Back in 1964, our film today shocked movie audiences. Axe murders, decapitations, and the demise of the Six-Million Dollar Man. A 2026 audience will pick up on the shocking twists right away. Still, this is a horrific movie, and because it is done by William Castle, it is also so much fun. With a booming musical tract, a free-swinging axe, and screaming women, "Strait-Jacket" is our feature today.
20 years ago, Lucy (Joan Crawford) comes home early, drunk. Her much younger husband (Lee Majors) is screwing a skank (Patricia Crest) in the marital bed. Lucy grabs an axe and chops the two of them up into little pieces. Witnesses? Only one, Lucy's three-year old daughter. Now, 20 years later, Carol (Diane Baker) the daughter is a beautiful woman, and almost engaged to the wealthy hunk Michael (John Anthony Hayes). Lucy, cured, has been released from the insane asylum and is coming home. Did I say cured? Well, maybe not quite all the way cured. Lucy's brother Bill (Leif Erickson) and his wife Emily (Rochelle Hudson) have raised Carol. All are happy to see Lucy. who still gives off a vibe of insanity. Carol desperately wants her mom back. She brings her to the beauty parlor, buys her new clothes, and tries to introduce her to Michael. Some of this goes well...well, actually, none of it goes well. Lucy still has the look of an axe murderer.
Then heads roll...literally. Lucy appears to be getting increasingly unhinged. Her doctor (Mitchell Cox) stops by to pay Lucy a visit and promptly loses his head. The menacing field hand (George Kennedy) knows what is going on and he loses his head. Carol finds the bodies but desperately wants her mom after her 20 year absence. The beautiful young lady hides the bodies. Carol is determined to keep her mom out of the asylum. The axe murders are not done...and Lucy seems to be getting more and more unhinged.
Should Carol have gone to the police and turned in her mom? Wait! This is a William Castle film...is it possible Lucy is not the killer? Just how psycho does one have to be to be able to cut the Six-Million Dollar Man into tiny pieces? This is a loud one with vicious scenes and horrific imagery. The last scene with the final reveal will be one that sticks in your consciousness for a long time. For one of the finest axe-murderer movies ever made, see "Strait-Jacket."
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