The Edge (1997)

An intellectual billionaire and two lesser men struggle to band together and survive after getting stranded in the Alaskan wilderness with a blood-thirsty Kodiak Bear hunting them down.

Director:

Lee Tamahori

Writer:

David Mamet

Stars:

Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, Elle Macpherson

3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Anthony Hopkins	...	Charles Morse
Alec Baldwin	...	Robert Green
Elle Macpherson	...	Mickey Morse
Harold Perrineau	...	Stephen
Bart the Bear	...	The Bear
L.Q. Jones	...	Styles
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Ginny
David Lindstedt	...	James
Mark Kiely	...	Mechanic
Eli Gabay	...	Jet Pilot
Larry Musser	...	Amphibian Pilot
Brian Arnold	...	Reporter
Bob Boyd	...	Reporter
Kelsa Kinsly	...	Reporter
Gordon Tootoosis	...	Jack Hawk

Storyline

A model has her rich, much older husband come with her to a photo shoot. But when their plane crashes in the middle of nowhere, a strong mind game erupts between the clever husband and the jealous young photographer as they try to get back to civilization.

---

Plot Keywords:

bear | wilderness | crash | survival tactics | billionaire | 

---

Taglines:

They Were Fighting Over A Woman When The Plane Went Down. Now, Their Only Chance For Survival Is Each Other.

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some adventure gore/violence

Details

Official Sites:

Fox

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 September 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bookworm

Filming Locations:

Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,733,445, 28 September 1997, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$27,779,888, 21 December 1997

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,300,000, 22 February 1998

Company Credits

Production Co:

Art Linson Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The bear has 4 minutes of screentime.

---

Goofs

After the flares have been lost, Bob says that he has only 6 matches left. In a later scene he is shown to have wasted a match to light a cigarette. He should have waited until they built a fire for heat or to attract searchers.

---

Quotes

Charles Morse: Did you know that you can make fire from ice?

---

Crazy Credits

Just before the end credits start rolling, a caption appears on the screen: "Twentieth Century Fox and the producer wish to thank Bart the Bear and his trainer Doug Seus, for their contribution to this film."

---

Connections

Featured in The Edge: Featurette (1997)

---

Soundtracks

Happy Birthday
Written by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill

User Reviews

Hopkins creates a fascinating character

I had low expectations going into this movie, but after about ten minutes I was hooked. The cinematography is lush, the music is warm and hearty and the script is fresh and furious. At times, the film is slow, and it is during these moments that you realize the depth and emotion injected into these characters via Mamet's crystal-clear and poignant dialogue. It touches on primal fears (territory, survival, fear, shame, love and jealousy) and it delivers moral commentary on all of the above. Did I also mention that this movie is a thriller too? Hopkins is at his best as the calm and thoughtful Charles Morse, billionaire and bored with his ivory tower lifestyle. His counterpart, Mr. Baldwin is a slimy and petty fashion photographer, Bob Green. The interaction between the two shows a middle-ground that is brilliant in contrast. Hopkins is a father figure to Baldwin's brash young frenzied Bob. The competition between the two to survive, and ultimately return to civilization (and Charles' wife), sets the stage for a complex and thoughful character drama. Bart the Bear is a star indeed, and while this movie is marketed for having "Jaws with Claws," there is SO much more depth and detail to this movie. This is easily in my top 10 films of all time. It connected with me and I hope you enjoy it too. 10 out of 10!

Best Line: CHARLES: "I have always wanted to do something that was... that was unequivocal"