to the estate of Hubbard’s ill husband. When their attempts to marry Hubbard’s daughter (Teresa Wright) off to her cousin (Dan Duryea), the trio resort to a series of blackmail and double-crosses that ultimately tears their family apart.

Regina Hubbard is the epitome of a high society golddigger who’s main goal in life has always been wealth and status. Even at the cost of her children’s happiness and the destruction of her family, she shows no remorse or regret for any of her shameful actions, proving her to be one of the most heartless female villains in any classic movie. Davis gives a riveting performance, capturing both Hubbard’s ruthlessness and savagery, which she expertly conceals under a cloak of luxury and beauty.

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8 Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers

‘Rebecca’ (1940)

In Alfred Hitchcock’s American debut, Rebecca, Joan Fontaine is mentally and emotionally tormented by the quiet but sinister Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), who preys on the innocence and vulnerability of Fontaine’s character with the intention of driving her mad. Rebecca is a psychological thriller that tells the story of a young woman (Fontaine) who is swept off her feet by a handsome and wealthy widower, Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier), and the two quickly marry. When the newlyweds return to Maxim’s family estate, Mandalay, the new Mrs. de Winter meets the longtime housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, who is less than thrilled about the new lady of the house.

Mrs. Danvers doesn’t say very much, but her icy, cold stare and stone, emotionless face speak volumes about her feelings towards Mrs. de Winter as well as the former Mrs. de Winter. As the new Mrs. de Winter tries to find her place in her new life, Mrs. Danvers resorts to constantly comparing her to her predecessor, cutting away at any shred of self-confidence she has and is relentless in her actions to drive the new Mrs. de Winter away. Mrs. Danvers tediously lurks in the shadows, whispering words of self-destruction, and is a master manipulator who is without a doubt one of the creepiest but best female villains in classic cinema.

7 Anyy Blyth as Veda Pierce

‘Mildred Pierce’ (1945)

Mildred Pierce is a classic film noir starring Joan Crawford in the titular role who, after her husband leaves her and her two children, manages to become a successful businesswoman and provide for her family. Despite her impressive success, her oldest daughter, Veda (Ann Blyth), resents her mother and believes she has brought shame on their family name, resulting in a complicated relationship between mother and daughter. Blyth gives a stellar performance as the spoiled, unappreciative Veda, who is the definition of a child who only a mother could genuinely love.

Veda selfishly uses her mother’s actions as an excuse to rationalize her careless behavior and never takes personal responsibility for her poor choices. Even when her mother graciously bails her out of some of the most questionable situations, Veda still has the nerve to throw her mistakes back in her mother’s face through gaslighting and manipulation. It’s hard for any mother to close the door on their child, but when it comes to Veda Pierce, she is one rotten egg who no one, not even her mother, could save from a life of crime and self-destruction.

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6 Anne Baxter as Eve Harrington

‘All About Eve’ (1950)

Anne Baxter stars in one of her best films, All About Eve, as Eve Harrington, a decietful female villain who plays off the emotions of those around her all in an effort to get what she wants, even if it means trampling over those who offer her their generous help and guidance. All About Eve stars Bette Davis as a stage star, Margo Channing, who is introduced to the young and beautiful Eve Harrington, who claims to be her biggest fan. Through charm and modesty, Harrington infiltrates Channing and her social circle of prominent figures, utilizing each of them to secretly further her career.

Most might think show business is a dog-eat-dog world, and while that is true, Harrington takes her game a few steps too far that are entirely unforgivable. Not only does she conjure up a backstory of lies to gain sympathy from Channing and her friends, she plays them against each other for her own personal gain, meddling in friendships and marriages that goes beyond the traditional warfare of reaching stardom. Even though the entertainment world is a ruthless place, Harrington is mericless and never expresses any kind of remorse for the web of lies she spun or the lives she tried to destroy on her journey to the top.

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5 Bette Davis as Baby Jane Hudson

‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?’ (1962)

Davis gives a chilling and captivating performance in the psychological thriller Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? as a former child star, Baby Jane Hudson, who spends her days with her sister, Blanche (Joan Crawford), who, after Jane’s fall from fame, found success on the silver screen, becoming a famous film star. After Blanche was involved in a car accident caused by Jane, she was left partially paralyzed and had to retire from acting, leaving her resentful sister as her primary caregiver and lifelong tormentor.

