The Strange Love of Martha Ivers - Plot

Plot

On a rainy night in 1928 in a Pennsylvania factory town called Iverstown, Martha Ivers (Janis Wilson), a young girl yearning to escape from the guardianship of her wealthy, domineering aunt, is caught trying to run away with her friend, the street-smart, poor Sam Masterson (Darryl Hickman).

Later that night, Sam comes for her and they agree to try again. When her beloved cat gets loose in the house, Sam goes to retrieve it, but Martha's aunt hears the commotion. Sam slips out unnoticed, but Mrs. Ivers finds the cat on the staircase and attacks it with her cane. When Martha intervenes, she unintentionally kills her aunt. This is witnessed by Walter O'Neil (Mickey Kuhn), the son of Martha's tutor (Roman Bohnen). Martha lies about the incident to Mr. O'Neil, and Walter supports her.

Mr. O'Neil suspects what happened, but presents Martha's version of events to the police, that an intruder is responsible. He forces her into testifying against an innocent man, resulting in his execution. He then blackmails Martha, taking control of her life and forcing her to marry his son.

Eighteen years later, Walter (now played by Kirk Douglas) is the district attorney, while Martha (Barbara Stanwyck) has used her inheritance from her aunt to build a large business empire. Their marriage is one-sided; he loves her, but she does not love him.

Sam (Van Heflin), now a drifter and gambler, stops in the small town by chance when he crashes his car and has to wait for it to be repaired. At his old home, now a boarding house, he meets Antonia "Toni" Marachek (Lizabeth Scott), who has just been released from jail. She is later picked up for violating her probation by not returning to her hometown. Sam goes to see Walter, to see if he can use his influence to get her released.

Walter is convinced that Sam has returned with blackmail in mind. When he observes his wife's joyful reaction to the news, he has an additional motive for running Sam out of town. He forces Toni to set Sam up. Sam is beaten and driven out of town, but he is too tough to be intimidated. When all else fails, Walter makes a half-hearted attempt to kill Sam himself, but is easily disarmed. Martha then inadvertently blurts out the couple's fears, but they prove to be groundless: Sam tells her he did not witness the death. Martha breaks down and laments that he left without her all those years ago, taking with him her only chance for love and freedom.

Sam is torn between his old love and his new. Although he eventually forgives Toni for betraying him, he and Martha spend an idyllic day together, rekindling his feelings for her.

Walter arranges to meet Sam to finally settle matters. Before Sam arrives, Walter gets drunk and Martha finds out about the meeting. When Walter falls down the stairs and is knocked unconscious, Martha urges Sam to kill him. Sam instead brings Walter around. Martha pulls out a gun and threatens to shoot Sam in "self defense" as an intruder. However, Sam gambles that Walter will not back up her story; he turns his back on her and leaves.

Walter embraces and kisses his wife; then he points the gun at her midriff. Oddly relieved, she puts her hand over his hand on the trigger and presses. As she is dying, she defiantly states her name is not Martha Ivers, but Martha Smith. Outside, Sam hears the shot. He runs back toward the mansion, but sees Walter, holding Martha's body, shoot himself. Sam and Toni drive away together.