Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Edge of Darkness Blu-ray Movie Review

Resistance ain't futile.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III February 28, 2022

Lewis Milestone's moving wartime drama Edge of Darkness, based on a William Woods novel released only one year earlier, tells the ground-level story of German-occupied Norwegian villagers who fight back against their oppressors. Although it doesn't have the precursive impact of, say, The Mortal Storm (a Hollywood film that hated Nazis before it was cool) and suffers from at least one saggy subplot, Edge of Darkness serves up a largely durable, well-told story bolstered by solid performances, great music, moody cinematography, and an unforgettable ending.

Edge of Darkness immediately grabs attention by opening in media res as several German soldiers fly over the occupied Norwegian fishing village of Trollness, stopping to investigate why a Nazi flag is not being flown. Shockingly, the streets and buildings are absolutely littered with dead bodies -- Norwegian and German alike, including Commander Koening (Helmut Dantine) -- with collapsed walls, bullet casings, and debris scattered all over. One survivor, apparently insane, is quickly gunned down in the street. With few answers available, we go back to find out exactly how the Norwegian townspeople grew from a quiet resistance to a fully-equipped army that stood up to their Nazi oppressors.

Trollness' underground resistance leaders are lovers Gunnar Brogge (Errol Flynn) and Karen Stensgard (Ann Sheridan); he's the head of a fisherman's union and she's the daughter of town doctor Martin (Walter Huston), who disapproves of their relationship and remains neutral regarding the recent Nazi invasion despite Karen's strong position on the matter. Although Gunnar plans to leave for England to join a larger resistance, the arrival of a wounded man brings news of a secret weapons delivery via submarine that will hopefully unify both groups in a coordinated armed attack. During the villagers' secret meeting at a quiet church led by Pastor Aalesen (Richard Fraser), many of the locals seem reluctant to defend themselves -- even village elder Sixtus Andresen (Morris Carnovsky) has no sound advice for the group. Things grow even more complicated with the impending arrival of Karen's brother Johann (John Beal), a Nazi sympathizer who is invited home by his like-minded uncle Kaspar (Charles Dingle), the owner of a local cannery. Yet a number of forced attacks and other brutal actions initiated by Nazi soldiers eventually leaves even the most neutral parties with no choice and, as some are forced to dig their own graves at gunpoint, the time to strike back finally arrives.

Though it's obviously a propaganda piece made during the intense heat of America's ongoing involvement during WWII, Edge of Darkness still works well as an intense drama with great characters, strong performances, and a steady pace that eventually boils over during a prolonged final revolt that isn't unlike the fiery theater sequence that violently ends Inglourious Basterds. Realistic? No. Effective? Yep. The proportionately large cast -- which also includes a British Secret Service double agent (Henry Brandon), hotel owner Gerd Bjarnesen (Judith Anderson), and a quiet resistance member Lars Malken (Roman Bohnen) who finally learns to stand up for himself -- leaves quite an impression, even if a couple of smaller subplots aren't all that integral to the story; a Polish refugee named Katja (Nancy Coleman), for example, doesn't seem to exist for any other reason than to look pretty and drum up resentment towards her Nazi oppressors. Even so, this film ticks all the boxes for an effective thriller as the drama intensifies to a very memorable ending that's only somewhat deflated by the in media res opening sequence; it plays fine as a "looping bridge" if you have the film on repeat, but Edge of Darkness might have been even more impactful with a fully linear flow.

Edge of Darkness' timely Blu-ray release will appeal to die-hard fans and newcomers alike; it plays especially well in modern times with a diverse cast of strong characters, even if several Hays Code limitations water down portions of the action and dialogue -- remember, bodies can be stacked high and someone can even get shot through the head... but you absolutely can't say the word "rape". As usual, Warner Archive serves up a top-tier package that includes a brand-new restoration, lossless audio, and a few era-specific extras carried over from an older DVD edition.

Edge of Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Advertised as a new 1080p master created from the best-available preservation elements (usually implying a 2K scan of an interpositive in very good condition), Edge of Darkness looks particularly strong on Warner Archive's new Blu-ray. Despite slight dips in quality during a few wide shots -- which might suggest that several different source elements were carefully pieced together -- and very mild amounts of posterization on some of the deepest blacks, this is another pleasing and very consistent presentation that's clean as a whistle but still retains a film-like texture with lots of silvery grain left intact. Contrast and shadow detail are nicely refined with no signs of artifacts or banding on even some of the harshest gradients. Really, the only visual distractions along the way can be traced back to the original source material, such as a few unconvincing miniature establishing shots and several questionable day-for-night scenes, which almost never look right. But the film's moody, suspenseful atmosphere has been replicated nicely, and the excellent level of fine detail achieved here really intensifies its most shocking, emotionally effective moments. If you're at all familiar with Warner Archive's careful, purist-friendly approach to nitrate-era film releases (and by now, you should be), there's no way you'll be disappointed with how brightly Edge of Darkness shines on this sterling Blu-ray presentation.

Edge of Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation perfectly preserves Edge of Darkness' original one-channel roots, balancing mostly crisp dialogue with well-placed background effects and a reasonably strong dynamic range given the source material's age and format. There's plenty of room left over for Franz Waxman's orchestral score, which combines a number of original cues with variations on the (ironically German) hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" by Protestant Reformation icon Martin Luther. (Normally I'd roll my eyes at the repeated use of religious rallying as a wartime battle cry, but it works very well here.) Edge of Darkness moves into surprising sonic territory during its final act, when waves of gunfire, grenades, screams, and broken glass echo through village streets and an otherwise peaceful forest, and these moments sound especially full and robust for a film quickly approaching its 80th birthday.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only, but not the extras. This is pretty annoying since the DVD edition that most of them were sourced from did in fact have optional subtitles available. It's perhaps my only ongoing hang-up regarding Warner Archive releases, and one that I hope is addressed at some point.

Edge of Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with original one-sheet poster artwork and no inserts of any kind. A handful of vintage DVD-era bonus features are also included; like most Warner Archive releases from this era, they're more for pre-show period entertainment than film-specific analysis.

• Vintage Short: "Gun to Gun" (17:37) - This 1944 black-and-white Western short follows rancher Don Diego (Pedro de Cordoba) and his friend Steve Randall (Robert Shayne) as they attempt to settle a debt with potential crooks. It's worth a watch for genre enthusiasts but not exactly a standout effort in most respects.

• Looney Tunes Short: "To Duck or Not to Duck" (6:40) - This 1943 Chuck Jones-directed short follows Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd in an all-out boxing brawl. Last released on Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6 DVD set, it makes its true HD debut here with a decently restored picture and lossless audio.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:17) - This rousing vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

Edge of Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Upon its release in April 1943, Lewis Milestone's Edge of Darkness was reportedly one of the most requested films by the US Army, and it's not hard to see why: this emotionally-charged story of Nazi resistance borders on "revenge porn" but stays grounded with memorable characters, effective performances, stirring music, and excellent cinematography. It's a gripping and very well-rounded production that, minor structural issues aside, has remained durably entertaining through the last eight decades. Warner Archive's solid Blu-ray package combines another top-tier restoration with great lossless audio and a few lightweight but enjoyable DVD-era bonus features. An easy recommendation for established fans, Edge of Darkness is also worth a blind buy for anyone interested in visceral wartime drama.