Two sequences set this apart from the mini-cycle of films Hollywood was temporarily producing on the theme of mental illness and the institutions set up to treat it such as the Frank Perry’s empathetic and occasionally lyrical David and Lisa (1962), Robert Rossen’s Lilith (1964) – both essentially romances – and Sam Fuller’s more brutal The Naked Kiss (1964).
Both sequences come early in the picture, setting, visually, the tone. In the first, crusading psychiatrist Dr Donovan MacLeod (Robert Stack) goes onto a ward to see a patient. It’s old-fashioned in the way of hospitals back then, patients in metal-framed beds. But as the camera pulls back, we see it’s not just a ward, it’s so big it’s a warehouse crammed full of sedated mental patients.
In the second scene, chief nurse Lucretia Terry (Joan Crawford) has her female staff in a room kitted out in leotards. And such attire is not for the titillation of the audience, equivalent to the kind of changing room sequence in later films designed to provide glimpses of female flesh. Instead, it’s a judo class. Terry is teaching the nurses how to defend themselves against attack.
The narrative focuses on MacLeod trying to change treatment of mental illness away from sticking patients full of sedatives or submitting them to the ubiquitous electroshock and locking them in a giant warehouse, keeping them well out of sight of the rest of the world who can’t understand why a loved one has gone mad. Terry wants to stick to the current method.
MacLeod crosses verbal swords all the way through with Terry and despite his persuasive tones no sign that she’s going to agree with his new idea of group therapy to attempt to cure those patients who have not yet fully succumbed to their illness, those who are still on the “borderline.”
There’s certainly plenty evidence to back up Terry’s fears that any slacking in security will result in harm to both nurses and patients given that among the group given substantial leeway by MacLeod are those who will try to stab people, set fire to the ward and break the golden rule of entering a male ward.
While the arguments are going on about the need to take a new approach to dealing with mental illness, the main focus is on the ragbag of patients in group therapy, people with much the same bunch of problems – although highly exacerbated – as you’d find within a group on a sinking ship or going to war. Issues with parents, children, sex and alcohol have brought these patients in the national care.
While there are moving moments, as you’d expect, there is no resolution at the end, and nothing in the way of miraculous cure. The best that can be hoped for is that if huge steps forward are made in patient’s understanding of their illness then perhaps they can be shifted from this appalling warehouse to a day center, spending nights at home, being treated during the day, much of their rehabilitation depending on reconnecting with the world rather than being shut off from it.
Lorna (Polly Bergen) hasn’t recovered from the death of her child, sees every consoling move from husband Jim (Robert Vaughn) as an attempt to instigate sex. Sex worker Marion (Janis Paige) is intent on getting drunk, from cocktails of any item that could contain alcohol, Edna (Barbara Barrie) is mute. New nurse Alison (Diane McBain), coming up against the old school Nurse Bracken (Constance Ford), is given a savage reality check.
Much of the tale is just about permitting the patients humanity, to see each other not as terminal victims of their illness, but to have human contact and interaction with others in the same boat. Naturally, feelings run high and the incidents I have mentioned recognize the dangers inherent in exploring new methods and the freedom that involves.
Joan Crawford (Berserk, 1967), permed within an inch of her life, has a ball as the tough cookie, the Nurse Ratched of her day, and would steal the show except for the sympathetic playing of Robert Stack (The Corrupt Ones/The Peking Medallion, 1967) and for the fact that Janis Paige (Welcome to Hard Times, 1967) is hellbent on stealing the show. It’s left to Polly Bergen (Kisses for My President, 1964) to put in the hard yards of showing the bewilderment and confusion that affects anyone struck down by mental illness.
Hall Bartlett (All the Young Men, 1960) is triple hyphenate here – writer, producer and director – and does a swell job of putting forth the argument without giving in to sentimentality.
Worth a watch.
The Magnificent 60s 
Info:
“The 24 May 1962DV reported that principal photography was scheduled to begin 4 Jun 1962 at Desilu Studios in Hollywood, CA. However, the 28 May 1962 issue announced the start on 1 Jun 1962 at nearby Producers Studio. According to the 13 Jun 1962 DV, producer Hall Bartlett augmented the film’s budget with his own money to add actors Robert Vaughn, Constance Ford, and Susan Oliver to the cast. Financing for the project was provided by United Artists Corp. (UA).
