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Drama Cult Classic

Murder, madness, and a million missing dollars collide in a Beverly Hills asylum.

SHOCK TREATMENT

You Won't Be The Same When You Come Out Of Shock Treatment

1964 · 1h 34m · NR · Drama / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

An insane gardener (Roddy McDowell) murders his millionairess employer and is committed to a psychiatric hospital. A neighbor and friend believes the gardener robbed the millionairess, hid the money, and is faking insanity to get out of his crime. To prove this, the neighbor hires an actor (Stuart Whitman) to feign insanity to get committed to the hospital and befriend the gardener. The research-driven hospital director (Lauren Bacall) also needs the money, and when she finds out about the actor she tries to kill two birds with one stone.

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Vault Note

When the gardener knows where the bodies—and the money—are buried, check the flower beds twice.

Programmer's Pick

Lauren Bacall runs the asylum, Roddy McDowall plays dangerously unhinged, and Stuart Whitman goes undercover in this sun-drenched potboiler where trust is as scarce as sanity. With a plot that pits fake madness against real murder, Shock Treatment is more psychological chess match than standard whodunit.

— SassyFlix Programmer
Quick Answer
What is Shock Treatment about?

Shock Treatment is a 1964 American drama-thriller film directed by Denis Sanders about an actor who feigns insanity to infiltrate a psychiatric hospital and befriend a murderous gardener suspected of hiding stolen money.

Details & Specs
Director
Denis Sanders
Writers
Winfred Van Atta, Sydney Boehm
Release
1964
Runtime
1h 34m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Genres
Drama, Thriller

Synopsis

Former psychiatric patient Martin Ashley is declared sane and released from an insane asylum. He works as gardener and chauffeur for a wealthy woman in Beverly Hills. Tired of being verbally abused, he kills her and surrenders to police. During the court proceedings, it is revealed that Ashley burned one million dollars of his employer's money because he considered money to be the source of all evils. The court deems him insane and returns him to his old insane asylum into the care of his old psychiatrist, Doctor Edwina Beighley. The estate's executor, Harley Manning, believes that Ashley is faking insanity and has murdered the old lady for her money. Manning believes the money wasn't burned but stashed away somewhere. He hires an actor, Dale Nelson, to feign insanity in order to be sent for psychiatric evaluation at the same institution where Martin Ashley is. For a fee, Dale Nelson agrees. He commits a misdemeanor and the court sends him for a 30 day evaluation at the psychiatric institution. Once inside, he is to befriend Martin Ashley and find out where the million dollars is stashed. However, Dale Nelson and his employer, executor Harley Manning, aren't the only ones interested in finding the money. Starved of research grants and funds, unscrupulous psychiatrist Dr. Edwina Beighley also wants to find out whether her patient, Martin Ashley, has really burned the million dollars or has stashed away someplace. She figures she can use hypnosis on Ashley to wrest the information out of him. Doctor Beighley and amateur sleuth Dale Nelson are on a colliding course but Beighley has a syringe full of nasty experimental drugs in her hand and Nelson is strapped to a bed in the electroshock therapy room. He needs a fast miracle to help him get out of the mess he got himself into.

Why Cult

Star-Studded Cast

Lauren Bacall, Roddy McDowall, and Stuart Whitman bring serious talent to this psychological drama.

Asylum Infiltration Plot

An actor fakes insanity to get committed, leading to a tense investigation behind locked doors.

Money, Madness, Motive

A million missing dollars, murder, and questions of sanity drive the suspense in Beverly Hills.

Psychological Power Plays

With a research-driven hospital director and patients faking their true selves, the film layers deception on every floor.

Trailer

Scene Gallery

Questions from the Vault

What is Shock Treatment about? +

Shock Treatment is about an actor who pretends to be insane to infiltrate a psychiatric hospital and get close to a murderous gardener suspected of hiding stolen money.

Who directed Shock Treatment? +

Shock Treatment was directed by Denis Sanders.

How long is Shock Treatment? +

Shock Treatment has a runtime of 94 minutes.

What genre is Shock Treatment? +

Shock Treatment is a drama and thriller.

Where can I watch Shock Treatment? +

Shock Treatment is available to stream on SassyFlix.