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Edge of Darkness

Name: Edge of Darkness
Director: Lewis Milestone
Released: 1943
Duration: 119 min

Representation Score

2.1/10

Limited

1943

Approved

Director

Lewis Milestone

Runtime

119 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Edge of Darkness focuses on the psychological and ethical dilemmas of wartime occupation, emphasizing the breakdown of social order under oppressive systems. The film does not prioritize contemporary demographic diversity. Instead, it centers on the moral decay caused by external political pressures, which disrupt traditional family hierarchies. However, it remains within the cultural and racial boundaries of its historical setting.

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Category Breakdown

Does Edge of Darkness have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not depict any non-straight or non-cisgender identities. Relationships and family structures are centered around heterosexual couples.

How does Edge of Darkness portray gender?

Fair

Female characters offer a nuanced challenge to traditional gender roles. Some maintain traditional roles, while others like Karen take active, independent roles in the resistance movement.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Edge of Darkness?

Limited

The cast reflects a homogeneous European population typical of Norway. There is no diverse racial representation or exploration of multiple aspects of identity.

How does Edge of Darkness represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story delves into the moral complexities of cooperation versus resistance during wartime. It highlights how greed can compromise ethical standards but stays within the cultural context of the time.

Does Edge of Darkness include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no depiction of physical or cognitive disabilities among the main characters or the supporting cast.

Present on Screen

Female characters like Karen play significant roles in driving the story and exhibit intellectual independence.
The film avoids simple good-versus-evil binaries by examining the moral complexities of cooperation and resistance.
The narrative explores how external political forces disrupt traditional family hierarchies through nuanced character studies.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks any representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight narratives.
The cast is racially homogeneous, limiting the scope of diversity.
There is no representation of physical or cognitive disabilities.

Official Synopsis

The film pivots around the local Norwegian doctor and his family. The doctor's wife (Ruth Gordon) wants to hold on to the pretence of gracious living and ignore their German occupiers. The doctor, Martin Stensgard (Walter Huston), would also prefer to stay neutral, but is torn. His brother-in-law, the wealthy owner of the local fish cannery, collaborates with the Nazis. The doctor's daughter, Karen (Ann Sheridan), is involved with the resistance and with its leader Gunnar Brogge (Errol Flynn). The doctor's son has just returned to town, having been sent down from the university, and is soon influenced by his Nazi-sympathizer uncle. Captain Koenig (Helmut Dantine), the young German commandant of the occupying garrison, whose fanatic determination to do everything by the book and spoutings about the invincibility of the Reich hides a growing fear of a local uprising.

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