Auf des Schicksals Schneide (1950)

Auf des Schicksals Schneide: Directed by Mark Robson. With Dana Andrews, Farley Granger, Joan Evans, Robert Keith. A mentally unbalanced young man kills a priest. One of the priest’s colleagues sets out to find the killer.

“Sometimes dismissed by the critics (read Matlinu0026#39;s review ) as u0026quot;histrionic Grangeru0026quot; , u0026quot;edge of doomu0026quot; should be considered as it was intended for : an edifying movie, a Christian profession of faith.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOn the contrary ,Granger gives a gripping performance of an overwrought man who got a raw deal :nowadays, a person who commits suicide passes for u0026quot;crazyu0026quot; and is not denied a funeral in consecrated ground, but at the time, thenCatholic Church was adamant ;Martin has a grudge against the priests who took his momu0026#39;s hand-outs in the masses ,and never gave her anything ;since he lost his faith ;thus a contradiction for he wants a beautiful funeral for his departed mother ,with plenty of flowers ,even though heu0026#39;s got to work off the price all his life.But itu0026#39;s more a vengeance on the Church than an act of redemption.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMark Robson has a flair for scenes with a sense of mystery ,probably stemming from his first Val lewton productions (u0026quot;the seventh victimu0026quot; u0026quot; the ghost shipu0026quot; u0026quot; bedlamu0026quot; ) : it shows in the murder scene , and even more in the funeral parlor where Martin sees his victim in his coffin ; the reconstruction of the crime is a great moment too ; Grangeru0026#39;s face gives away his guilt ,his stress ;all along the movie,he plays as though heu0026#39;s about to break down:a lesson he may have learned from the masters Ray (u0026quot;they drive by nightu0026quot; ) and even more Hitchcock (u0026quot;the ropeu0026quot; in which his self-conscious nervous attitude contrasts with John Dallu0026#39;s aplomb).Note the omnipresence of the crucifixes.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eItu0026#39;s a long flashback :a story told by a priest (Dana Andrews) to one of his younger colleagues who thinks that the load is too heavy.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.u0026quot; (St Luke)”