Martha
Seen it?1974 | 116 min | TV Movie, Drama, Thriller
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (86% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz and soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved Gone Girl or Dial M for Murder, start here.
- The mood
- Tense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 56 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in German, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1974: an older pace and style.
After the death of her abusive father, lonely librarian Martha finds herself caught up in a strange, sadomasochistic relationship with a monstrous husband whom she begins to suspect may be trying to murder her.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
86% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; spent 2 weeks in Netflix's global Top 10; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 7K people sought it out in the past year
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Cast & crew
Directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
- Margit CarstensenMartha
- Karlheinz BöhmHelmut
- Barbara ValentinMarianne
- Peter ChatelKaiser
- Gisela FackeldeyMother Heyer
- Adrian HovenFather Heyer
- Ortrud BeginnenErna
- Wolfgang SchenckMeister
- Günter LamprechtDr. Salomon
- El Hedi ben SalemHotel Guest