THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS

US, 1946, 119 Minutes, Black and white.
Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Kirk Douglas, Lizbeth Scott, Judith Anderson.
Directed by Lewis Milestone.

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is old-fashioned American melodrama. Starring Barbara Stanwyck in a typical enough role - the strong ruthless woman,' the film also introduced Kirk Douglas. Rather untypically, he plays a weak man and does it quite well. However, he was to go on to stronger roles. The hero in this film is Van Heflin and he projects his character very strongly. Lizbeth. Scott is an interesting contrast to Barbara Stanwyck. Judith Anderson appears with her 'Mrs. Danvers' style but is murdered early in the piece. There is some interesting comment about American families, their rise to power, their lack of scruple and exploitation, and even the cover-up for their evil. (This latter makes the film somewhat more relevant for the 70s.) However the film is played in very melodramatic style which now appears dated. It was directed by veteran Lewis Milestone who made such films as All Quiet on the Western Front, Of Mice and Men. During this period he made A Walk in the Sun.

1. How successful and enjoyable a melodrama of the 40s?

2. The Hollywood studio style, sets and atmosphere, melodramatic musical score, the impact of the stars and their interaction? How does the film seem now -fresh, dated?

3. The meaning of the title, its reference to Martha and her love-hate relationship with all the characters in the film? The creation of situations, emotional conflicts? How did these stand within the American atmosphere?

4. The film's focus on America and its way of life, on the individual persons, wealth, success and power, guilt and the covering of guilt?

5. The importance of the prologue: the introduction of Martha and Sam and their characters, influence on one another, power? The introduction to Walter and his father? The interplay of their behaviour and covering up as a sign for the future?

6. Judith Anderson and her style as Mrs. Ivers? Her background, wealth, reaction to Martha, to Walter and to his father? Her hold over people, snobbery and greed? Walter's father as fitting into this household?

7. The melodrama of the death? The repercussions for Martha, for Walter? Walter's father quickly summing up the situation? The irony that Sam had not seen the death?

8. The introduction to the adult Sam? Van Heflin and his personality, Sam and his background, running away, being in jail, suddenly coming on his home town? The arrival and its effect on him? Seeking out his family? His curiosity? His coming across Toni and the repercussions of their meetings? Looking up Martha and the dilemma of his feelings about her? Seeing Walter's position and his reaction to him? Somehow or other the need to be free from his past? How well were these themes worked out in the particular incidents?

9. The delay in our seeing the adult Martha? The immediate impact of her character, situation in the town, wealth and power, lack of scruple? Her relationship with Walter and the mutual dependence? The atmosphere of blackmail? The greater revelation about the court case, the execution of the suspect and Walter's part and Martha's part? Her trying to make Sam to her way of thinking, Walter's reaction? The irony of her death?

10. The character of Walter - the weak intellectual, his love for power, the influence of his father? His lack of conscience? Hiring the thugs to beat Sam? The confrontation with Martha, with Sam? His realisation that Martha would stoop to kill him? The meaning of his gesture in killing her and himself? A convincing portrait of this kind of weak man?

11. The contrast with Toni, her prison background, being in this town and leaving, her own father? As belonging to another world instead of this town? Hurt, capacity for love, being forced to betray Sam, waiting for him? A credible woman?

12. The response to this kind of melodramatic situation and characterization and mood? Realism, sufficiently contrived for the purposes of a melodramatic film?

13. The romantic and love story elements interwoven - love and jealousy, power, sexuality? As illustrated by the four main characters?

14. The atmosphere of violence in American towns, the way of life, power?

15. How accurate were the observations on American families and their acquiring of wealth, their financial empires, industry, politics? Law and justice and Americans wanting to be above the law if they have power? How is this a constant theme of American literature and cinema - illustrating the past? Subsequent American history?