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. ***. 

DIE SISTER, DIE!

Jack Ging

DIE SISTER, DIE! (1978). Producer/director: Randall Hood.

"Life is the one disease that's always fatal."

Edward Price (Jack Ging) has always hated his sister, Amanda (Edith Atwater). because she lives in the family mansion and has control of the money. She has attempted suicide more than once but never quite succeeds. Edward hires former nurse Esther (Antoinette Bower) to care for Amanda, with the instruction that she is not to do anything to save her if she decides to try killing herself one more time. But Esther doesn't realize that the brother and sister are hiding a dark secret. The family doctor (Kent Smith) doesn't have a clue, either.

Edith Atwaterr and Antoinette Bower

Yes, Die, Sister Die! sounds like it might be a good bet for suspense fans, but be forewarned that the movie has little suspense, its revelations come much too early in the story, and the picture has no style or dramatic tension. The script isn't helped by mediocre direction and actors who have probably given better performances elsewhere but seem only vaguely interested in what's going on here. Kent Smith probably comes off best. This is one of those movies that has a workable and even intriguing storyline but muffs it on virtually every level. Hugo Friedhoffer's musical score is incredibly dull and does nothing for the picture. Edith Atwater was also in Strait-Jacket with Joan Crawford. NOTE: IMDB reports the rumor that Jack Ging importuned friend Clint Eastwood to finish the film after the credited director passed away. 

Verdict: If it didn't have enough problems, a slow pace really sinks this. *1/2.