This movie is a real one-off because, not only was it Leonard Kastle's only foray into directing but also its styles of storytelling and presentation were quite unique and largely responsible for it achieving its cult status. The fact-based story of a couple of ruthless con-artists who add murder to their modus operandi, is told in a remarkably detached, objective and non-judgemental style that also avoids either glamorising the criminals or providing any justification for their actions. The resulting coldness and grittiness that this creates is perfectly complemented by the movie's grainy black and white photography and together they contribute strongly to the extremely realistic look of everything that happens on-screen.
Martha Beck (Shirley Stoler) is a lonely, overweight, nurse who works at her local hospital in Mobile, Alabama and is generally unpleasant to everyone he meets. After her best friend signs her up to a lonely hearts club, she gets involved in correspondence with Ray Fernandez (Tony Lo Bianco), a Spanish-American who lives in New York City and this leads to him visiting her at her home where she lives with her invalid mother. During his visit, he seduces her and borrows money but after returning to New York City, promptly writes back to end their relationship. Martha isn't prepared to accept this and so, with the help of her friend, convinces Ray that she'd been so devastated by the contents of his letter that she'd attempted suicide. In the circumstances, Ray agrees to her travelling to see him at his home and it's there that she learns that he's a con-man who makes his way in the world by romancing lonely spinsters and widows before stealing their money.
Unfazed by Ray's revelation, Martha places her mother in an old people's home and then, posing as his sister, becomes his regular partner-in-crime. Their love affair continues despite the nature of Ray's work but when he marries one of the ladies as part of a scam and she becomes too amorous, Martha's jealousy becomes so intense that she kills the woman by giving her an overdose of sleeping tablets and this becomes the first of a series of murders that the couple commit before their criminal exploits are eventually brought to an end by actions that Martha takes after discovering the full extent of Ray's infidelity.
The real-life crimes that provided the basis for this disturbing drama were carried out in the 1940s and a noticeable feature of this film is that the criminal couple never seem to have anyone on their tails and never get involved in any shoot-outs or chases. They simply seem to carry on what they're doing totally untroubled by the police and ultimately become the architects of their own downfalls. The loneliness, desperation and gullibility of the couple's victims add a certain poignancy to what transpires and the gruesome nature of the murders (including that of a child) is profoundly shocking.
Considering the movie's incredibly low budget, it's remarkable how effective the final product was and the performances of the actors playing the main protagonists clearly played a huge part in this. Tony Lo Bianco is exceptional as the sociopathic swindler whose slimy charm is such an important part of his success and Shirley Stoler is unforgettable as his bitter, deeply unpleasant and evil partner whose jealousy ensured that she would never find happiness or peace of mind.
Martha Beck (Shirley Stoler) is a lonely, overweight, nurse who works at her local hospital in Mobile, Alabama and is generally unpleasant to everyone he meets. After her best friend signs her up to a lonely hearts club, she gets involved in correspondence with Ray Fernandez (Tony Lo Bianco), a Spanish-American who lives in New York City and this leads to him visiting her at her home where she lives with her invalid mother. During his visit, he seduces her and borrows money but after returning to New York City, promptly writes back to end their relationship. Martha isn't prepared to accept this and so, with the help of her friend, convinces Ray that she'd been so devastated by the contents of his letter that she'd attempted suicide. In the circumstances, Ray agrees to her travelling to see him at his home and it's there that she learns that he's a con-man who makes his way in the world by romancing lonely spinsters and widows before stealing their money.
Unfazed by Ray's revelation, Martha places her mother in an old people's home and then, posing as his sister, becomes his regular partner-in-crime. Their love affair continues despite the nature of Ray's work but when he marries one of the ladies as part of a scam and she becomes too amorous, Martha's jealousy becomes so intense that she kills the woman by giving her an overdose of sleeping tablets and this becomes the first of a series of murders that the couple commit before their criminal exploits are eventually brought to an end by actions that Martha takes after discovering the full extent of Ray's infidelity.
The real-life crimes that provided the basis for this disturbing drama were carried out in the 1940s and a noticeable feature of this film is that the criminal couple never seem to have anyone on their tails and never get involved in any shoot-outs or chases. They simply seem to carry on what they're doing totally untroubled by the police and ultimately become the architects of their own downfalls. The loneliness, desperation and gullibility of the couple's victims add a certain poignancy to what transpires and the gruesome nature of the murders (including that of a child) is profoundly shocking.
Considering the movie's incredibly low budget, it's remarkable how effective the final product was and the performances of the actors playing the main protagonists clearly played a huge part in this. Tony Lo Bianco is exceptional as the sociopathic swindler whose slimy charm is such an important part of his success and Shirley Stoler is unforgettable as his bitter, deeply unpleasant and evil partner whose jealousy ensured that she would never find happiness or peace of mind.