Shutter Bug

A retired actress, who is increasingly paranoid and withdrawn, believes that she is being haunted by the ghost of her dead husband. She hires a private investigator to uncover the truth, but as the investigation deepens, she begins to question her own sanity and the reality of her experiences.

Shutter Bug (also known as Strait-Jacket) received mixed to positive reviews upon its release, largely driven by the star power of Joan Crawford and William Castle's signature B-movie thrills. While critics acknowledged its campy elements and Crawford's committed performance, some found the plot convoluted and the horror elements less effective than intended.

• Joan Crawford's iconic performance is a major draw, even in a somewhat predictable horror vehicle.
• William Castle's trademark gimmicks and suspenseful direction create a memorable, albeit campy, viewing experience.
• The film's exploration of psychological themes and identity is intriguingly presented, though sometimes overshadowed by its genre conventions.

Google audience: Audiences largely appreciated Joan Crawford's dramatic performance and found the film to be an entertaining, suspenseful thriller with a good dose of camp. Some viewers felt the plot was a bit too convoluted, but the overall consensus was positive for its era.

The film is famous for its opening sequence where Joan Crawford, as Lucy Harbin, brutally murders her husband and his lover with an axe. In promotional materials, Castle famously claimed that audience members would receive "bail-out money" if they got too scared, a gimmick that unfortunately never materialized due to insurance issues.