THE NAKED EDGE
US, 1961, 99 Minutes, Black and White.
Gary Cooper, Deborah Kerr, Eric Portman, Michael Wilding. Diane Cilento, Hermione Gingold, Peter Cushing, Wilfred Lawson.
Directed by Michael Anderson.
The Naked Edge is a shrill thriller. It was Gary Cooper's last film and is not quite the usual Gary Cooper style of film - he was, even in his last years, very much at home in the West. Deborah Kerr, however, is much more at home in this kind of British situation. She is the threatened wife and the atmosphere of the film might have been welcome to Hitchcock. Mysterious murders, suspicions that her husband is a killer by the wife, her eventual accepting his guilt in order to save the marriage. The film was made in black and white, boasts a very good gallery of British stars, a rather strident score and melodramatics at the end. Michael Anderson, a director of a wide range of films from The Dam busters to Around the World in Eighty Days, from The Quiller Memorandum to Logan's Run and Conduct Unbecoming, is the director.
1. The success of the film as a suspense thriller, within the genre? Audience hopes and expectations for thrills and entertainment?
2. The environment of London: the court, poor homes and slums, the river, business buildings, wealthy homes? Techniques of black and white photography, the strong use of close ups and profiles, the attention to detail such as sweat, faces? The swift editing for thrills? The strident and melodramatic music?
3. The film's melodramatic realism. How important was this, for the purposes of the film, communication? From the point of view of Martha and the audience sharing her experience?
4. How plausible were the basic situations, the nature of the coincidences? Martha's subjective fears? How convincing to her, to the audience? The nature of suggestion and the effect that it can have?
5. The repercussions of suggestion, suspicion? Martha's accepting her husband's guilt, dulling her conscience, even attempting suicide or being prepared to die? Being too weary to pursue the truth? How real was this fear for Martha?
6. The opening in the court, the ambiguous behaviour of George Radcliff and Clay after the condemnation? The ambiguities with the opening of Martha's observation, the sweat on Radcliff's cheek? This recurring later, Martha's memory?
7. Audience response to Heath, his story, the pathos of his wife? The counsellors and their pressing their questions on Heath and Radcliff? The sentence and Heath's desperation? Suspicions on Radcliff because of Heath's plea?
8. The significance of the flashbacks and the opening with the murder? The various versions of what had happened? Confusing for the audience, appropriately ambiguous?
9. Gary Cooper as Radcliff: in himself, solid, gambler, making a success? The effect of the years? Health? His efficient work, the admiration of his secretary etc.
10. The importance of Maurice Brooke and his style? His suspicious presence, effect on Martha and her suspicion? (A red herring?)
11. Character of Martha, in the court, supporting her husband, experiencing the change for wealth and yet not really wanting it? Her place in society, in her home? Her being insulated? Her fears, suspicions?
12. The irony of the letter, its being lost, the effect on George and Martha? The ambiguities of George as regards the phone, Clay's address, being in the taxi, not going to Paris? The ambiguity of the dialogue and the audience sharing Martha’s suspicions and being alert to any word? Did Martha really think him guilty, did the audience?
13. The subjective effect of sharing Martha's suspicions and therefore her fears? For George, fear of George?
14. Her dilemma, her search and the significance of her visit to Mrs. Heath, her feeling pressed in by the apartments and not being able to get out, encountering George? The significance of her visit to Clay and his description of what happened? His flashback?
15. The suspense build-up, more and more suspicion on George, his not being able to find the documents, the visit to Dover and the fear on the cliff, the emphasis on the razor, the bath? Martha's fears and contemplation of suicide? was this sufficient for Clay's arrival and his attempt to kill her?
16. How important was the gallery of minor characters and their contribution: Mrs. Heath and her bitterness and not accepting the cheque, husbands being innocent or guilty and wives knowing? Heath and his alcoholism and his change in prison?
17. The bizarre characters in the gallery: Lil and her dialogue, wealth, patronage of the playwright and his eccentricities? Lil as a friend? The pornographer and his books? Clay and his wife?
18. The overall effect of a thriller like this? For the thrills and the mystery? For understanding human nature? For being made alert to one's own suspicions and ways of reacting to evidence or the lack of it?
