EDGE OF ETERNITY is a nice mix of modern-day crime thriller with classic Western tropes and supporting characters. Action man Cornel Wilde plays a deputy sheriff investigating a string of murders in and around the Grand Canyon, and he soon finds himself on the trail of a man who will stop at nothing to see his schemes come to fruition.Obviously the biggest draw of the movie isn't the cast but the location. Arizona has never looked so good under this film's crisp cinematography, and the Grand Canyon cannot fail to seem rugged and magnificent, lending this film an air of toughness just from its presence alone. Plus we get the direction of Don Siegel, years before he became well known for his Clint Eastwood movies, and his hand is just as assured here.Wilde is merely acceptable as the hero, although his character is not particularly likable. The plotting is a little strained in places with some important moments seeming rushed while other bits drag out (like some romantic-style sub-plots). It's not bad, though, and I love that 1950s colour. The high-rise action climax brings to mind the likes of NIGHTHAWKS. A youthful Jack Elam plays in support.

One of nature's natural wonders the Grand Canyon of Arizona serves as the backdrop to this modern day western where a breakout of three murders occur within a week. They don't seem to be related but of course they are and Deputy Sheriff Cornel Wilde pursues them all with the backing of Sheriff Edgar Buchanan.Wilde and Buchanan have their work cut out for them. The prosecuting attorney is from a different political party which backed a candidate against Wilde in the last election in Mohave County. Wilde's had issues in the past and his conduct of the investigation is used against Buchanan.In all of this it centers around a scheme to steal gold out of a working mine in the Grand Canyon that's owned by Victoria Shaw and her family. Wilde and her get a little romance going and her knowledge of fashion and designer labels is what gives him the clue to crack things open.The last 20 minutes involve the villain taking Victoria Shaw hostage with a nasty fight on a cable car that goes over the canyon between Wilde and the villain. Really well done a harbinger of some of the action stuff that is more prevalent in today's films. All staged and directed with distinction by Don Siegel.Edge Of Eternity is a crackerjack noir mystery set in the modern west, but hardly in a tight urban setting. You can't get more expansive than the Grand Canyon and I saw it about 5 years after Edge Of Eternity was filmed there. Grand doesn't begin to describe it, but this film will give you some idea.

While flipping channels before leaving a hotel room, I caught sight of a screen view of Kingman's court house (Mohave County, AZ) and, moments later, a view of old main street (Beale Street). I hadn't time to watch the film, but as I'd lived in Kingman 25 years, I ordered the DVD out of curiosity to see what other old scenes it might offer.The film appears, indeed, have been shot entirely in the Kingman area of 1959, and the city is far smaller than the one I moved to in 1982. The Grand Canyon location within the film is today that of Grand Canyon West, a touristic site belonging to the Hualapai Reservation. Remains of the funicular link to what was once a guano mine below, as well as an auto that crashed to the bottom, are still visible as a part of the GCW tour loop. A few scenes appear to have been shot in old Oatman (a picturesque ghost mining town) and some others north of Red Lake on the way to Lake Mead.In regards to the film, I feel that 1.) its script lacks what might have been some obvious and logical improvements, 2.) its runtime needs extension by about 10 minutes to allow denouement of a number of subplots, and 3.) overall, the film is structured in a rather amateurish, low-budget fashion. Compared to many a Western film of the 1950s, however, this one is not so badly done and provides entertainment.Despite the above criticism, I - like another reviewer - found myself looking into Victoria Shaw's biography, wondering if I might explore her appearance in other films. Unfortunately, they are very few.

Like all of Don Siegel's movies we are immersed in the action from the beginning of this spectacularly shot mystery thriller.Not a single frame,word or gesture is wasted just like in all of Don's films.No wonder Clint Eastwood attributes his own economical movie-making style to him. Cornel Wilde's deputy sheriff carries the whole film very well like in a old school noir mystery he is in almost every scene piecing the puzzle along with us and we are not given any information other than what he learns therefore the final revelation is as shocking to us as is to him. Like of all Don Siegel movies the supporting cast is great; including the late and great Edgar Buchanon, Siegel regular Jack Elam and the very beautiful and charming Victoria Shaw.But like in all his films the bad guy (revealed at the end)is awesome. Kudos to Don Siegel ,one of my all time favourite directors. Special mention has to be made of the film's stuntmen's work in the climax.I won't spoil it but it's a nail biting sequence.