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ASIN : 6302682606
Customer Reviews
Timeless Masterpiece not to be Missed. (2006-07-21)  This is a masterpiece of a war film, that shows ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. The film is wonderfully shot, with a stirling cast and excellent script. It hasn't aged, it's not propaganda, and it's not a rah-rah go-team-go John Wayne type film. This is a serious film.You could substitute Iraqis for Norwegians to get a glimpse of how people feel when foreigners move in and take over. Not much has changed in human behavior in that regard; and may be a lesson to be learned. But for a lesson in war - not the glory - this film is a must see. I do wish they would release this in a remastered dvd edition. But in any case, by vhs or dvd, this film should not be missed for those that can appreciate good drama in a very serious vane.
Moving and Powerful (2001-05-31) The movie tells the story of a small Norwegian fishing town which has been occupied for some time by German troops. Faced with the ever increasing intolerance, oppression and ruthlessness of the occupying force, the villagers carefully plan a rising, ably assisted by a British agent disguised as a high German official. This powerful film has aged extremely well, has lost none of its appeal and is still deeply moving. The cast is superb: Ann Sheridan and Errol Flynn (who, for a change, managed to cast off his swashbuckling image so as to be just one fine performer among many others) are the gallant leaders of the resistance, Ruth Gordon and Walter Huston are the gentle town dignitaries who are drawn into the fighting only reluctantly, and Helmut Dantine plays the nasty German town commander, Hauptmann Koenig. Moreover, it becomes obvious that the director made a great effort to find the right actor for even the smallest supporting role. Ironically, Austrian born actor Helmut Dantine became rather well known in the 40s for his performances of a typical nasty Nazi. In real life he was a victim of the Austrian Anschluss and had to leave his native country as a teenager after his release from a concentration camp where he had been put due to the important role he had played in the Viennese Anti-Nazi Youth Movement. What I also found positive is that the ending is not overly pathetic (like, for example, "Mrs. Miniver"),but simply gave people hope for a brighter future.
Ordinary Heroes (2000-10-15) Edge of Darkness is one of the most effective films I have seen to show the rising of the common man against the enemy. In this film, it is a small Norwegian fishing village that has been occupied by the Nazis. Errol Flynn (as a fisherman), Ann Sheridan (the doctor's daughter), and Judith Anderson (owner of an inn) lead the underground movement to resist the Germans. Walter Huston and Ruth Gordon also star as Sheridan's parents, while Helmut Dantine is the heartless Nazi commander of the town and Nancy Coleman is his unhappy Polish mistress. The film traces the lives of some of the townspeople as their resistance grows, but never gets maudlin. The performances and the story are presented with restraint so that the bigger picture of a people engaged in a battle for their country is never lost. The camera is used to great effect, as is the music of Franz Waxman. Director Lewis Milestone creates a picture of heroism and shows the power of each person to stand up against the enemy. It was the sort of message that 1943 audiences needed to see as the world was at war, and audiences today can appreciate the film as a reminder of a time in our history when a lot of ordinary people did extraordinary things.
Gripping World War II Drama (1998-04-18) "The Edge of Darkness" is one of the few movies made during World War II about World War II that holds up as more than just a propaganda piece. Warner Brothers pulled out all the stops with this intense and compelling drama about Norwegian villagers who rebel against their Nazi occupiers, giving the film a superior script, eye-popping camera work and a cast remarkable for its strength and versatility. It may at first seem odd that Errol Flynn -- who gained stardom as the screen's premier swashbuckler -- was cast as a Norwegian fisherman/guerilla fighter. However, the wisdom of Warner Brothers in putting him in this role quickly becomes evident. His performance is restrained and believable, and he plays off the powerful ensemble cast with on-target accuracy. "The Edge of Darkness" is a classic tale of good versus evil as only wartime Warner Brothers could have achieved it. The climactic uprising of villagers against their Nazi oppressors is enough to bring one to the edge of his seat and send chills of excitement dancing up his spine. This film is one of the best of its type, and shouldn't be missed. END
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