The Strange Love of Martha Ivers – Review

It is 1928 in a working town Iverstown. The young Martha Ivers hates her aunt Mrs. Ivers (Anderson), who acts as her guardian since her parents are deceased. Despite living in a nice and large home with an awesome cat, Martha tries to run away time and time again, with her poor street friend Sam Masterson. Their big plan tonight is to sneak into a train car and get outta town, however unfortunately the cops find them.

Martha and her cat are taken home; however, Sam slips off into the night escaping the police’s grasp. As Martha is returned to her manor, her tutor Walter O’Neil Sr. (Bohnen) tells her that his young son Watler Jr. ratted her out. Later Walter is like no, I did not, and gets back on Martha’s good side, who mostly just despises her aunt and her last name Ivers, as she was born Smith. Then the power goes out during a lightning storm.

Later during the thunder, Walter finds Sam sneaking into the home to say goodbye to Martha, and promises he won’t snitch. He didn’t before and he wouldn’t now! Martha and Walter talk with Sam, who agrees it’s probably best for Martha to stay behind while he escapes this small factory town forever. Martha wants to go with, and sends Sam to get her cat who wanders downstairs.

Unfortunately, this makes a bit of noise, and wakes Mrs. Ivers, who is determined to ruin the show and catch Sam. Sam sneaks out, and Mrs. Ivers comes across Martha’s cat. Here is where shit goes down. The cat starts taking a beating for no reason from Mrs. Ivers, and Martha has had her last straw. She is seeing red.

Tragedy strikes, or is it even a tragedy? Regardless, these young children now have a lifelong secret, which they conspire to hide. Later in life, an aged Sam Masterson (Heflin) returns to Iverstown and crashes his car into a post since he is absolutely not watching the road. A sign. What will he find in town? Maybe an older Martha (Stanwyck) and Walter (Douglas)? How have they dealt with their traumas? Will these old friends reunite in happiness or will their haunted past and hidden secret begin to unravel their bonds?

This film is a tale full of examinations of relationships, whether good, bad or otherwise. These people who were born from a dark secret all have aged into unique characters, reconciling with their pasts and related stress in separate ways. Imagining that there is a happy place for everyone to wind up is certainly not wise, so sit back and enjoy the ride through craziness, jealousy, criminal activities and noir-laced 40s dialogue.

The moral of the story is don’t beat cats or you will get what is coming.

This film introduced Kirk Douglas who won the audition with help from drama school friend Lauren Bacall.