The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

Shut the door, quick.

Scared of thunder?

No, I like it.

That's good, 'cause there's gonna be more of it.

- I brought you food. For the kitten, too. - Did you steal it?

No, I bought it.

And if we get caught, don't go making up any stories that I did.

I'm in enough trouble as it is. You and your kitten.

- Do you want me to go back, Sam? - Shut up and eat.

They looking for me?

Your aunt's got every cop in Iverstown peeping through keyholes.

- You won't let them find me? - You always come running to me.

Got nobody else to run to, Sam.

The circus is leaving town tonight. Their train will go right through here.

When it does, you just follow me.

You run with all your might, and when you grab on, grab tight.

Don't you worry about me, Sam.

Quiet!

There they are.

All right, kids. Unless you got wings, you're caught.

All right, Martha. Let's go.

You'll never catch him! You'll never catch him!

Don't rough her, you chump.

All right, miss. We'll take you on home to your aunt.

- Mr. O'Neil to see you, ma'am. - Show him in.

Mrs. Ivers will see you now.

- Good evening, Mrs. Ivers. - Good evening.

- Good evening, Mrs. Ivers. - I have good news. Martha...

- What about her? - Martha has been found.

I know.

Well, it was Walter who was really responsible for Martha being found.

He told the police where she and that boy, Sam Masterson, usually go.

- Isn't that so, Walter? - Yes, Father.

The boy will be rewarded.

Well, he's a good boy, and he's bright.

- If I could afford it, I'd send him... - Send him to a school like Harvard.

- I guess I've mentioned it before. - Many times.

Yes, madam?

Take the boy to the kitchen, Lynch. Give him some ice cream.

You may give him a piece of cake, too. Go along.

- You must thank Mrs. Ivers, Walter. - Thank you, Mrs. Ivers.

You've lost your pupil, Mr. O'Neil. I'm sending her away.

I know why you offered to tutor Martha.

I know why you've made Walter do his daily lessons with her.

I know why you want him to live here. A scholarship for Walter, that's why.

But I'm not a foundation, Mr. O'Neil.

I don't care whether Walter drives a truck or goes to Harvard.

Probably be a lot happier driving a truck.

You are expected, miss.

Just a minute, miss.

The name is Lundeen.

You'll tell Mrs. Ivers, the name of the detective who caught her is Lundeen.

I'll tell her.

I'll take your furs, miss.

- No. - You'd better, miss.

You know how she feels about that cat. I'll bring it up to your room.

Your aunt is waiting for you.

Come closer, Martha.

Closer, Martha.

Look at me.

You don't seem very sorry.

I am. I'm sorry I was caught.

No matter what you do, I won't cry.

This is the fourth time you've tried to run away.

Each time you were brought back here. No matter how far you got...

- you were brought back here. - You don't own the whole world.

Enough of it to make sure that you'll always be brought back here.

Do you understand that?

You understand that?

Your aunt doesn't deserve such an attitude, Martha.

There are not very many women who would be as patient and as kind.

And there aren't very many little girls who would be as ungrateful.

When will you understand that I'm doing all this for you?

That I'm trying to wash the dirt and grime off you.

- Make an Ivers out of you again. - My name is Smith.

The same as my father's was.

Your name is Ivers. I've had it changed legally.

- I don't care what you've done. - Your name is Ivers...

the same as your mother's was, before she was stupid enough to marry...

Shut up! Shut up!

- How dare you? - Shut up!

You've still got his foul mouth.

I won't let you talk that way about my father.

Your father was a nobody, a mill hand.

The best thing he ever did for you was to die.

- I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! - Martha, stop! Stop!

That's all right, Mr. O'Neil.

Go up to your room and get into some dry clothes.

After you've had dinner, I want to have a talk with you.

It's late. I'll go get my son. Good night.

Stay. I'm upset.

- I want someone to talk to. - Yes, Mrs. Ivers.

Lynch told me to sneak Bundles to you.

I thought she'd be hungry, so I sneaked the milk, too.

She hates cats. She hates everything I like.

A policeman came to my house this morning.

He asked me if I had any idea of where you could have gone.

- My father said it was my duty to tell them. - Your father.

