The Caretakers

Director: Hall Bartlett

Overview

A psychiatrist advocates group therapy instead of the more conventional methods of institutionalizing patients. Dr. MacLeod (Robert Stack) leads a daily therapy group that has members return to their homes at night. His methods are opposed by the head nurse Lucretia (Joan Crawford), who would rather have the patients submitted to over drugging and shock therapy. The most interesting member of the group is Lorna (Polly Bergen), a housewife consumed with guilt over the accidental death of her child. She escapes after shock therapy and suffers an even greater shock when she wanders into the male section of the hospital, where she is almost raped. The good doctor battles hospital board members and the nefarious nurse in an attempt to establish out patient day clinics for those who seek treatment. The film is unrealistic and sensationalistic in exploiting the horrors of mental illness.

Product Details

Release Date:	01/15/2011
UPC:	0883904219514
Original Release:	1963
Source:	MGM
Presentation:	[Letterbox]
Language:	English
Time:	1:38:00
Sales rank:	41,859

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Robert Stack	Dr. Donovan MacLeod
Polly Bergen	Lorna Melford
Joan Crawford	Lucretia Terry
Janis Paige	Marion
Diane McBain	Alison Horne
Van Williams	Dr. Larry Denning
Constance Ford	Nurse Bracken
Sharon Hugueny	Connie
Herbert Marshall	Dr. Jubal Harrington
Ana St. Clair	Anna
Barbara Barrie	Edna
Robert Vaughn	Jim Melford
Susan Oliver	Cathy Clark
Ellen Corby	Irene

Technical Credits

Henry F. Greenberg

Henry F. Greenberg	Screenwriter
Hall Bartlett	Producer

Editorial Reviews

The Caretakers is high camp and therefore a field day for those who prefer their acting performances so far over the top as to be in actual orbit. It is also, consequently, a horrible pain for those who prefer subtlety in acting, or who object to exploiting the subject of the mentally ill. Ironically, it seems that the creators of Caretakers actually were rather well meaning; their intention was to create a film that took a serious look at the problems of mental and emotional dysfunction. That intention was betrayed by their utter ineptness in the writing and directing of Caretakers, with the result this glorious excursion into the ludicrous. Although the main drawing card for many will be Joan Crawford -- who does not disappoint, down to and including her judo classes for her nurses -- the true acting "honors" actually go tom Polly Bergen, whose performance is shamelessly out of control; the opening breakdown at the movie theatre must be seen to be believed. Janis Paige also steals a number of scenes as a sharp-tongued man-hater, and Constance Ford gets in her own moments here and there. Crawford's role is much too small, but she commands attention in that peculiar later style of hers. And one person, namely Barbara Barrie, actually manages to turn in a good, nuanced performance in the midst of the high-jinx. Lucien Ballard's evocative cinematography likewise has true dramatic quality, which also has the unintended effect of making the ludicrous scene-chewers looks that much more ridiculous. Those in the right frame of mind should seek out Caretakers for a frightfully good time.