The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
| The Strange Love of Martha Ivers | |
|---|---|
movie poster
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| Directed by |
Lewis Milestone Byron Haskin (uncredited) Hal B. Wallis (uncredited) |
| Produced by | Hal B. Wallis |
| Written by |
Robert Rossen Robert Riskin (uncredited) |
| Based on |
Love Lies Bleeding by John Patrick |
| Starring |
Barbara Stanwyck Van Heflin Lizabeth Scott Kirk Douglas |
| Music by | Miklós Rózsa |
| Cinematography | Victor Milner |
| Edited by | Archie Marshek |
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Production
company |
Hal Wallis Productions
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| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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116 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $3,250,000 (US rentals) |
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is a film noir released in the United States in 1946, starring Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott and featuring Kirk Douglas in his film debut. The movie is based on the short story "Love Lies Bleeding" by playwright John Patrick – using the pseudonym Jack Patrick – and was produced by Hal B. Wallis. The film was directed by Lewis Milestone from a screenplay written by Robert Rossen and Robert Riskin, who was not credited.
The film was entered into the 1947 Cannes Film Festival. In 1974, it fell into the public domain in the United States due to the copyright owner's failure to renew the copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.
On a rainy night in 1928 in a Pennsylvania factory town called Iverstown, thirteen-year-old Martha Ivers (Janis Wilson) tries to run away from the guardianship of her wealthy, domineering aunt with her friend, the street-smart, poor Sam Masterson (Darryl Hickman), but is caught and brought home. Sam comes for her, but Martha's aunt hears her calling to him. While Sam slips out unnoticed, Mrs. Ivers starts beating Martha's cat with her cane. Martha wrestles it away from her and strikes her brutally, causing her to fall down the stairs and die. The event is witnessed by Walter O'Neil (Mickey Kuhn), the son of Martha's tutor (Roman Bohnen). Martha lies about the incident to Walter's father, and Walter backs her up.
Mr. O'Neil suspects what happened, but presents Martha's version of events to the police, that an intruder is responsible; with his leverage he makes Martha marry his son. When the police identify a former employee of the aunt as the murderer, the two O'Neils and Martha help convict him; he is hanged.
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