Between Davis’ cracked, childish makeup and baby doll attire to her undeniable lack of sanity, Baby Jane Hudson is a never-ending nightmare who is undoubtedly one of the best female villains in classic cinema. Considering Jane is her only lifeline to the outside world, Blanche is forced to live in constant fear of her sister and experiences a never-ending sense of anxiety that would drive anyone up the walls, which is the core of Jane’s true villainous nature. Jane is clearly entertained by tormenting her sister and her sinister twists on her child-like antics simply heighten her psychotic persona.

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4 Barbara Stanwyck as Phyllis Dietrichson

‘Double Indemnity’ (1944)

Barbara Stanwyck stars as the quintessential femme fatale, Phyllis Dietrichson, in Billy Wilder’s classic film noir, Double Indemnity, and gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, “if looks could kill.” The film noir is told through a series of flashbacks by Fred MacMurray who plays an insurance salesman, Walter Neff, and recalls how he met the seductively charming Dietrichson and the events of their secret affair that led to them plotting the murder of her husband. As Neff’s intuitive superior, Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), doesn’t buy the death as an accident, Neff begins to feel the pressure and eventually uncovers Dietrichson’s undisclosed plans to pull the rug out from under him.

Dietrichson is a ruthless dame who only cares about herself and doesn’t give a second thought about the dead bodies she leaves behind on her path to wealth. While it takes two to tango, Neff comes to discover that he’s just a pawn in Dietrichson’s game, which she had been planning long before they crossed paths, proving he’s only guilty of being a fool. Dietrichson’s disregard for human life and lack of empathy are the heart and soul of a femme fatale, but her undeniable cruelty and viciousness are what ultimately earns her a spot on the list as one of the best female classic movie villains.

3 Lucille La Verne as The Evil Queen

‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ (1937)

There is no female villain more vain and savage than the Evil Queen in Disney’s classic animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The Queen, voiced by Lucille La Verne, spends her days looking in her magic mirror, infatuated with her own beauty, but when her mirror informs her that her young stepdaughter and princess, Snow White, is superior to her appearance, she resorts to murdering the innocent girl to ensure her spot as the fairest of them all.

Most female villains resort to unspeakable measures to get what they want, but the Evil Queen’s desire to have Snow White murdered to satisfy her consuming obsession over vanity and beauty takes the cake. When her initial plan fails, the Evil Queen takes matters into her own hands and cruelly plays on Snow White’s unwavering kindness and generosity to try and seal her tragic fate. It’s one thing to want to further yourself on a totem pole, but when murder is the only way to do so, there’s really no other quality more evil and deranged, solidifying the Evil Queen as one of the best female villains in classic movies.

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2 Margaret Hamilton as The Wicked Witch of the West

‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)

The Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz is universally recognized as one of the most iconic movie villains of all time who effortlessly terrorized a generation of movie goers with her signature cackle and terrifying flying monkeys. Margaret Hamilton gives a tour de force performance as the spiteful witch who becomes determined to get a pair of magical ruby slippers from Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), who obtained them after her house fell on the witch’s sister.

The Wicked Witch has no qualms about the immoral lengths she’s willing to go to get those ruby slippers, even if it means harming Dorothy (and her little dog too!) Hamilton gave such a convincing performance that her character terrified an entire generation of children, resulting in the actress guest appearing in Mister Roger’s Neighborhood to help kids understand that she was only playing a character. Just by her appearance alone, the Wicked Witch easily incites fear in those around her, but her unpredictability and barbaric nature are the heart and soul of this classical female movie villain.

1 Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond

‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950)

There is truly no one more corrupt, obsessed, and self-centered than Norma Desmond in the classic film noir, Sunset Boulevard, who is a former silent film star, trapped in her self-depicted mind of delusion that leads her down a dark and destructive path with no return. Billy Wilder’s Oscar-winning film unfolds with a young aspiring screenwriter, Joe Gillis (William Holden), who agrees to write a comeback screenplay for Desmond, who begins to shower Gillis with luxurious gifts and affection. When Desmond starts to become possessive and controlling of Gillis, he starts to think he bit off more than he can chew and struggles to find a way out before it’s too late.

Desmond is the defining classic female movie villain who uses her wealth and empty promises to get what and who she wants. She is a traditional narcissist who lures her prey in with her troubles and woes about her fall from grace in Hollywood and once she has them hooked, she reels them in with her money and elegant lifestyle before ensuring them to stay with a slew of gaslighting and manipulation. Initially, audiences feel somewhat sorry for Desmond, but when it’s revealed that she treats those around her how the studio system treated her, it’s hard to feel any remorse or empathy for her. Desmond might not look like a monstrous villain, but once her poor-me facade has vanished, she is revealed to be the absolute best classic female movie villain of all time who is always ready for her close-up.

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