The first film that Kirk Douglas ever made saw him take a starring role inThe Strange Love of Martha Ivers, a movie that is now regarded as an underrated gem inthe film noir genre. During this time, the actor contributed much to cinematic history, making hit movies such asSpartacus,Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, andThe Bad and the Beautiful. But it was the 1940s when the actor got his start.
Kirk Douglas, who later became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, made his big-screen debut inThe Strange Love of Martha Ivers.The bulk ofKirk Douglas' best moviesstem from his work in the 1950s and the 1960s. Directed by Lewis Milestone,The Strange Love of Martha Iversfeatured a handful of film noir legends, including Barbara Stanwyck and Lizabeth Scott, two of the actresses known for playing “bad girls” in the genre. The male lead was Van Heflin, but a young Kirk Douglas also has a significant part to play in the story.
Kirk Douglas Played A Villain In The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers
Kirk Douglas Played The Husband Of The Title Character
The Strange Love of Martha Iversfollows an unusual narrative, centered on a character named Sam Anderson, played by Van Heflin. The beginning of the film reveals that in his youth, Sam was acquainted with two children, Martha Ivers and Walter O’Neil, Jr.Sam coincidentally left town on the same day that Martha accidentally killed her auntin defense of her cat, and promptly covered up the incident with the help of Walter. This provides the setup for a story where the three children are adults dealing with the fallout of the death 17 years later. Kirk Douglas plays the adult Walter, where Barbara Stanwyck and Van Heflin play Martha and Sam respectively.
Kirk Douglas' character proves to be an unscrupulous individual, willing to do whatever it takes to protect the life he’s built with Martha - even committing murder.
The Strange Love of Martha Iversmixes murder with romance in a story that sees Sam return home to reunite with Martha and Walter, who are now a married couple. Unbeknownst to him,Martha and Walter falsely believe that Sam witnessed the accidental killing of her auntand plans to blackmail them for it. Martha and Walter’s paranoia-induced shenanigans put Sam in a great deal of danger. Kirk Douglas' character proves to be an unscrupulous individual, willing to do whatever it takes to protect the life he’s built with Martha - even committing murder. Jealousy enters the picture as well when he learns of Martha’s attraction to Sam.
The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers Can Be Streamed For Free
It’s In The Public Domain, Like Several Other Great Film Noir Movies
When it comes to watching film noir movies,The Strange Love of Martha Iversis one of the best places to start, particularly since it’s so easy to find. The 1946 movie can be found on multiple streaming services, including Prime Video. It’s available on completely free services as well, such as Tubi. That’s becauseThe Strange Love of Martha Iversis in the public domain, and has been since the 1970s.
A long list of old Hollywood films, for one reason or another, fell into the public domain as a result of studios not renewing their licensing rights to the movies after they expired. As a result,great film noir classics likeDetour, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers,Impact, andKansas City Confidentialcan all be watched for free online.
Kirk Douglas Starred In 3 Film Noir Movies
One Of Them is Among The Greatest Film Noir Movies Ever Made
For Kirk Douglas,The Strange Love of Martha Iverswas not just the beginning of his acting career, but also the first in a small string of film noir roles. In fact, three of his first four acting credits were film noir movies. After his role as Walter O’Neil, Jr. inThe Strange Love of Martha Ivers,Kirk Douglas received a more high-profile role via the part of the villain inOut of the Past,a 1947 Robert Mitchum filmregarded by many (including Roger Ebert)as one of the greatest film noir movies ever made.
In the following year, Kirk Douglas played a supporting role in yet another film noir,I Walk Alone, this one being a thriller starring Burt Lancaster. Despite excelling in the morally gray world of film noir inThe Strange Love of Martha IversandOut of the Past, Kirk Douglas' exposure to the genre ended with I Walk Alone, as the actor moved on different kinds of projects, while film noir gradually lost its relevance.
The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers
Cast
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is a 1946 film noir directed by Lewis Milestone. It stars Barbara Stanwyck as Martha, a wealthy and ambitious woman entangled in a web of deceit and crime. Van Heflin stars as her childhood friend, whose reappearance brings buried secrets to the surface, while Kirk Douglas makes his film debut as Martha’s husband. The film explores themes of power, corruption, and the consequences of past actions.
