Martha and Walter Love Each Other

I was re-watching yesterday and paid attention to the opening scenes. Walter as a boy is infatuated with Martha. Martha could care less about him. She loves her cat. The sad thing is that if not for Walter's really repulsive and evil father, blackmailing two children, and then later using the blackmail to force Walter to prosecute an innocent man, Martha might have ultimately returned his feelings.

This film is *so* fatalistic. Sam's appearance just at the moment when Walter has to climb politically, something he can't do, precipitates the entire tragedy. If Sam never showed up, who knows what would have happened.

"The Strange Love of Martha Ivers" is one of the most underrated films ever.