Marta (1974)

Truly Dreadful Film

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Filmed on location at Castillo de Vinuelas outside of Madrid, Marisa Mell plays 'Marta', a woman who becomes the 'captive' of a wealthy, disturbed bachelor Don Miguel, played by Stephen Boyd, in his vast castle. We find out she is looking for her lost sister Pilar, who used to be Arturo's wife. Both actors do a great job in this film. Stephen Boyd gets to show off his acting chops as the disturbed yet charming Miquel. He is mostly placid and engaging, but the more he reveals about his life, the 'Norman Bates' side of his character starts to seep through. Marisa Mell holds her own vs Boyd as Marta, and the romance that happens with her and Miquel is the best part of the story. At the time, Marisa Mell and Stephen Boyd were real-life lovers, so the love scenes they have together on screen are genuinely electric and very sexy (with frequent Marisa Mell nudity!).

1971's "Marta" was among the Avco Embassy brand of foreign horror titles available for television in the late 70s, but little seen since. Stephen Boyd, who died six years after completing this film (age 49), stars as wealthy landowner Miguel, first seen murdering his mother when she walks in on his love making. Marisa Mell, who also died young (in 1992, age 53), plays a beautiful fugitive who has apparently killed a man and finds a place to stay at Miguel's sprawling estate. It doesn't take long for the two to fall into bed together, although Miguel remains haunted by the disappearance of his wife Pilar, whose portrait bears a striking resemblance to his current paramour. The usual police investigation does not intrude much, and the film holds up rather well, despite a somewhat predictable climax. The two leads carry the film, and Marisa Mell does not disappoint with a fair amount of topless nudity. Only recently emerging from its undeserved obscurity, "Marta" aired three times on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, paired with second feature "Son of Frankenstein" on May 14 1977, solo appearances on Mar 22 1980 and Aug 1 1981.

This film is surprisingly well-done. Stephen Boyd plays a wealthy, but seriously deranged, man who has some pretty serious issues with women, beginning with Mom. He turns in a fascinating performance portraying a character who appears to be normal and insane almost simultaneously. In the end, there is no doubt that he is a madman, but somehow it's hard not to be enamoured of him anyway, so charming is he in all his madness. Stephen Boyd reminds us here of what a fine actor he really is when given a decent part and good direction, provided in this film by Jose A.N. Conde.