The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

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[Playing catchup with my neglected book and movie blogging today.]

We've been watching a lot of movies claiming to be film noir over the past few months; the label seems wildly inaccurate in some cases. But The Strange Love of Martha Ivers strikes me as the real deal, noirwise.

The movie opens in 1928 Iverstown, where young heiress Martha Ivers is tyrannized by her strict aunt (the Vulcan High Priestess herself, Dame Judith Anderson). Despite being about to inherit vast wealth, Martha tries to run away with young semi-hoodlum Sam Masterson. The attempt fails. Back at home is Martha's scheming tutor who wants to hitch up Martha with his goody two-shoes son, Walter. Conflict ensues, and Auntie winds up dead. Who'll take the fall?

Not Martha, as it turns out. Later that same century, she's come into her riches, and is played by Barbara Stanwyck (which is never a good sign); she's married to Walter, who has become the good-looking but insecure drunkard Kirk Douglas. Completing the triangle is Sam (now Van Heflin, and a war hero), who by coincidence is returning to Iverstown for the first time since 1928. Those old skeletons get taken out of the closet pretty quickly. Also—for some reason—Sam hooks up with Antonia (played by Lizabeth Scott); she has problems of her own that add just enough complications to push the plot to its high-body-count conclusion.

Trivia: this is Kirk Douglas's first movie.


Last Modified 2024-01-28 2:37 PM EDT