The Very Edge ** (1963, Anne Heywood, Richard Todd, Jack Hedley, Jeremy Brett, Nicole Maurey, Maurice Denham) – Classic Movie Review 9753

Despite the good cast, a useful premise and a bright screenplay by Elizabeth Jane Howard, director Cyril Frankel’s 1963 psychological thriller The Very Edge ends up as a mere borderline timepasser but still in the interesting category.

Richard Todd gives a competent enough performance as an architect called Geoffrey Lawrence whose wife Tracey (Anne Heywood) is the victim of an attack by a crazy man (played by Jeremy Brett, later an all-time great Sherlock Holmes on TV) who breaks into their home and assaults Tracey, who suffers a miscarriage as a result.

After the attack, Tracey is unable to cope, driving the husband into the arms of his secretary Helen (Nicole Maurey) – and the wife’s safety remains in question as she is constantly stalked by the maniac.

On the plus side, Brett exudes sinister power as the psychopath, Jack Hedley (as Scotland Yard detective Inspector McInnes) and William Lucas (as Inspector Davies) display quiet authority as the detectives who investigate and there is the odd good moment, effective performance and tense scene dotted through a shortish running time of 90 minutes, making it at the very least just about watchable.

Also in the cast are Barbara Mullen, Maurice Denham, Gwen Watford, Patrick Magee, Peter Madden, Pauline Delaney, Verina Greenlaw, Ian Curry, and Brian Weske.

The Very Edge is directed by Cyril Frankel, runs 90 minutes, is made by Garrick and Raymond Stross Productions, is released by British Lion Film Corporation (1962) (UK), is written by Elizabeth Jane Howard (screenplay), Leslie Bricusse (original material), Vivian Cox (original material) and Raymond Stross (original material), is shot in black and white and Cinevision by Bob Huke, is produced by Raymond Stross, and is scored by David Lee.

Anne Heywood was the wife of producer Raymond Stross.

It is shot at Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. Todd was born in Dublin, but was 43 before he made his first movie in Ireland.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9753

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