Cast and Crew:  Doris Roberts

What It’s About:  Martha Beck (Shirley Stoer) and Ray Fernandez (Tony Lo Bianco), meet via a “lonely hearts” club in the 1940s.  Ray is a con man who uses the clubs to meet and rip-off lonely women; Martha is a nurse who lives under the thumb of her domineering mother (Dortha Duckworth).  When Ray leaves Martha, Martha tracks him down and threatens to kill herself.  Ray and Martha begin a strange love affair, continuing in Ray’s work with Martha posing as Ray’s sister.  Eventually her jealousy leads to a series of brutal murders….

Why Watch it Today?: Martha and Ray were executed today in 1951.  Writer/director Leonard Kastle created this low-budget cult favorite from the real Lonelyhearts Murders case, which was a media sensation in the early 1950s both due to the prurient nature of the crimes and Martha Beck’s weight.  You can read our full review here.

Where to Get It: Hulu Plus, iTunes or Vudu; Netflix (rental only)