Edge of Eternity (1959)

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

"Edge of Eternity" is without question the finest color photography I have ever seen. The colors of the Grand Canyon are displayed in razor sharp beauty, especially when viewing "Twilight Time's" limited edition Blueray. While the murder investigation is rather ordinary, and the love interest between Cornel Wilde and Victoria Shaw kills time, all is forgiven with the spectacular aerial photography, unbelievable stunts, and fabulous fifties cars on display. The highlight of course is seeing the U.S. Guano tram swinging wildly over the Canyon as Wilde and Mickey Shaughnessy engage in a gun battle. This is truly a one of a kind film, not for it's story, not for it's acting, but for the unforgettable photography and the unique and exciting climax. "Edge of Eternity" is a must see. - MERK

Take the Grand Canyon, a cave full of tons of bat guano, an aerial tramway, an old deserted mining town, a beautiful red head, Cornel Wilde, Jack Elam, Edgar Buchanan, 50's cars, all filmed in vibrant color, and a few corpses and you get a really different mystery film that moves briskly along during its 80 minutes. This film would be worth watching if only for the scenes of the aerial tramway heading down into the Grand Canyon, something that you'll never see again, and it was all real! The mine depicted in the movie really existed, and so did the U.S. Guano Corporation!!! This movie is a time capsule and is fascinating to watch for just the period effects and the settings. Very enjoyable.

In the 1950s when television was beginning to make inroads into the cinema-going audience, Hollywood made films that were grander, bigger, more colourful, and shot on location. So you got huge big budget historical epics, but also smaller films that were given wide screen and colourful location treatment. Thus some movies like the 'crime noir' genre were opened out into big screen colour, thus almost at a stroke cutting 'noir' off from its' roots in black and white. This is such a film. But, despite the fact that Don Siegel is the director, the movie is short on suspense and any deep characterisation - at 80 minutes it really is too short for much. But perhaps the budget was being too stretched! However, we get lots of aerial shots of the tremendous Grand Canyon, and a spirited, breathtaking denouement on a tramway over the said gorge. The actors try, against a very ordinary script. But the plot is fairly preposterous - unknowns taking gold out of an old mine with no-one noticing, until murder of a John Doe sets the flawed Deputy Sheriff (Cornel Wilde) off in pursuit. There are political pressures as well, but never fully realised. A romantic element is in the backdrop and provides the vital breakthrough, but it never all adds up to much, except the scenery and location.

I taped Edge of Eternity when Channel 4 screened it some time ago and found it very enjoyable. Some reviews state this as a Western, but it is more of a mystery-thriller than a Western.A Sheriff in Arizona investigates three murders around the Grand Canyon and is help by a woman and not surprisingly they fall in love with each other. The killer then takes the woman hostage and he is caught in the dramatic final showdown in a minor's bucket, high over the Grand Canyon.Edge of Eternity has some magnificent scenery. especially the Grand Canyon scenes.The cast is lead by Cornel Wilde as the Sheriff, Victoria Shaw as his love interest and Micky Shaughnessy. All play good parts.This movie is a must see, just for the scenery. Excellent.Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5.