ERROL FLYNN and ANN SHERIDAN are the nominal stars of EDGE OF DARKNESS, but it's a strong character-driven tale that gives interesting supporting roles to a Warner cast of contract players and loan-outs and does not depend solely on Flynn or Sheridan for its impact. It's a WWII tale of Norwegian resistance and it's given Grade A treatment from the studio with some eye-popping camera work under the inspired direction of Lewis Milestone.
WALTER HUSTON is a doctor, at first reluctant to show fierce opposition to the cause; RUTH GORDON is his worried wife; JUDITH ANDERSON is a strong-willed resistance fighter who is also resisting the advances of a Nazi officer; HELMUT DANTINE is once again cast as a hateful Nazi who knows when he's outnumbered; NANCY COLEMAN is his neurotic sweetheart who wants to break away from the Nazi environment and return to Poland; CHARLES DINGLE is the wealthy man who owns the cannery and goes insane when he witnesses the slaughter his village falls prey to.
The drawback is the obvious propaganda tone and overly melodramatic scenes of brutality strongly contrasted by the heroics of the townspeople, including the village pastor. Topping all of these scenes is the final voice-over by no less than F.D.R. praising the Norwegians for their stance against occupied Norway while "A Mighty Fortress" builds up on the soundtrack. Franz Waxman's background score is frequently as melodramatic as the on screen action.
But still, the last forty minutes of the film are comprised of some of the most powerful scenes and gives the whole story the kind of stature it deserves for the final climactic battle scenes.
Summing up: Worthwhile film is gripping at times but weakened by occasional lapses of melodramatic excess, in typical '40s style.
WALTER HUSTON is a doctor, at first reluctant to show fierce opposition to the cause; RUTH GORDON is his worried wife; JUDITH ANDERSON is a strong-willed resistance fighter who is also resisting the advances of a Nazi officer; HELMUT DANTINE is once again cast as a hateful Nazi who knows when he's outnumbered; NANCY COLEMAN is his neurotic sweetheart who wants to break away from the Nazi environment and return to Poland; CHARLES DINGLE is the wealthy man who owns the cannery and goes insane when he witnesses the slaughter his village falls prey to.
The drawback is the obvious propaganda tone and overly melodramatic scenes of brutality strongly contrasted by the heroics of the townspeople, including the village pastor. Topping all of these scenes is the final voice-over by no less than F.D.R. praising the Norwegians for their stance against occupied Norway while "A Mighty Fortress" builds up on the soundtrack. Franz Waxman's background score is frequently as melodramatic as the on screen action.
But still, the last forty minutes of the film are comprised of some of the most powerful scenes and gives the whole story the kind of stature it deserves for the final climactic battle scenes.
Summing up: Worthwhile film is gripping at times but weakened by occasional lapses of melodramatic excess, in typical '40s style.