Four of the best performers in Hollywood move smartly through an interesting if slightly muddled psychological story in "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers," a movie which should satisfy the lust for evil in all but the morbidly insatiate. The characters are all either just out of jail or on the verge of getting in with the exception of a district attorney, and he commits murder and suicide at the end to make the criminality virtually unanimous.

Brilliantly played by Kirk Douglas, this weak-willed, fear-ridden, drunkard of a district attorney is the only man outside of Van Heflin who knows about Barbara Stanwyck's murderous past. He also is married to her. But she loves Heflin, and when he comes back after eighteen years that starts trouble. But Lizabeth Scott loves Heflin too. But Heflin can't decide between Miss Scott and Miss Stanwyck.

Still alive at the end Scott and Heflin, both of whom give excellent performances. So does Miss Stanwyck, but she gets a bullet through her middle, which doesn't seem quite fair.