Edge of the City

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source: Edge of the City

Trailer—Edge of the City

Edge of the City

Back in 1957, I was 21 at the time, and working in a similar enviorment, with trucks in front for loading and unloading, and freight cars in rear also. All that seemed right on. Yes, some guys/bosses can be nasty. Plus I also had a good buddy who was a driver/laborer. He also was black. I'm white. One of the best friends I ever had. We got along the same way as Poitier/Cassavetes.

This first movie by Martin Ritt can be seen as a work against racism.In several respects ,it is,but it's much more: it's the story of a loser (Cassavetes) ,who is through with his family (his father could not forgive him the accidental death of his brother) ,with the establishment (he is a deserter) and with the men in general.He places his trust in Tommy Tyler (Toto;Sidney Poitier),a black man,whose life is not rosy though .The price to pay to regain self-confidence will be very high. Filmed in black and white ,"edge of the city" takes place in a working-class milieu,which is rare in the world of cinema.Martin Ritt was a director whose social concerns continued on many of the works of his career: unions in "Norma Rae" ,education in "Conrack" ,illiteracy in "Stanley and Iris" ,racism in "Paris Blues " -but in this latter movie, Ritt was very naive when he thought that France was a country where racism did not exist-,all these subjects are hinted at in "edge of the city".

I cry at a lot of movies. Call me sentimental. Call me one of those viewers who always likes to see a happy ending. This movie, though it has a sad ending, was great! Of all of the actors that I would love to have lunch with, it would be Sidney Poitier. His acting, along with John Cassavetes and Jack Warden (of 12 Angry Men fame)is stellar. His character, who befriends a man on the run (Cassavetes) and helps him out in every way possible is incredible. This is another one of those forgotten noirs made during the end of the noirish era. It is well done, has a superb cast, extremely talented acting, and great cinematography. It is a film worth watching over and over again. I highly recommend this one! This is just another truly great film done by Mr. Poitier and should be sold on DVD. Even though I cried, kudos to such great art!

This is an excellent movie that tackles the issue of racism in a delicate and balanced way. Great performances all round but absolutely outstanding acting by Sidney Poitier. He makes this movie breathe and alive. His portrayal of a guy who struggles against discrimination and violence is simply mind blowing. His acting is forceful and delicate and subtle at the same time. Truly worthy of an Oscar, Poitier had to wait (because of his skin colour) for many more years before the sheer brilliance of his acting was recognised by the Academy. Cassavetes turns in a great performance too, withdrawn, troubled and realistic as it has become his hallmark. He and Poitier contrast inimitably the forces of cowardice, courage and human transformation through friendship. The movie is enjoyable and at the same time deeply haunting in its portrayal of racism in the US. The irony is that it somehow mirrors the realities under which Poitier had to work.

For years, I had wanted to see this movie but I didn't find it in any video stores nor see any listings on TV schedules in whatever local paper I was reading. So when I found it was available on DVD from Netflix, I made an order. I just watched it with my mom, who hadn't seen it before, and we both were enthralled by the drama about John Cassavetes, a loner with a troubled past, who gets a job on the docks. He meets a couple of coworkers there: Jack Warden who doesn't seem to like him and Sidney Poitier, who does. Warden also doesn't seem to like Poitier and it doesn't take long figure out why but it's a while before things come to a head. Anyway, this was quite a compelling drama as directed by Martin Ritt with fine supporting turns by Kathleen Maguire, Estelle Hemsley, and Ruby Dee as Poitier's wife especially when she confronts Cassavetes near the end. So on that note, I highly recommend Edge of the City.

This is one of Cassavetes' best performances. The entire cast is outstanding, as is Martin Ritt's sublimely understated direction. The anger, angst, and desparation of urban labor battles is magnificently told in a fashion that is neither obtrusive nor patronizing. In a way it is dated with its era, but in many ways, it is gloriously timeless.