Main Cast: Joan Crawford, Diane Baker, Leif Erickson, Howard St. John, John Anthony Hayes, Rochelle Hudson
Release Year: 1964
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
In this chilling blood-tale in "Psycho" style, Robert Bloch modernizes the Lizzy Borden story. A wife (Joan Crawford) literally axes her cheating husband and his lover, witnessed by her three-year-old daughter. Mom is packed off to the insane asylum for 20 years before reuniting with the daughter (Diane Baker). From this point, the axe murders continue along a contrived plot intended to lead the audience astray until the mystery is solved. Crawford's strong performance and the excellently constructed suspense are the best elements of the film -- and the chopping saves the show when the plot tends to slow. ~ Lucinda Ramsey, All Movie Guide
Review
This vintage William Castle shocker draws inspiration from Psycho, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, and old Joan Crawford melodramas like Mildred Pierce in equal measure. The result is too derivative to be considered a classic, but its blend of campy thrills and surreal shocks make it a lot of fun. The script, penned by Psycho author Robert Bloch, hinges upon a "surprise" ending that modern viewers won't find too difficult to guess, but his story line offers enough plot contortions and juicy dialogue to keep things entertaining. The key attraction of Strait-Jacket is Joan Crawford, who tears into her role with all the vigor her camp devotees would expect. Crawford doesn't just chew the scenery, she outright devours it. Highlights include a scene where a delusional Crawford flirts outrageously with her daughter's fiancé, Michael, and the tantrum she throws when confronted with her asylum-inmate past by Michael's snooty mother. It's Crawford's show all the way, but Diane Baker provides solid support as her much put-upon daughter and George Kennedy manages to steal a few scenes as a slovenly hired hand whose attempt at blackmail goes fatally awry. Strait-Jacket also benefits from vigorous direction by William Castle, who stages the film's murder scenes with gruesome élan and works in some sly moments of humor to keep the melodramatic plot from becoming overripe. In short, Strait-Jacket is likely to disappoint anyone in search of a serious shocker, but will delight anyone who can appreciate chills of the campiest variety. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
George Kennedy - Leo Krause; Edith Atwater - Mrs. Fields; Mitch Cox - Dr. Anderson; Lee Yeary - Frank Hardin; Patricia Krest - Stella Fulton; Vickie Cos - Carol Aged 3; Patty Lee - 1st little girl; Laura Hess - 2nd little girl; Robert Ward - Shoe clerk; Howard Hoffman; Lee Majors
Credit
William Castle - Director, Edwin H. Bryant - Editor, Van Alexander - Composer (Music Score), Monty Westmore - Makeup, Ben Lane - Makeup, Boris Leven - Production Designer, Arthur E. Arling - Cinematographer, William Castle - Producer, Frank A. Tuttle - Set Designer, Richard Albain - Special Effects, Robert Bloch - Screenwriter
Strait-Jacket (1964) is a Columbia Pictures feature film starring Joan Crawford and Diane Baker in a macabre mother and daughter tale about a series of axe-murders. The screenplay was written by Robert Bloch. The film was directed and produced by William Castle, and co-produced by Dona Holloway. Strait-Jacket marks the first big-screen appearance of Lee Majors in the uncredited role of Crawford's husband.
After the phenomenal success of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), Joan Crawford and other actresses, including Bette Davis and Barbara Stanwyck, made numerous horror movies throughout the 1960s. Strait-Jacket is one of the more notable examples of the genre sometimes referred to as psycho-biddy or Grande Dame Guignol. When the film opened, moviegoers were given little cardboard axes.
Plot
After a 20-year stint in a psychiatric hospital for the decapitation axe-murder of her philandering husband, Lucy Harbin takes up residence at the farm of her brother Bill Cutler and sister-in-law Emily. Lucy's adult daughter Carol also lives on the Cutler farm and is seemingly unaffected by the grisly murders she witnessed many years in the past as a child of 3.
Carol encourages her mother to dress and act the way she did in the past. Lucy begins playing the vamp and makes passes at her daughter's fiance Michael Fields. She then shocks his parents with a tantrum when they consider their son's marriage to Carol out of the question.
A series of axe-murders begins with the hired man Leo becoming a victim as well as Lucy's doctor, who is found in a freezer. All signs point to Lucy as the murderer and some believe she should be returned to the hospital.
However, the murderer is Carol, having become a pathological psychotic after the events of her childhood.
Crawford replaced Joan Blondell in the role of Lucy Harbin after Blondell was injured at home prior to shooting and could not fulfill her commitment. Crawford's negotiations included script and cast approval, a $50,000 salary, and 15 percent of the profits. Anne Helm, who was originally cast in the role as Carol, was replaced by Diane Baker, reportedly at Crawford's insistence. Baker and Crawford had appeared together in the film The Best of Everything (1959). Despite Baker's assertion (on the featurette accompanying the DVD for "Strait-Jacket") that she replaced Anne Helm in the role of Carol Harbin due to Helm's alleged inexperience and incompetence, Anne Helm was, in actuality, a more seasoned actress than Baker at that time.
The role of Lucy's doctor was played by vice-president of PepsiCo, Mitchell Cox, as Crawford was on the Board of Directors of the soft drink firm. Pepsi-Cola product placements include a scene in the kitchen with a carton of the soft drink displayed prominently on a counter.
A variant of the Columbia Pictures logo appears at the end of the film, showing a decapitated Torch Lady, her severed head resting at her feet. Her torch does not shine.
Reception
Variety noted, "Miss Crawford does well by her role, delivering an animated performance."
Judith Crist commented in the New York Herald Tribune, "...it's time to get Joan Crawford out of those housedress horror B movies and back into haute couture...this madness-and-murder tale...might have been a thriller, given Class A treatment."
Elaine Rothschild in Films in Review wrote, "...I am full of admiration for Joan Crawford, for even in drek like this she gives a performance."[1]
Bosley Crowther, never a fan of Crawford's, wrote a scathing review in The New York Times, declaring, "Joan Crawford has picked some lemons, some very sour lemons, in her day, but nigh the worst of the lot is "Strait-Jacket...", and goes on to call the film a "...disgusting piece of claptrap."[2]
