|
Movies •Books •Music •Food •Tv Shows •Technology •Politics •Video Games •Parenting •Fashion •Green Living •more >

Lunch » Tags » Movies » Reviews » The Strange Love of Martha Ivers » User review

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

A movie directed by Lewis Milestone

< read all 3 reviews

Kirk Douglas' powerful debut as a weak man

  • Jun 9, 2012
  • by
Rating:
+4



"Neither of them had any right to live."

When we hear Martha Ivers (Barbara Stanwyck) say this, we think we know who she means. But Rob Rossen's rich screenplay provides a nasty twist and it turns out that the sentiment applies even better to two other characters. When they meet their fates, it marks the snapping of a grim chain of events begun decades earlier.

It will come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Stanwyck that she gives a forceful performance. She is a cold woman who controls both the factory and the small Midwestern town that bear her family's name. She also dominates her husband, whom she has made the local district attorney purely through the force of her will.

It might, however, be surprising that her self-pitying, alcoholic husband is played by Kirk Douglas in his first movie. His character in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946), Walter O'Neil, shares none of the heroism of the characters for which Douglas became famous. He brings to his portrayal of a cowering puppet just enough strength to hint at what he might have been if he hadn't been ground down by circumstances.

That grinding begins with O'Neil's father (Roman Bohnen), a commanding figure who teachers his son to acquiesce to the wills of those with power. One before whom the elder O'Neil almost grovels is Mrs. Ivers, Martha's aunt (Judith Anderson), who is more concerned with the family's fortune than the family. Martha is a constant and unpleasant reminder of her late mother's love for a man from the wrong side of the tracks. That was a betrayal of her class which the aunt cannot forgive or forget. Now that Martha's mother is dead, the aunt takes out her resentment on Martha, to whom she is cold and dictatorial.

Or at least she is before she is killed. Her death leaves Martha poised to inherit the industrial empire that defines life in Iverstown. It is a shame that Martha appears to grow up much like her aunt: distant and emotionally empty, although dressed in more glamorous gowns (designed by Edith Head).

Years later, Martha is married to Walter. The reappearance of one of their mutual childhood friends, an ex-G.I. played by Van Heflin, rekindles in Martha the closest she can feel to love.

Heflin is solid in a part that is more a catalyst than a character. It is Lizabeth Scott's character that is the movie's weakest link. Hired by Douglas' D.A. to lead Heflin out of town, she repeatedly manipulates him, lies to him and withholds crucial information. It is all transparent and Heflin's character sees through it every time. He keeps her around anyway, and helps her out of jams again and again. We're meant to believe that they will be happy together, but the movie gives us no reason to think anything of the kind.

Scott was promoted as a rival to Lauren Bacall, whom she resembles both facially and vocally. Her nickname, "The Threat," was meant to indicate that she was primed to supplant Bacall. That didn't happen, of course. Scott enjoyed some success in such movies as Dead Reckoning (1947, with Humphrey Bogart, of all people) and I Walk Alone (1948, with Burt Lancaster), but Bacall is a Hollywood icon while Scott is remembered mostly as an almost-was. If she'd been given roles more interesting than her one in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, she might have lived up to her hype.

Great Scott? No, and neither is Heflin. Douglas and Stanwyck are, and the movie gives them many chances to show it.
Kirk Douglas' powerful debut as a weak man Kirk Douglas' powerful debut as a weak man Kirk Douglas' powerful debut as a weak man Kirk Douglas' powerful debut as a weak man

What did you think of this review?

Helpful
6
Thought-Provoking
6
Fun to Read
6
Well-Organized
6
Post a Comment
June 13, 2012
You're definitely very well-rounded in the silver screen.
June 14, 2012
Thanks again. You're very kind. I have seen a lot of movies, maybe too many if you look at my high school report cards.
 
1
More The Strange Love of Martha Ive... reviews
review by . June 16, 2012
Lies and deception, fear and loathing
The story opens in 1928, as rebellious teen Martha Ivers is trying to run away from her mean and powerful aunt. Helping Martha is her pal from across the tracks, Sam. They never do escape that night, but something far more dramatic happens involving Martha, her aunt, and a kitten named Bundles.      I really enjoyed this movie, which is an unusual mix of film noir, melodrama, romance, and mystery. Barbara Stanwyck plays grown-up Martha and is perfectly cast as a tough-as-nails …
review by . June 19, 2011
Sam looks at Toni questioningly...then tenderly.
Some people call The Strange Love of Martha Ivers a noir, and a good one. Some call it a psychological study of guilt. I think it's just a melodrama, but a well-crafted one. What moves it from noir to melodrama for me is that there are two weak motivating actions for the plot; the first (the death of the aunt) doesn't have enough power to justify the drama, and the second (a conviction of an innocent man) is barely mentioned until the end of the movie. Please note that there are spoilers …
see all The Strange Love of Martha Ive... reviews (3)
About the reviewer

Ranked #156
Member Since: Mar 17, 2012
Last Login: Jun 22, 2012 03:59 AM UTC
Consider the Source

Use Trust Points to see how much you can rely on this review.

You
peterww
Your ratings:
Tightrope
Tightrope
The Lady Eve
The Lady Eve
Virgin Spring
The Virgin Spring (Jungfr …
Criss Cross
Criss Cross
rate more to improve this
Recent reviews by peterww
World War II movies
Hollywood vs. Hitler: Movies that helped KO the Third …
a review of World War II movies
D-Day, the Sixth of June
D-Day, the Sixth of June: Almost no war in this touching …
a review of D-Day, the Sixth of June
Y: The Last Man (Volume Four of Ten: Safeword)
The last man suffers waterboarding and sadistic sex …
a review of Y: The Last Man (Volume Four of Ten: ...
see more reviews
About this movie

Wiki

Add wiki

Tags

Movies
see all

Details

Director: Lewis Milestone
Genre: Drama, Film-Noir
Release Date: 24 July 1946 (USA)
Screen Writer: John Patrick, Robert Rossen
Runtime: 116 min
see all (7)
First to Review

"Sam looks at Toni questioningly...then tenderly. "The one thing you've got comin', kid, is a break.""
© 2013 Lunch.com, LLC All Rights Reserved
Lunch.com - Relevant reviews by real people.
()
This is you!
Ranked #
Last login
Member since
reviews
comments
ratings
questions
compliments
lists