7.2/10
1,812
31 user 13 critic

Edge of the City (1957)

Two New York City longshoremen Axel Nordmann, an Army deserter and Tommy Tyler, an easy-going freight car loader whose growing friendship is threatened by Charles Malik, a notably repellent punk.

Director:

Writers:

(story), (screenplay)
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Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. See more awards »
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
Axel Nordmann
...
Tommy Tyler
...
Charlie Malick
...
Ellen Wilson
...
Lucy Tyler
...
Brother
...
George Nordmann (as Robert Simon)
...
Katherine Nordmann
William A. Lee ...
Davis
...
Detective
...
Wallace (as David Clark)
Estelle Hemsley ...
Mrs. Price
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Storyline

Drifter Axel North has just arrived in New York City, having traveled from city to city throughout the country. Given the name Charlie Malick as a contact by an acquaintance named Ed Faber, Axel is able to get a job working as a stevedore in Charlie's gang on the dockyards. Little did Axel know that Charlie is corrupt, requiring payola for that job, and is a racist. It is solely because of the color of his skin that Charlie hates his fellow gang boss, Tommy Tyler, a black man. It is also because he can see that Axel is a little wet behind the ears that Tommy tries to befriend him to get him out from under Charlie's thumb. Due solely to the reason that he is a drifter, Axel is slow to warm and open up to Tommy, eventually providing some basic information: that he is originally from Gary, Indiana, that his real surname is Nordmann, and that the only person he has ever really loved in his life was his older brother Andy, whose death exacerbated the already strained relationship he has ... Written by Huggo

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Tense drama of frightened men!

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

4 January 1957 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Donde la ciudad termina  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Westrex Recording System)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Four years later Sidney Poitier & Ruby Dee who play husband and wife in this film would play husband and wife again in the classic "A Raisin In The Sun". See more »

Connections

Referenced in Man with a Camera: Lady on the Loose (1958) See more »

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User Reviews

 
Underrated powerhouse of a movie
26 August 2001 | by (Leonia, NJ) – See all my reviews

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.


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