''Edge of Doom'' is a 1950

black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...

film noir directed by Mark Robson and starring

Dana Andrews Carver Dana Andrews (January 1, 1909 – December 17, 1992) was an American film actor who became a major star in what is now known as film noir. A leading man during the 1940s, he continued acting in less prestigious roles and character parts ...

Farley Granger Farley Earle Granger Jr. (July 1, 1925 – March 27, 2011) was an American actor, best known for his two collaborations with director Alfred Hitchcock: ''Rope'' in 1948 and '' Strangers on a Train'' in 1951. Granger was first noticed in a small ...

, and Joan Evans.

Plot

The story concerns a young mentally disturbed man, Martin Lynn (

), who goes on a rampage after his sick mother dies. One of his main targets is the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

which, in addition to slighting him when his mother needed a priest, refused to bury his father years earlier because he committed suicide. The man, blaming the environment he lives in, takes revenge on his cheap boss, a mortician and a Catholic priest, Father Kirkman (Harold Vermilyea), who refuses to give his poor mother a big funeral. He begins by killing the hard-line priest who slighted him by beating him with a heavy crucifix. Later, a young priest, Father Roth (

), suspects the young man, who has been arrested for another crime, of the killing.

Cast

as Father Thomas Roth *

as Martin Lynn * Joan Evans as Rita Conroy * Robert Keith as Lieutenant Mandel * Paul Stewart as Craig * Mala Powers as Julie, Martin's girlfriend * Adele Jergens as Irene, Craig's girlfriend *

John Ridgely John Ridgely (born John Huntington Rea, September 6, 1909 – January 18, 1968) was an American film character actor with over 175 film credits. Early years Ridgely was born in Chicago, Illinois,Katz, Ephraim (1979). ''The Film Encyclopedia: T ...

as 1st Detective * Douglas Fowley as 2nd Detective *

Harold Vermilyea Harold Vermilyea (October 10, 1889 – January 7, 1958) was an American actor who had a long and prolific career on Broadway, performing in 32 plays over the course of his career. He made notable appearances in several films of the post-war era, p ...

as Father Kirkman * Mabel Paige as Mrs. Pearson * Ellen Corby as Mrs. Jeanette Moore *

Robert Karnes Robert Anthony Karnes (June 19, 1917 – December 4, 1979) was an American film, stage and television actor. Life and career Karnes was born in Kentucky. He served in World War II, where he had interest into acting and going to Hollywood, Cal ...

as George, a Priest narrated to

Reception

Critical response

When the film was released, the staff at ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' magazine gave the film a positive review, writing, "A grim, relentless story, considerably offbeat, gives some distinction to ''Edge of Doom''. It is played to the hilt by a good cast and directed with impact by Mark Robson." ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' wrote, "Robson's direction gives flashes of high tension to the film, for he has made effective use of street scenes and noises and has skillfully reflected the oppressive atmosphere of poverty and squalor, but his actors run more to types than to real people."

Awards

Wins *

National Board of Review of Motion Pictures The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered an early harbinger of the film awards season that culminat ...

: NBR Award - Top Ten Films; 1950.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Edge Of Doom 1950 films 1950 drama films American black-and-white films Film noir Films based on American novels Films directed by Mark Robson Films scored by Hugo Friedhofer Samuel Goldwyn Productions films American drama films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films