The Naked Edge

source: The Naked Edge

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The Naked Edge

Gary Cooper's last film is a Hitchcock like tale of a man who wrongly identifies the killer of his boss during a robbery. It was an inside job so we have a closed pool of suspects. Years later a mail pouch that was lost during another robbery and a blackmail letter is delivered to Cooper. Wife Deborah Kerr now thinks her husband did it and becomes fearful. This sounds a lot like Hitchcock's Suspicion and in fact the whole film is a case of Hitchcock wannabe. I won't identify the real culprit, but if you watch the first half hour, you'll know. Very little suspense involved at all. Cast does the best it could with the material they were given.

Gary Cooper is no Cary Grant; however, the plot of the film is so compelling that it carries both of the main characters along with it. Like Suspicion, this film depicts a wife who has grave doubts about her husband; there is even a scene quite similar to Suspicion with the drive to the dangerous steep fall. Deborah Kerr carries it off well as his doubting wife. The subplots in the film add to the suspense, as it appears a man has been wrongly convicted of murder from the testimony of Cooper. A nice piece of film noir, with a dash of Japanese Rashomon thrown in for good measure. A film worthy of Hitchcock. Recommended.

The suspense of this film evokes the work of Alfred Hitchcock. It doesn't quite live up to such a comparison but nonetheless the plot and character interactions should rivet most viewers to the film. Creative shot selection (especially the preparation of the wife's death), fine performances (especially from Deborah Kerr), and a compelling plot create an entertaining movie experience, 7/10. I think this was Gary Cooper's last screen performance.

This movie is a very superb and well made thriller. Im surprised it got such a low rating considering its entertainment value. From the beginning the movie starts us right away with the premise. From there we are taken through a very suspenseful ride in trying to figure out wether a woman is right in suspecting her husband for murder, accusing the wrong man for murder, or covering up for the murderer. As the movie develops, different clues keep popping up and were made to really think and engage. As the movie gets closer to it's climax, the suspense gets more intense. The acting is very convincing and I found myself truly sympathetic for Martha in her efforts to figure out the truth. . Add the great camera work and shadow effects, this movie is now on my list of favorite classic movies. Don't let the other users discourage you, they are simply trying to compare the movie to other films that are not meant to be compared to. Watch it for yourself and see how fun the ride truly is.

A visually elegant psychological mystery thriller, with stylish direction by Michael Anderson, an intelligent script by Joseph Stefano, and strong performances by two acting legends, Gary Cooper and Deborah Kerr. Some sequences are Hitchcockian (the one at the edge of a cliff in particular), but in its examination of (mutual) trust, doubt, and love, the film may also remind you of Claude Chabrol at his prime. And a great twist to cap it all off. *** out of 4.