The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is a well-known and highly regarded film noir (a Paramount release) which was allowed to slip into public domain and is available on DVD from numerous distributors. This Blu-ray presentation was restored and mastered from "original, damaged 35mm elements" owned by the Library of Congress. The result is not perfect, but it is a vast improvement over the available DVD incarnations of the film which I have seen. As an added bonus, it is being sold at a bargain price as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, so there really is no reason for anyone to buy any other version.
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
Studio: Film Chest
Year: 1946
Rated: Not Rated
Program Length: 116 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 1080p
Languages: English Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: Spanish
The Program
Martha, you're sick. In your mind, I mean, that's where you're sick - so sick that you don't even know the difference between right and wrong anymore.
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is a well-known and highly regarded film noir (a Paramount release) which was allowed to slip into public domain and is available on DVD from numerous distributors. This Blu-ray presentation was restored and mastered from "original, damaged 35mm elements" owned by the Library of Congress. The result is not perfect, but it is a vast improvement over the available DVD incarnations of the film which I have seen. As an added bonus, it is being sold at a bargain price as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, so there really is no reason for anyone to buy any other version.
Sam Masterson (Van Heflin) is a gambler who is driving west in his convertible when he is distracted by a "Welcome to Iverstown" sign. Sam grew up in Iverstown, but as a teenager nearly two decades earlier he had run away and he had not been back since. He fails to negotiate a turn and crashes into a pole, damaging the front end of his car. He had not intended to stop at Iverstown, but now he is forced to bring his vehicle to a shop for repairs. While a youngster Sam (played by Darryl Hickman) had intended to run away with Martha Ivers (Janis Wilson), the niece of a wealthy but domineering woman (Judith Anderson). The pair made it as far as a freight train, but they were discovered by the police before the train could pull out. Sam was able to break away from their captors, but Martha was returned to her stern and disapproving aunt. Mrs. Ivers, the aunt, had inherited the town's principal business, a factory built by her late husband. Martha's father was a factory worker from "the wrong side of the tracks" who fell in love with Martha's mother. Both parents died and Mrs. Ivers became Martha's guardian. Unbeknownst to Martha, her hiding place on the train had been revealed by Walter O'Neil (Mickey Kuhn), the son of her tutor. Walter's father had for some time been unsuccessfully trying to ingratiate himself to Mrs. Ivers, and he was obviously disappointed when the only reward she offered to Walter was some cake and ice cream.
Walter and Martha were talking in her bedroom when they heard a knock on the window. It was Sam, who has escaped from the police and was still determined to run away. Martha decided to go with him, but a thunderstorm caused a temporary power outage and Martha's kitten - a pet which was despised by Mrs. Ivers - slipped out of the room. Sam tried to retrieve the kitten, but he stumbled on the staircase, making a loud noise. Mrs. Ivers investigated in the darkness and became enraged when she saw the kitten on the stairs. She began to strike the kitten with her cane, but Martha came down the stairs behind her. The young girl grabbed the cane and struck her aunt with it. Mrs. Ivers collapsed and slid down to the bottom of the staircase in a heap. Walter's father, who had been playing cards with the old lady, came rushing out and found that Mrs. Ivers was dead. Sam was nowhere to be seen - the front door to the house was wide open - and Martha claimed that an intruder had attacked her aunt. Walter, who had seen everything, hesitantly affirmed Martha's version of events.
When Sam returns to Iverstown many years later, he discovers that Martha is now Martha O'Neil (Barbara Stanwyck), the wealthiest and most influential person in Iverstown. She of course married Walter (Kirk Douglas), who is a successful District Attorney with eyes on higher political office. However, theirs is a loveless marriage, one which is held together only by their wealth and mutual interest in keeping the secret about what happened years earlier. Sam leaves his car at a repair shop and gets a hotel room for the night. While taking a walk he meets a pretty young woman, Toni Marachek (Lizabeth Scott), who is waiting for a taxi to take her to the bus station. Toni ends up missing her bus, which becomes a problem because she has just been released from prison and by remaining in Iverstown she has violated her probation. Sam intends to leave town as soon as his car is repaired, but when Toni is taken into custody in the morning Sam decides to look up Walter O'Neil and ask him to have Toni released. Walter is not thrilled to see Sam, and he convinces himself (and Martha) that Sam has come to Iverstown with blackmail on his mind.
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers contains many of the elements associated with film noir. It is only through a series of random events that Sam finds himself in Iverstown. He had no intention of reuniting with Martha and Walter - indeed, until his arrival in town he had no idea that they had married and were still living there. A series of misunderstandings leads to Walter trying to force Sam to leave Iverstown while Martha has her own reasons for wanting Sam to stay. Complicating matters further is Sam's involvement with Toni, who at one point has to choose between betraying him or being sent back to prison for a crime which she did not commit.
The film has unusually high production values for a film noir and a first-rate cast. Director Lewis Milestone had previously won two Academy Awards, and the score is by famed composer Miklos Rozsa. This was Kirk Douglas' first film role, and it feels odd to see him playing a character who is essentially a scheming weakling. Barbara Stanwyck is excellent as the alluring but morally corrupt Martha, and Van Heflin is suitably sturdy as the resourceful Sam. Interestingly, the most centered character in the film is the ex-convict, Toni, who is deftly portrayed by Lizabeth Scott. The Strange Live of Martha Ivers is highly recommended for fans of film noir.
The Video
As noted, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers has for many years been in the public domain and has been available in shabby transfers. This black & white Blu-ray restoration is nearly free of damage and will please most viewers. However, it appears that a heavy hand has been applied while cleaning up the film, with scrubbing of film grain which has resulted in the loss of some fine detail. This is particularly noticeable in close-ups, where the faces almost seem to be translucent. The restoration process also has given the film a slightly lighter look. However, considering how badly previous DVD and television prints have looked, most viewers will be willing to overlook these caveats and will have no trouble enjoying this presentation. UPDATE: Viewers who own the out-of-print 2005 DVD released by Paramount, which I have not seen, report that it is a fine transfer and that it is superior to this release. Nevetheless, this version is a significant upgrade over the in-print Public Domain versions which are out there.
The Audio
The audio is generally in excellent condition. There are just a couple of momentary blips in the audio and one brief sequence with some scratchy noise. Apart from those moments, the audio is very clean and dialogue is clear and understandable throughout. The scenes which include thunder and heavy rain are surprisingly effective, and the score by Miklos Rozsa, although to my sensibilities a bit overdramatic, is essentially free of distortion. All in all the audio is more than adequate for a public domain film which was made 66 years ago.
The Supplements
The major supplement is an informative commentary track by film noir scholar and author William Hare. Also included are the film's trailer and a short restoration demo. Finally, there is a postcard which reproduces the Blu-ray's cover art.
The Packaging
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers comes in a standard-sized Blu-ray keep case, with the Blu-ray disc on one side and the DVD on the other.
The Final Analysis
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is an intriguing film noir which features an outstanding cast, high production values and an Academy Award-nominated script. The clean-up of the film would have benefited from a lighter touch, but this release is a vast improvement over every other home video version and can be had for a very reasonable price. Kudos to Film Chest for making this restoration, which bodes well for other long-neglected films that are in the public domain.
Equipment used for this review:
Panasonic DMP-BD50 Blu-ray player
Panasonic Viera TC-P46G15 Plasma display, calibrated to THX specifications by Gregg Loewen
Yamaha HTR-5890 THX Surround Receiver
BIC Acoustech speakers
Interconnects: Monster Cable
Release Date: May 29, 2012
