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• Madam Strangelove

  • Commenter77
  • 3/7/12

  Odd title to this movie. There's never any love in the Martha Ivers' circle. She never got enough chance in early life to become acquainted with the real article. Her dye is already cast by the time the old boyhood friend shows up again. You only get to actual love with Sam and Toni, or especially Sam for Toni. He's a sensitive and caring fellow. Martha needed his influence for that reason. Maybe he could have helped her be human had he been able to stay around early on. Everyone notices Kirk Douglas. He's so attractive you wish for him to be a more virile character. Didn't have to wait very long for that to come about. There were a couple more weak guy roles, and then he took off with mastery. And, a case could be made for it requiring ability to play a weak person as well as a stronger one. Van Heflin - Something very attractive about him. He was almost always a guy with inner stability, aiding the balance of those around him, usually women. To me, that inner quality WAS his attractiveness. He's the one that could always walk into a mess and immediately start sorting it out. Barbara Stanwyck is at the height of her beauty here or maybe one of her more glamorous roles. She seemed slated to be an evil woman or remembered most for those roles. In contrast, I recall her in an early picture called "The Mad Miss Manton," in which she is an airhead bounding around all over the place. That was really enjoyable, but it was a type that she would naturally move away from to go on to other things. But she was really fun to watch in that. If you don't mind walking on the dark side a bit, this is an interesting one to watch.

• Young Love gone horribly wrong!

  • Marianne McDermott
  • 1/23/12

  This film is way over the top for 1945. But with great acting, directing and fabulous screenplay, those incredients really added to a true "noir" experience. Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott and a young Kirk Douglas were very good in their portrayls of love gone wild. But the true gem was a young unknown, Janis Wilson. I cannot find any info on her, as she only made this film and "Now Voyager" three years before this film(1942). Janis played Martha as a young teenager. The beginning of this film is creepy and Wilson is truly psychotic as Ivers. I felt that if they "aged" her and not added Stanwyck, it would have a lot more intense(nothing against Ms. Stanwyck). But all in all, it was a very well done film. Have seen this over 10 times and it's available on TCM and Youtube as well.

• Another Oscar-Winning Collaboration.

  • Frank Harris Horn
  • 7/16/10

  Oscar-winning producer, Hal B. Wallis and Oscar-winning director, Lewis Milestone present Kirk Douglas in his film acting debut as he co-stars opposite Barbara Stanwyck and Van Heflin in this gripping melodrama based on the book by James Patrick. A beautiful wealthy industrialist (Stanwyck) and the District Attorney (Douglas) are being blackmailed by a returning war veteran (Heflin), who knows of a deadly secret from the past about a crime she committed years ago. Perfect film noir by Milestone and Wallis. All film noir fans should enjoy it. With Darryl Hickman, Lizabeth Scott, Frank Orth, Dame Judith Anderson, James Flavin, Roman Bohnen, Janis Wilson, Ann Doran, Mickey Kuhn, Charles D. Brown & Tom Fadden.

• Fave Film Noir

  • Cyn
  • 11/23/09

  Barbra Stanwyk is outstanding as a twisted, passion-driven woman who has lost all sense of her moral code. The numerous night shots, rain-swept streets, and bereft, unconsumated love triangles make this one of the most satisfying dark movies of its genre. In the end, no one is innocent and no one is good!

• Good Film Noir

  • Dan
  • 8/27/07

  A descent Film Noir by the great Lewis Milestone. Lizabeth Scott is captivating with her beauty and it was the first starring roll for Kirk Douglas. A good performance by Barbara Stanwyck and Van Heflin.

• Under Rated Film Noir

  • Eddie Natale
  • 1/22/07

  This film to me is a classic film noir.Fine supporting cast.Nice performances by,Hefflin,Stanwick,Scot,film debut of Kirk Douglas.This is director Lewis Milestones only venture into film noir.This is must for all fans of this genre.

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