The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)

A ruthless, domineering woman is married to an alcoholic D.A., her childhood companion who is the only living witness to her murder of her rich aunt seventeen years earlier.

Director:

Lewis Milestone

Writers:

Robert Rossen (screenplay), John Patrick (story),

Stars:

Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Martha Ivers
Van Heflin	...	Sam Masterson
Lizabeth Scott	...	Antonia 'Toni' Marachek
Kirk Douglas	...	Walter O'Neil
Judith Anderson	...	Mrs. Ivers
Roman Bohnen	...	Mr. O'Neil
Darryl Hickman	...	Sam as a Boy
Janis Wilson	...	Martha as a Girl
Ann Doran	...	Bobbi St. John
Frank Orth	...	Hotel Clerk
James Flavin	...	Detective #1
Mickey Kuhn	...	Walter as a Boy
Charles D. Brown	...	McCarthy - Private Detective

Storyline

In 1928, young heiress Martha Ivers fails to run off with friend Sam Masterson, and is involved in fatal events. Years later, Sam returns to find Martha the power behind Iverstown and married to "good boy" Walter O'Neil, now district attorney. At first, Sam is more interested in displaced blonde Toni Marachek than in his boyhood friends; but they draw him into a convoluted web of plotting and cross-purposes.

---

Plot Keywords:

aunt | heiress | district attorney | tutor | industrial town | 

---

Taglines:

Fate drew them together... and only murder could part them!

---

Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 July 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Love Lies Bleeding

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hal Wallis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kirk Douglas's debut.

---

Goofs

When Sam first meets Toni, she is holding a fairly new, lit cigarette, and then 2 seconds later, is not holding one, and asks for one.

---

Quotes

Martha Ivers as a girl: You don't own the whole world.
Mrs. Ivers: Enough to make sure you're always brought back to me.

---

Connections

Featured in Spice World (1997)

---

Soundtracks

"Strange Love"
Written by Eddie Heyman & Miklós Rózsa

User Reviews

Van Heflin & Lizabeth Scott Were The Real Stars

Barbara Stanwyck and Kirk Douglas got top billing on the VHS and DVD boxes I've seen but the real stars of this movie are Van Heflin and Lizabeth Scott, the likable albeit corrupt two of the foursome.

This is listed as a crime movie, a film noir, but at times is much more of a melodrama than anything else. It's a little too talky for my tastes yet I still enjoyed it because the acting is top-shelf, the dialog is fun and you get involved with the characters. The film could have used more action. With the 'soap' angle, it reminded me a bit of another melodramatic noir, Mildred Pierce, except the latter is a better film.

This was Douglas' first major role and he handled it well. It's no surprise he went on to be big star. I never thought Scott was all that beautiful, but she looked very good here, the best I've seen her.