The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is a 1946 American film noir drama directed by Lewis Milestone from a screenplay written by Robert Rossen. Produced by Hal B. Wallis, the film stars Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott and features Kirk Douglas in his film debut.
Here are some interesting tidbits about the film (Source:Wikipedia)
This film marked Kirk Douglas’ screen debut.
Future film director and producer Blake Edwards had an uncredited bit part as a sailor who hitches a ride with Sam
The film’s ad campaign consisted only of teasers before its release: Newspapers ran ads reading, “Whisper her name!”, while radio spots had a woman repeatedly whispering, “Martha Ivers”.
Sometimes all it takes for things to go north or south, is just one moment. There could be a lot of incidents leading to that moment, but in the end all that matters is how one dealt with that single moment. And, everything changes after that.
William Foster encounters one such moment on a hot and humid afternoon, on a Los Angeles Freeway. And he reacts. He simply walks out of his car that is stuck in traffic jam and heads out on a path that he soon finds himself at a point of no return.
Michael Douglas as William Foster shines in a character that evokes empathy inspite of his actions, while Robert Duvall as Sergeant Prendergast, who is on his last day before retirement, does a fabulous job.
The best part of the movie is that the ‘falling down’ can happen to anyone and this quote from a review sums it up.
This guy is you, the movie suggests, and if not you exactly, then maybe the guy you’re one or two bad breaks from becoming. At one time or another, we’ve all thought these thoughts, and so when this downtrodden, laid-off, teed-off L.A. defense worker gets out of his car on a sweltering day in the middle of rush hour and decides he’s not going to take any more, it comes as no surprise”, adding “as he did in Fatal Attraction and Wall Street, Douglas again takes on the symbolic mantle of the Zeitgeist.
Hal Hinson, The Washington Post
Tailpiece:
Films like 'Mad City' (John Travolta- Dustin Hoffman), John Q (Denzel Washington-Robert Duvall) explored a similar concept, ala reverse buddy cop films.
One of the striking features of ‘The Stranger’ is the characterization and enacting of lead character (Franz Kindler/Professor Charles Rankin)by Orson Welles. As a man who is lost in his own world of what is right and wrong, hence disconnected with reality, he brings in a tormented yet fatalistic feature to his portrayal. Had he played the character like a true diabolic mind, it would have come out flat. Instead, he digs deep into the psychological aspect of a devil, and presents himself as someone who is evil alright, but as if he is forced to, like a puppet handled by invisible strings, like a moth drawn to a flame.
A must watch for all Orson Welles’s fans.
Here are a few interesting tidbits (Source: Wikipedia)
Welles was given the chance to direct the film and prove himself able to make a film on schedule and under budget—something he was so eager to do that he accepted a disadvantageous contract. In September 1945 Welles and his wife Rita Hayworth signed a guarantee that Welles would owe International Pictures any of his earnings, from any source, above $50,000 a year if he did not meet his contractual obligations.
Welles had endeavored to personalize the film and develop a nightmarish tone.
Shot where Wilson plays checkers with Potter…
…you can look behind Potter and see a mirror behind him, and through the mirror see Potter and Wilson again, and then see the window behind the camera, and see through that window to cars, buildings and natural sunlight. It’s truly radical.
