Errol Flynn made some of the best and most exciting WW2 films. Here he's part of an ensemble in this story about a small Norwegian fishing village under Nazi occupation. Many of the villagers want to fight back against their occupiers but they have no weapons. Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan are the two main leaders of this resistance group. Sheridan's father Walter Huston wishes to avoid fighting and wait the war out. Then you have her uncle and brother, who are Nazi collaborators. Eventually tensions within the village boil over and the citizens revolt against the evil Nazis.

The cast is excellent. In addition to the three big stars I list above, who all do commendable work, there's an outstanding supporting cast. Judith Anderson is a ballsy resistance fighter who is in love with one of the Nazis but doesn't let that sway her loyalty. Ruth Gordon gives one of her patented sensitive and soft-spoken performances. Charles Dingle and John Beal play the rat bastards who sell their own out to the enemy. One of them has a moment of redemption by the end. Morris Carnovsky is extraordinary as an elderly man who stands up to the Nazis despite the danger. Roman Bohnen is a scene stealer as a patriot who has to overcome his fear. Helmut Dantine plays the scar-faced Nazi in charge of the occupation. Many other fine actors in small parts, some of whom may only get one scene to make an impact but they make the most of it.

Powerful script, beautiful cinematography, and excellent direction. The climactic battle scene is intense. It's an unflinching war movie with little to no comic relief, a rarity for Warner Bros, who usually threw Alan Hale or somebody into these pictures to add some lighter moments. But this is a serious movie about bravery and the sacrifices that so many made in the war. The story doesn't call for lightheartedness. It's one of the best war movies Flynn or WB made.

"The Edge of Darkness" is a 1943 propaganda film about a Norwegian fishing village rising up to fight the Nazis. However, this movie is a cut above other propaganda movies. The cast is excellent, top-notch all the way: Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, Walter Huston, Ruth Gordon, John Beal, Helmut Dantine, Judith Anderson and Morris Carnovsky. Sometimes on the IMDb message board, a poster will ask for opinions on the best ensemble cast ever assembled. This one deserves a mention. It's probably not at the top of everyone's list because it was released while Errol Flynn was fighting statutory rape charges, which was a distraction to audiences, certainly, and also because it followed "Casablanca."

Norway was dragged into the World War II conflict because Hitler was very concerned about protecting the Norwegian shoreline so that the Russians could not receive supplies if they joined the Allies. In the story, the village is being occupied by the Nazis, who are taking the people's shipments of basic necessities and oppressing the entire town by their very presence - curfews, patrols, and the commandeering of the local hotel as their base. Flynn plays the head of the resistance, a brave fisherman named Gunnar Brogge. He is joined in the fight byand by other villagers and by the woman he loves, Karen Stensgard (Sheridan). Her father (Huston) is a doctor who, like many others, has been content not to make waves; his wife (Gordon) longs for the days before the war when the family was together. Karen, however, has no such wish - her brother, Johann (John Beal) is a weakling who collaborated with the Nazis in Oslo. Hearing that he's returning home, she warns the resistance group that he could cause problems. Meanwhile, the group waits to receive a shipment of arms so that they can fight effectively.

The director, Lewis Milestone, has created an atmosphere where one feels the oppression, fear and frustration of these simple people. There are powerful scenes that demonstrate the viciousness of the Nazis, led by Helmut Dantine. One scene is off-camera - the rape of Karen. As another poster here commented, she of course looks fabulous when she returns to the group - some dirt smudges and her beautiful hair falling around her face. That is really the one false note in this story of great bravery.

The entire cast is terrific, led by Flynn, who demonstrates quiet strength and determination as Gunnar. This is really an ensemble piece, however, and Flynn and Sheridan do not overwhelm the production. Walter Huston again demonstrates his brilliant acting skills as a man trying to stick it out without having a high profile, and Gordon is sympathetic as his wife, who yearns for the family moments that are now gone. All of the roles, including the smaller ones, are essayed beautifully.

I am sure that this film was very inspirational when first seen, particularly the radio message from Roosevelt at the end of the movie. "Edge of Darkness" is a compelling story about the effect of the war and occupation on the average person.

From the mystery of the first scene, you know that this is not just another war movie. This dealt honestly and on a raw level with the gut-wrenching issues that emerge when a country is occupied by a people not very much unlike themselves. Both sides try to reconcile the apparent incongruities to peacefully co-exist and yet allow the Norwegians to keep their basic human dignity, but alas the positions are inevitably irreconcilable. Because the emotions it portrays are so genuine and honest, this is one of the best propaganda films made by the allies while the war was still ongoing. Nancy Colman and Judith Anderson are standouts in a uniformly excellent cast. I consider this the perfect war film.