Thanks for the memories!

Simply A Masterpiece

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

I was fascinated by the film - seventy years after the fact. The term "Melodrama", by definition, should apply only to Grand Opera and it certainly cannot apply here. It is drama without the "melo" unless the incessant bashing of the waves can be considered music. There is suspense and conversation and more suspense and more conversation, with pounding waves throughout. Is there ever a still day in the almost-North Sea? If there were an option, why not choose a quieter day for an evacuation? And take the animals along for the ride ? Has anybody studied how long a sheep can swim, "shorn"? or with a full lanolin fleece life-jacket? --- or not ? Just a thought.I'd like to Google the Island to find the Dare-competition Cliff.

This is a lovely movie and was a work of love--it's obvious that the people who made this film really cared about making an artistic film that chronicled the exodus of residents from lonely and practically god-forsaken islands to the mainland. It's easy to see how important this project was to them.In this case, the film is set on a windswept and very barren Scottish isle. Now the locals, to a degree, love their land and are reluctant to leave but also life is so darn harsh the viewer is left amazed that anyone would choose to live in such a relentless land. How they showed this was highly reminiscent of the later Italian Neo-realist films, as most of the actors were normal folks, not big-name actors AND the subject matter was so mundane (both trademarks of the style). But unlike the Neo-realist films, the artistic bent of the film is truly unique. The island and all its many sights are simply stunning--especially the cliff-side shots. They look almost like the cinematographer had the eye of an Ansel Adams--it just looked gorgeous due not only to stunning geography but a deft hand at the camera--employing filters and framing the shots so well. The "ghost scene" towards the beginning is also very stunning and exceptionally well handled.So with so much going for it, why do I say the film is so dull? Well, think about it...the land is very, very stark and not a whole heck of a lot happens during the film. While there are a few interesting vignettes, watching these very taciturn (i.e., close mouthed) people was at times quite a chore. I just wanted SOMETHING eventful to happen and I wanted some emotion out of the actors--though this would have resulted in a more watchable but less realistic film. So instead of seeing this as fun or entertaining (which it isn't), I see this more as a documentary with a simple story that is meant simply to record this style of living before it completely disappeared. So at least historically it is a very important film--much like NANOOK OF THE NORTH or STROMBOLI (without the bad story) and other ethnographic films. But don't watch this unless you have a pot of coffee nearby--otherwise, you'll probably fall asleep again and again.

This early effort by director Michael Powell is simply a stunning visual treat. Shot on location on one of the British isles,the visuals are both dramatic and beautiful.What amazed me was how different this movie was from others I've seen from the same period.It seemed so modern in the way of storytelling. The basic story of the film is quite predictable but the actors commitment heightens the drama's impact. John Laurie is the standout in the cast.But what lingers is the powerful depiction of the harsh life on these isles,constantly battling nature's forces.This movie is a cherished record of a way of life that now has almost completely disappeared. To fans of Michael Powell this is a must-see, and I recommend this amazing film to everybody.

Just seen this film at the National Film Institute in London and was surprised by the number of people that had come to see a 1930s black and white film based on a remote Scottish island. I went because I have always been a fan of Powell & Pressburger but had never seen anything from this era (also, my wife & daughter had gone to see the Phantom of the Opera stage musical and I needed something to do!).The film was a very pleasant surprise. Whilst it shared many aspects of 1930s cinema (some stilted acting, dodgy accents, melodrama and a relatively corny plot) the overall feel was of a story well told, an accurate picture of an island community (**SPOILER?**) whose way of life is about to end forever and, most surprisingly, no sentimentalism - those of a very timid nature may even be slightly upset by some of the dialogue. Before the film an even older silent documentary about life on St Kilda was shown and this highlighted how accurate the feel of The Edge of the World was.This film is never going to get anyone's heart pounding with excitement, but there are moments of real tension and the story is very strong. Despite the comments above this film had a strong cast, although John Laurie, in a supporting role, stole much of the stars' thunder and Finlay Currie provided his usual strong and benign presence.Unless you have an aversion to films that do not rely totally on big action and special effects, I would recommend this film, although getting to see it may be a problem.This was my first visit to the NFI and on the strength of this film, I will be going back.