Out to see "West Side Story" in a movie theater, hysterically pretty Polly Bergen (as Lorna Melford) begins chewing the cinema's scenery and is taken to a mental institution. There, she encounters stiff but sympathetic doctor Robert Stack (as Donovan MacLeod), who traces Ms. Bergen's problem to the loss of her son, in a car accident. Dr. Stack clashes with tough-as-nails head nurse Joan Crawford (as Lucretia Terry), who prefers to rule the roost with an iron fist. "The Caretakers" is so bad it's occasionally funny.
The film was nominated for "Golden Globes" in the dramatic motion picture, director (Hall Bartlett) and dramatic actress (Bergen) categories. For showing the newly popular Ms. Crawford in a flattering light, "Oscar" gave Lucien Ballard his only "Best Cinematography" nomination. Basically, Mr. Ballard photographed Crawford so that she could walk around the set and hit a mark which enabled two shadowy black lines to frame her face. This technique would soon be employed to cover Crawford's neck.
*** The Caretakers (8/21/63) Hall Bartlett ~ Polly Bergen, Robert Stack, Joan Crawford, Janis Paige
The film was nominated for "Golden Globes" in the dramatic motion picture, director (Hall Bartlett) and dramatic actress (Bergen) categories. For showing the newly popular Ms. Crawford in a flattering light, "Oscar" gave Lucien Ballard his only "Best Cinematography" nomination. Basically, Mr. Ballard photographed Crawford so that she could walk around the set and hit a mark which enabled two shadowy black lines to frame her face. This technique would soon be employed to cover Crawford's neck.
*** The Caretakers (8/21/63) Hall Bartlett ~ Polly Bergen, Robert Stack, Joan Crawford, Janis Paige