DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Lonely Hearts

By Jeff Swindoll Jul 31, 2007, 0:50 GMT

John Travolta and James Gandolfini star in this film based on the true story of two psychopaths that used the lonely-hearts column to pick out their victims. What’s perhaps a bit more shocking is that the director was related to the character that Travolta plays.

What the back of the box says:
“Based on a true story, Raymond Fernandez (Jared Leto) and Martha Beck (Salma Hayek) are two psychopaths with a passion for hot-blooded sex and cold-blooded murder. Placing ads in singles magazines, they prey on a series of rich, lonely women, whom they later swindle and kill. Leaving a trail of bodies that stretches from New York to Michigan, Raymond and Martha believe they’re literally getting away with murder, until homicide detectives Elmer C. Robinson (John Travolta) and Charles Hildebrandt (James Gandolfini) pick up their trial. Co-starring Laura Dern, Scott Caan, and Alice Krige.”

Raymond Fernandez was a con man that used the lonely of heart to his advantage. A few bucks here and there, but it was when he met Martha Beck that all hell broke loose. The two murdered 12 women in the 1940s. After taking their finances they took the only thing that was left to them – their lives. Director/screenwriter Todd Robinson is the grandson of Elmer C. Robinson, the character played by John Travolta in the film. It must’ve been really strange to portray some of the events in the film since I’d imagine that they could be considered skeletons in the family closet [spoiler] like the suicide of Elmer’s wife/Todd’s grandmother [/spoiler]. I can imagine that sort of event was not one that was discussed very openly in the ‘40s. Not to mention that Elmer is surreptitiously dating the tasty dish Laura Dern. The movie does take some cinematic license in that Salma Hayek is no Martha Beck. Beck was a frumpy, overweight nurse with two kids before she went on her spree with Fernandez. The film also concentrates more on the pursuers more than other films drawing their inspiration from the killers (The Honeymoon Killers). Travolta and Gandolfini portray two rough ‘40s detectives who are like bloodhounds determined to track down their prey. Jared Leto is a weasel of a man who uses women and throws them to the curb. We can see why he would fall so hard for Hayek (the traditional femme fatale), but the relationship of Hernandez with the obese Beck might be more difficult to define. The movie skips over other details, like the press coverage of the day that Hernandez and Beck took advantage of, to focus on the detectives and the pursuit. Lonely Hearts is presented in anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) and enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include the 11-minute “Making of Lonely Hearts.” It has interviews with writer/director Todd Robinson, producer Boaz Davidson, executive producer Gerd Koechlin, John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Jared Leto and Salma Hayek. Sadly, there’s not a director’s commentary since I would’ve liked to hear more of Robinson’s family connection and other aspects of shooting the movie. He might’ve gone into the decision to use Hayek and not someone closer to the reality of Martha Beck.

Lonely Hearts is a pretty good little film about of pair of deviants that are best left forgotten. It doesn’t go into the sensational press of the time, but still shows what horrible murderers these two were. The family connection makes for some interest but I wish there had been some more special features that went more into that connection. Lonely Hearts is now available at Amazon. It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for an Oct. 29th release. Visit the DVD database for more information.

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AnnaJul 31st, 2007 - 14:03:34

The acting in this film is phenomenal. You are brought into the world of Ray and Martha and are taken along on their insane ride.

Leto and Hayek pull you in and keep you there. Ray is so completely at the mercy of Martha's insanity and adoration that he ceases to keep any control on his life.

The Ray/Martha storyline is tight, taking the viewer from shock to anger to downright horror. But I did feel that Robinson's (Travolta) story line fell flat. Either there wasn't enough information on the character to make you want to know more, or there was too much and what was there was rather slow. Either way, it didn't work for me.

All in all, the movie is great. I do wish there had been more interviews and extras involved in the DVD. But it's definitely worth the watch.

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To MeJul 31st, 2007 - 14:44:32

To me the movie had a Bonnie and Clyde kind of feel. It wasn't as good as Bonnie and Clyde or as groundbreaking, but it seemed similar. I really liked parts of it, but some was a bit dry. I also thought it was funny how Beck looked NOTHING like her movie counter-part. But hey, that's Hollywood. It isn't the best in the world, but it is worth checking out.

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