The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)

  • 100% of critics liked it
    (8 reviews)

  • 71% of users liked it
    (1,520 ratings)

In The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, relationships formed in childhood lead to murder and obsessive love. The wealthy Martha Ivers (Barbara Stanwyck) is the prime mover of the small Pennsylvania town of Iverston. Martha lives in a huge mansion with her DA husband, Walter O'Neil (Kirk Douglas), an… More

Unrated, 1 hr. 57 min.
Directed By
Lewis Milestone
Written By
Robert Rossen, John Patrick, Robert Riskin
Genres
Drama, Classics
In Theaters
Jul 24, 1946 Wide
On DVD
Apr 29, 1998
Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

    Pervaded by his guilty-liberal fascination with power and money.

  • Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

    One of the most effective and underrated noirs of that classic era.

  • Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

    Though well-crafted, this potboiler is a second-tier film noir, mostly known for featuring Kirk Douglas screen debut, as Stanwyck's weakling hubby; in a few years, Douglas will develop his more characteristic persona as a tough, tenacious he-man.

  • Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

    Buscando ecoar o infinitamente superior Pacto de Sangue (também com Stanwyck), o filme desperta interesse por sua moral ambígua, mas se enfraquece em função do final implausível. Mas Douglas impressiona já em sua estréia.

  • Derek Adams, Time Out

    A gripping film noir, all the more effective for being staged by Milestone as a steamy romantic melodrama.

Read all 8 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • AJ V


    I liked this movie, it's suspenseful and has a good story and good actors too. It doesn't list Kirk Douglas, but he's in the movie too.

  • First L


    Martha Ivers, as you will learn in the first 10 minutes of this movie, is crazy. As a young teen, she makes repeated attempts to run away from her stodgy and controlling old aunt (who also happens to be incredibly wealthy) and join the circus along with her hoodlum boyfriend, Sam.… More

  • Randy T


    Whether its paperback fiction like <i>Lady of Burlesque</i>, or a tear-jerker like <i>Stella Dallas</i>, or the noir-ish suspense of <i>The Strange Love of Martha Ivers</i>, Barbara Stanwyck delivers. I just can't take my eyes off of her.… More

  • Ken S


    This movie has possibly the most mela-dramatic music ever. Acting is solid all round, and the direction is great. Unfortunately the story is the big let down here with a rubbish ending.

  • Lanning :


    This is less a showcase of Barbara Stanwyck than it is a memorable screen debut for Kirk Douglas. But if you like Stanwyck, this is definitely worth the watch. She can definitely play characters from one end of the complexity spectrum to the other, always with depth. Naughty or… More

Read all 10 featured audience ratings

Cast

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