Lucy Harbin (Joan Crawford) is married to Frank Harbin (Lee Majors). Frank is younger than Lucy and married her for her money. One night Lucy came home from a trip early and found Frank in bed with another woman, Stella Fulton (Patricia Crest). Lucy picked up an axe and chopped up both Frank and Stella. Lucy’s three-year-old daughter, Carol (Vicki Cos), was in the next room watching. Lucy was committed to an asylum. She stayed there for twenty years.
Twenty years after the murder of her husband and his mistress, Lucy is deemed to be cured and is released from the asylum. While she was away Lucy’s daughter Carol (Diane Baker) had been adopted by Lucy’s brother, Bill Cutler (Leif Erickson) and his wife, Emily (Rochelle Hudson). Lucy is sent to live with Bill, Emily and Carol. The Cutler’s live on a farm in the country. Helping with the farm is a hired hand, Leo Krause (George Kennedy). Carol is seeing Michael Fields (John Anthony Hayes), a young man from one of the wealthiest families in the area.
Carol is anxious to help her mother adjust to the outside world. She takes her shopping for a new dress and a wig. Something about the new dress and wig alters Lucy’s personality. She becomes flirtatious and almost makes a pass at Michael when he comes over. When Lucy’s former doctor, Dr. Anderson (Mitchell Cox) stops by, Lucy thinks he wants to take her back to the asylum. Dr. Anderson tells Carol that Lucy’s reactions may mean that she was released too soon. Not long after that, Dr. Anderson gets chopped up.
Carol hides Dr. Anderson’s car in the barn. Leo sees Carol hide the car and decides to take it. She finds him painting the car a different color. Leo sees what’s going on and tells Carol that he means to keep the car and if she interferes, he will talk. Carol fires Leo as Lucy watches from a window. Leo is next to go, but the murders are just getting started.
“Straight Jacket” was released in 1964 and was directed by William Castle. It is an American psychological horror thriller.
The movie was kind of fun in an over-the-top sort of way. It was weird seeing the 60-year-old Crawford trying to play the much younger version of Lucy. Crawford’s portrayals of both versions of Lucy were actually pretty good. I’m not a big Crawford fan, but here I have to give her props, even though she had to exert her main character syndrome by being the last actor on screen. Despite her need to be in control of the film, the camp value makes the movie worth checking out.
Mitchell Cox, the person who played Dr. Anderson, was not an actor. He was actually the Vice President of Public Relations for the Pepsi-Cola Company. Crawford was the widow of the former CEO of the Pepsi-Cola Company, Alfred Steele. She gave Cox the role without consulting anyone. Crawford was still on the Board of Directors for the company and insisted on Pepsi products being shown in all her films.
Lee Majors’ (who played Frank Harbin) real name was Harvey Lee Yeary. William Castle’s gimmick for promoting the film was to give out cardboard axes, streaked with simulated blood, at theaters. The ending shot of the film is the Columbia logo with Miss Columbia holding a torch. In the shot, the head of Miss Columbia is copped off and can be seen at her feet.