The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
In this Academy Award- nominated film (Best Writing, Original Story), young Martha (Barbara Stanwyck) inadvertently causes the death of her cruel, authoritarian aunt. Martha lies to the cops, and Walter (Kirk Douglas), who saw the crime, corroborates the girl's story. Eventually, they wed out of convenience; the meek Walter is genuinely in love, and Martha thinks that her secret is safe since she has married the one witness to her aunt's death.
However, when her childhood pal, Sam (Van Heflin), shows up, Martha knows her dark past may not stay a secret for long.
Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival.
"A gripping film noir, all the more effective for being staged by Milestone as a steamy romantic melodrama." - Derek Adams, Time Out
Running Time
115 mins
Year
1946
Kanopy ID
3322712
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Comments (5)
I really enjoyed this great film noir. There are a lot of different twists until the final conclusion inside the house. Barbara Stanwyck, Kirk Douglas, Van Heflin and Lizabeth Scott are terrific. Great movie.
Great dark, contrasty cinematography and a phenomenal performance from Stanwyck. An entertaining if not so great one from Douglas. Highly recommend this if you like your melodrama dark or your noir real soapy!
"walter"... no one pronounces that name the way Barbara Stanwyck does.
I also enjoyed the film very much so. At first I liked the twisted perspective on family life, especially given this films context of coming out (late 40's). The lighting of this film is also reminiscent of noire which also has some grotesque story points at time. Barbra Stanwyck's ...Read more
I also enjoyed the film very much so. At first I liked the twisted perspective on family life, especially given this films context of coming out (late 40's). The lighting of this film is also reminiscent of noire which also has some grotesque story points at time. Barbra Stanwyck's performance is also very impressive and emotional.
Read lessreally good!