The Honeymoon Killers (1970)

In the grip of the early 1950s, Martha Beck, a head nurse residing in Mobile, Alabama, finds herself enmeshed in a web of discontent and bitterness. Her life is marked by loneliness, her overweight figure serving as a barrier to male companionship, while her bitterness further alienates her from the world. Compelled by her friend Bunny, she reluctantly dips her toes into the world of a lonely hearts club, setting her life on an unexpected trajectory. Here, she encounters Ray Fernandez, a charming, albeit weedy and untrustworthy Spanish immigrant residing in New York. Ray, a master of manipulation, uses the club to seduce unsuspecting lonely women, robbing them of their wealth. When Martha and Ray's paths cross, an unorthodox love story is set in motion. After a series of visits, Martha finds herself fired, and irrevocably entwined in Ray's dark world. Embodying the role of Ray's sister, Martha becomes an accomplice in his twisted games, using her direct, impatient, and violent tendencies to enrich their dangerous cons. As they traverse the country, leaving a trail of heartbreak and deceit, their contrasting styles soon become a point of contention. They hatch a horrifying scheme, luring lonely women with the promise of love and marriage, only to rob them of their savings and life. However, Martha's obsessive jealousy threatens to unravel their intricate plans, particularly when Ray's cons involve the seduction of other women. The Honeymoon Killers paints a dank, claustrophobic picture of a love story tainted by greed and murder, where conventional narratives are abandoned for a tale that is strangely captivating. This film, based on the true story of Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, was named as Francois Truffaut's favorite American film, speaking volumes of its unusual allure.

The Honeymoon Killers is a crime movie featuring Shirley Stoler.

The Honeymoon Killers is currently streaming on Criterion Channel, Max and Max Amazon Channel.

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