Edge of the City

Interesting with regard to seeing the lives of 50's laborers and the nightlife they enjoyed to take their minds off their work. However, the slow plot makes this film badly dated and the questionable acting (even from the usually reliable Poitier) leaves the viewer struggling to get through. Mild spoilers: The abrupt ending also leaves you unsatisfied.

Very good movie

If this hadn't gone all the way to a character NEEDING to die it might've worked a little more. But still Poitier and JC going tit for tat is something special for what this is

A lot better than you'd expect from MGM with one of these things. Good score (except for the titles sequence). Cassavetes is excellent (and restrained, for once!), though Poitier perhaps overplays the ebullient larger-than-life bit. Still, looked pretty much like what it is (a Golden Age of TV classic play stretched into a feature). Most of the backstory stuff I found distracting, rather than adding to the movie's power. And the finale seemed sort of...well, goofy.

Cassavetes is splendid and ever so natural in this overdramatized film about yet another severely misunderstood kid in the 50's. "Dad, will you really take me?!" At times it might as well have been a Cassavates-film cutting off scenes roughly and looking a bit too low budget (these films should have an average scene length, as most scenes are made to make a single point. One.). But another star in the making, Sidney Poitier, makes it worth it, dare say.

A utilitarian, progressive, new type of post-Golden Age film. It's subtle enough to avoid being a preachy message movie, but the melodrama sometimes swells into near-nauseating territory.

I mainly wanted to see this because of Ruby Dee, who has a substantial supporting role... which she's stellar in. But the film is quite a good combination of character drama and film noir, with winning performances from Cassavetes and Poitier, who have a really charming rapport together. The cinematography is solid, but the score is laid on rather thick. The movie covers a lot of progressive issues... not in the most intriguing or brilliant manner, but I appreciate the sentiment.

Very good.

Great performances from legendary actors lift the thin screenplay leaning heavily on On the Waterfront. Ritt provides serviceable direction that stays mostly to the quality of a play-on-soundstage style drama often seen on the television of the time. Worth watching to see Cassavetes channel Brando and Poitier demand attention with his star power. Ruby Dee and Estelle Hemsley also shine in supporting roles. What was probably a powerful comment on race relations at the time fumbles awkwardly now.

Very solid race-relations film about a man with things to hide who befriends a black co-worker. Martin Ritt's first film, and his first work in some time after he was blackballed during the communist witchhunts of the 50s. At times a bit heavy handed with the melodrama, and the ending is abrupt, but the performances by all the main actors are excellent. Cassavetes and Poitier are very good and Warden, who does simmering anger as well as anyone, steals the scenes he's in.

Poor man's "On the Waterfront".