I didn't say a thing.

No matter what my father told your aunt. I didn't say a thing.

I'm cold. I've got to change my clothes.

I'll leave the door open, so I can hear you.

My father says you're foolish.

My father says that some day you'll have everything in the world.

My father said that if we only had one little part of what you'll have...

- I could go to Harvard. - You're what?

I could go to Harvard!

- The lights! What happened to the lights? - They went out.

I think they went out all over the house.

There's a candle and matches on the table near the wall.

You stand still. I'll do it.

Don't you think I'd better go up and see if Martha's all right?

Martha will be all right anywhere. Your play.

I'm afraid of the thunder and lightning. Draw the curtains! I'll go in to change.

Martha!

One peep out of you, and I'll break your nose.

I won't say anything. Martha!

Martha will tell you I won't say anything.

Sam.

See, Walter, I told you they'd never catch him. Sam, button me up.

I came to say good-bye.

I thought it over, Martha. It's better for you here.

- I won't stay here. I hate her! - All you gotta do is play smart with her.

- I'm going with you. - Now, you listen to me!

- I don't want to listen. - It's late. I gotta go.

Let him go, Martha.

If he's caught here he'll be sent to reform school. Mrs. Ivers said so.

They gotta catch me first.

All right, Sam, if you won't take me, I'll go without you.

I'll go off by myself.

Okay. Then, let's go.

I want to run up to the attic. I want to get a couple of things.

Sam. Quick, Sam.

Sam, Bundles. She's going downstairs.

- Sam, my aunt. - I'll get her.

Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.

Sam, have you got him? Have you got him, Sam?

Hurry, Sam, or that old witch will catch us.

She's dead.

We were upstairs. We heard a noise and we came down.

We saw a man, a big man.

He was leaving. Out of that front door, he left. See, it's open.

She was lying there.

And this... This was lying there, too.

I picked it up.

Isn't that true, Walter? Isn't it?

Is it, Walter?

Yes, Father, it is.

Put it down.

Put it exactly where you found it.

Both of you better go upstairs.

I'll phone the police.

- You'll never get away with it. Never. - Your father believes me.

- I don't know. I'm not sure. - You keep your mouth shut.

But Sam. What about Sam? He was in the house. He saw it.

- Sam will never tell. - Yes, he will. He's scared.

- That's why he ran away after it happened. - Sam will never tell.

Sam's scared. He ran away. I didn't. I stayed.

No, he won't. Not Sam. Not Sam!

I want to talk to you both.

Sit down.

Now, when the police come, you will tell them...

exactly what you told me.

- Do you understand, Martha? - Yes, Mr. O'Neil.

- And you, too, Walter? - Yes, Father.

You poor child.

You'll be all alone in the world now.

Except for Walter and myself.

But you needn't be afraid. We'll always be with you, Walter and I.

We'll never leave you.

Thank you, Mr. O'Neil.

Competition at the Fair Grounds last week.

In a handicap, Chestnut King looks like an odds-on favorite.

That guy doesn't know what he's talking about. Chestnut King's a dog.

He was losing races to cow ponies years ago in Tijuana.

Well, what do you know?

What do you know about that? How do you like that, sailor?

Leave a place when you're a kid, maybe 17, 18 years ago, and you forget all about it.

Then, all of a sudden, you're driving along...

and smacko, your own hometown up and hits you...

right in the face.

End of the line, sailor. Come on, wake up.

- Where are we? - In a small accident.

- What happened? - The road curved, but I didn't.

Come on, I've got to put into Iverstown for repairs.

Next time, I pick me a guy that don't fall asleep.

Welcome to Iverstown. Well, maybe this time they mean it.

You got anybody here to fix this wreck, mister?

Roll her in.

- $10 more, you don't make it. - Bet.

- $5 more, you don't. - Bet.

- $5 to you. - Shoot.

- How long will it take, pop? - Can't tell till we look her over.

- Come back tomorrow. - Open game?

Nope.

- Four. - Right back, little Joe.

- 20-10 no four. - You got a bet.

Come on, Harry, make four.

- Seven. You shoot, Joe. - Thanks.

Shooting 20.