STRAIT-JACKET

Joan Crawford

STRAIT-JACKET (1964). Produced and directed by William Castle. Screenplay by Robert Bloch.

Lucy Harbin (Joan Crawford) comes home unexpectedly, discovers her handsome husband Frank (Lee Majors) in bed with a local trollop, and takes the ax to both of them. Twenty years later Lucy is released from an asylum, and comes to her brother, Bill's (Leif Erickson) farm, where he lives with his wife, Emily (Rochelle Hudson), and Lucy's daughter, Carol (Diane Baker). Carol seems anxious to help her mother, dolling her up with a new dress and a visit to a wig maker, but when Lucy's Dr. Anderson (Mitchell Cox) comes a callin', he thinks Lucy might have to return to the hospital with him. Before he can do so however, Anderson is dispatched with an ax by a shadowy figure. More beheadings follow ... 

Crawford comes on to John Anthony Hayes

You can certainly pick apart Strait-Jacket in any number of ways, but it's actually one of William Castle's better and more entertaining movies. Crawford is terrific, on top of every emotion that Lucy has to display, be she humble and confused or overwrought and angry, and in general the rest of the cast follows suit: Diane Baker [The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre] as the daughter; John Michael Hayes as her suitor (his first film); Erickson and Hudson as the concerned, somewhat frightened brother and sister-in-law; Howard St. John and especially Edith Atwater (of Die Sister, Die!) as Hayes' upper-crust, disapproving parents. And let's not forget George Kennedy as Leo Krause, the blackmailing handyman who comes to a nasty end in the movie's best and most suspenseful sequence. 

Joan Crawford and Diane Baker

Robert Bloch wasn't crafting any kind of serious drama when he wrote Strait-Jacket -- it has the gimmicky, somewhat far-fetched twists that you associate with the writer -- but it's amazing how well he (and the actors) delineate the fears and concerns of those in Lucy's orbit, all of them trying to be as solid and compassionate as possible while also trying to avoid the elephant in the room: the grisly facts of Lucy's actions years ago. That dreary farm setting and the black and white cinematography (Arthur E. Arling) work well with this infinitely depressing storyline. As if acknowledging that, the film has a very funny final gag. 

Verdict: A gruesome black comedy with fascinating aspects and a fine Crawford performance. ***. 

THE GHOST OF SIERRA DE COBRE

A ghost confronts Judith Anderson and Martin Landau

THE GHOST OF SIERRA DE COBRE (1964 telefilm), Produced, directed and written by Joseph Stefano. 

"Psychical" investigator Nelson Orion (Martin Landau) -- who makes most of his money as an architect -- is called in when blind, wealthy Henry Mandore (Tom Simcox) starts receiving disturbing phone calls that are supposedly from his dead mother. Afraid of being buried alive, she had a phone installed in her crypt, and the calls are coming from this line. Accompanied by Henry's wife, Vivia (Diane Baker), Orion investigates the crypt and Vivia encounters a scary and bloody female spirit. Orion's no-nonsense housekeeper, Mrs. Finch (Nellie Burt) doesn't believe in ghosts, and neither does the Mandore's housekeeper, Paulina (Dame Judith Anderson), but the latter seems to know a lot more about what's going on than anyone else does. 

Diane Baker and Martin Landau

The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre was the pilot for what was supposed to be a follow-up series to The Outer Limits, with the focus on horror and the supernatural instead of science fiction. I assume that Nelson Orion was to be a continuing character from week to week. It's too bad that that didn't work out for one reason or another, as it might have made a compelling series. Stefano's plot has some interesting twists and turns to it -- although it never seems quite real --  and skillfully blends the supernatural with other sinister events that have natural explanations. Stefano's direction -- he replaced the original director -- although good, isn't quite as assured, but Conrad Hall's expert cinematography helps smooth over the rough edges. 

Landau with Tom Simcox

Ghost features a generally excellent cast. Landau proves he could certainly handle the lead on any TV show, and Anderson, cast as yet another creepy housekeeper, rises above the stereotype and offers a highly proficient and intense performance as Paulina. Diane Baker isn't quite on the same level and seems a bit "off" at times, but is effective. Tom Simcox certainly gets into the mood as the handsome, haunted husband who is afraid he is going out of his mind. Nellie Burt is a burst of fresh air as the other, happier housekeeper. Orion makes a hasty date with a blonde on the beach -- nothing ever comes of this -- and the blonde is billed as Delores Starr, but I swear she looks just like Diane McBain. Simcox studied meditation with the Beatles in India!

Verdict: Creepy if flawed telefilm with good performances and a very interesting plot. ***.