Three weeks later, the 2 Jul 1962 DV announced that star Robert Stack would complete his role the next day, in order to resume his television series, The Untouchables (CBS, 1959 – 1963). Other castings included Quinn O’Hara (6 Jun 1962 DV), model Merissa Mathes (13 Jun 1962 Var), and Pamela Austin (5 Jul 1962 DV). The 28 Jun 1962 Los Angeles Sentinel identified the home of actress Walla Pearl Curtis as a location. On the evening of 9 Jul 1962, filming took place at Los Angeles County General Hospital in Los Angeles, CA, as stated in that day’s DV. An obituary in the 10 Jul 1962 edition noted that actress Virginia Royce, who also appeared in the film, died of a cerebral hemorrhage two days earlier.
The 1 Oct 1962 DV reported that, although Bartlett was planning a Feb 1963 release, he was considering a one-week engagement in Dec 1963 to qualify actresses Janis Paige and Polly Bergen for possible Academy Award nominations. The picture was currently in postproduction. As stated in the 30 Nov 1962 issue, plans were abandoned for an early release. Composer Elmer Bernstein began recording his score on 31 Oct 1962, according to that day’s DV. It was later released on Fred Astaire’s Ava Records label.
An article in the 13 Dec 1962 DV stated that Polly Bergen would tour on behalf of the film for the U.S. Mental Health Association, which was arranging a series of “charity premieres.” The 8 Feb 1963 edition noted that President John F. Kennedy’s health program addressed many of the same issues presented in the picture.
The 4 Mar 1963 DV reported that a preview screening was held in late Feb 1963 in Sacramento, CA, for members of the state legislature with an interest in “care of the mentally ill.” The audience responded positively, reportedly telling Bartlett that the picture would “accomplish what documentaries never achieved.” The release was scheduled for 21 Aug 1963. As stated in the 17 May 1963 edition, a screening was planned for a joint session of the U.S. Congress on 21 May 1963, sponsored by Senator Lister Hill of Alabama, who was chairing President John F. Kennedy’s mental health commission. Hall Bartlett, Robert Stack, and screenwriter Henry F. Greenberg were expected to attend. Cast member Joan Crawford, who also appeared in the film, hosted a reception afterward. The 21 May 1963 DV noted that the event was postponed until the following day.
According to the 22 Apr 1963 DV, three different publicity campaigns were introduced in Savannah, GA, Lincoln, NE, and Phoenix, AZ. Susan Oliver was invited to speak that evening at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk, CA, in honor of the institution’s annual Volunteer Recognition Night. Two months later, the 20 Jun 1963 DV announced that Robert Stack was embarking on a thirty-three city promotional tour on 4 Aug 1963. A news item in the 6 Aug 1963 issue noted that twenty-four promotional screenings were planned for members of the entertainment industry, the news media, mental health professionals, government employees, and women’s clubs.
The Caretakers premiered 14 Aug 1963 at the Screen Directors Guild Theater in Los Angeles, CA. As noted in the 11 Aug 1963 LAT, proceeds benefited the Los Angeles Psychiatric Service (LAPS). The event was hosted by the Lamp Minders, a women’s charitable organization. The picture opened 21 Aug 1963 in Los Angeles and New York City to unflattering notices. The While the 15 Aug 1963 DV considered it to be a surprisingly “dull picture about a bunch of psychopaths,” the 1 Sep 1963 NYT simply described the film as “shabby.” The 24 Aug 1963 LAT revealed that patients at Gateway Hospital in Los Angeles found several aspects of the film to be an inaccurate, but approved its positive portrayals of outpatient hospitals and group therapy.
The picture garnered an Academy Award nomination for Cinematography, Black-and-White (Lucien Ballard), and Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture-Drama, Best Director, and Best Actress-Drama (Polly Bergen). The 27 Aug 1963 DV reported opening-week receipts of $225,000 in Los Angeles and opening-day receipts of $41,695 in New York City. According to the 30 Sep 1963 DV, Robert Stack refused an offer of $800,000 for his twenty-five percent interest in the picture, as he would lose money on the sale.
Joan Crawford told the 11 Sep 1963 Var that she was “perturbed” with her abbreviated scene in the film. While Hall Bartlett had argued that Crawford’s hysterical performance “made her look cheap,” the actress believed it suited the role of a woman rejected by her lover. She also complained that the character’s brief appearance did not merit her high salary, and suggested Bartlett should have hired a lesser-known actress. The 23 Jun 1962 LAT claimed that Crawford had studied martial arts for the role.
As noted in the 23 May 1963 DV, a sixty-minute television pilot based on the film was offered to the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) for the 1964-1965 season. Creative Management Agency (CMA) was credited with brokering the deal.
As stated in the 3 Dec 1963 DV, the cinematic version of the Harold Pinter play, The Caretaker, was re-titled The Guest (1963) for U.S. release, to avoid confusion with the earlier film.”
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Amazing stuff. I knew nothing at about this film. Thanks.
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