"If monsters like Hedda Hopper, Louella Parsons and Jimmy Fidler didn't happen to like you, they didn't like your pictures, but if they liked you, they'd call a piece of shit a birthday cake."~Joan Crawford

"Strait Jacket" 1964

Cast: Joan Crawford~Diane Baker~Leif Erickson~Howard St. John~John Anthony Hayes~Rochelle Hudson~George Kennedy~Edith Atwater~Mitchell Cox~Lee Yeary~Patricia Krest~Vachel Cos~Patty Lee~Laura Hess~Robert Ward~Lyn Lundgren.

Director & Producer: William Castle

Box Office Figures for "Strait Jacket":

Top Grossing Film Position: Ranked #35

Gross Rentals: $2,400,000.


If you have seen this movie, please write a review below. Once your review is submitted, I will post the review below. Thank you for your review on this film.

Reviews

Reviewer, Angela Petteys, says...

Watching the movie Strait Jacket, I can't help but think that Joan Crawford is the only person who could have starred in it. Something I really respect Joan for doing is that even when she was doing B-movies, she never acted like she was in a B-movie. She gave her all in Strait Jacket. Her acting really is fantastic here. She was horrifying when she needed to be and later on vulnerable and she did both equally believably. In the "making of" featurette that comes on the DVD, someone mentioned that if this had been a big Hollywood movie, Joan would have gotten another Oscar nomination for it and I completely agree.

When I was watching it, I couldn't help but draw some parallels between the character of Lucy and Joan herself. First of all, Joan's real name wasn't Joan Crawford, it was Lucille LeSeur. In the movie, Lucy spends a lot of time knitting because it's what she did while she was in therapy at the asylum. In real life, Joan was known for being an avid knitter, she said it was because she had nervous hands and it kept them busy. And Lucy seems to represent the two ways a lot of people remember Joan. Obviously there are so many people who remember her as a psychotic mother. And then there were other people who saw through Joan's toughness and saw a vulnerable and scared person underneath it, which is a lot like Lucy when she is released.

I wouldn't say Strait Jacket is the best movie I've ever seen. I thought the story had a few flaws, but nothing so glaring that I found it unwatchable. It's got some camp value to it that makes it pretty enjoyable and over all, it's absolutely worth checking out. It's pure vision on the part of director William Castle and he and Joan worked very well together on this movie.

Reviewer, Danny Fortune, says...

"FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOMICIDAL, THE AUTHOR OF PSYCHO, AND THE CO-STAR OF WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE" So reads the by-line for STRAIT-JACKET.

Although I've seen this movie dozens of times, I still go back to it whenever I want a "Post Baby Jane" fix. This one and "BERSERK" are the only two, in that category, that I like.

As everyone knows, Joan Crawford plays Lucy Harbin, an ax murderess released from an "insane asylum" after twenty years. Kind of like Lizzie Borden with a twist. She portrays the dowdy, gray-haired Lucy with plenty of pathos and sincerity, but when she gets all dolled-up in those Wally Westmore sundresses, black wig, and cheap dangling jewelry rattling loud enough to wake the dead, she goes over-the-top.

Producer/Director, William Castle jumped at the chance to lure a real life movie star into one of his commercial exploitations. His gimmick: Ax Murders. And once again, Joan is saddled down with a rotten daughter. But this time she gets to dress sexy, flirt, display Pepsi Cola cartons everywhere, strike a match on a record playing on a phonograph, and mug like crazy.

But I've never understood her character's motivation, when she suddenly turns from a shy, reclusive old woman into a seductive sex-pot. But then everything in this movie is contrived and it's best not to take it very seriously. Just go with it and have fun!

Reviewer: ert@telusplanet.net

Stars: 4

Review/Comment: The only time I've ever seen this movie was way back in 1964 and I sure would like to see it again but I can't find it.I was wondering if you could help me with this.Let me know if and where I could get this movie,would be very much appreciated.