The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is a blackandwhite film noir released in the United States in 1946, starring Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott and featuring Kirk Douglas in his film debut. The movie is based on the short story Love Lies Bleeding by playwright John Patrick using the pseudonym Jack Patrick and was produced by Hal B. Wallis. The film was directed by Lewis Milestone from a screenplay written by Robert Rossen and Robert Riskin, who was not credited.

On a rainy night in 1928 in a Pennsylvania factory town called Iverstown, Martha Ivers Janis Wilson, thirteen years old, is trying to escape from the guardianship of her wealthy, domineering aunt. Her friend, the streetsmart, poor Sam Masterson Darryl Hickman, comes for her through her bedroom window, but Marthas aunt catches them. While Sam slips out unnoticed, Martha hits Mrs. Ivers on the head, causing her to fall down the long staircase and die. The event is witnessed by Walter ONeil Mickey Kuhn, the son of Marthas tutor Roman Bohnen. Martha lies about the incident to Walters father, and Walter backs her up.Mr. ONeil suspects what happened, but presents Marthas version of events to the police, that an intruder is responsible with his leverage he makes Martha marry his son. When the police identify a former employee of the aunt as the murderer, the two ONeils and Martha help convict him he is hanged. ........

Source: Wikipedia