Review of The Edge of the World (1937) by Bill M — 04 May 2009

Residents of a small Scottish isle come to terms with the fact that their way of life has come to an end. The seas nearby can no longer provide enough fish to make a living, and their land, having been depleted and eroded, can no longer produce the crops they need to survive.

Some very touching moments here but I found that the most interesting parts were the shots of actual Scotsmen going about their daily routines. The film is almost as documentary as it is dramatic. Fascinating to see the way islanders collected shed wool from the sheep or the way they got mail to the mainland by sealing letters in small toy boats and casting them into the sea, hoping that fishing vessels would pick them up and post them. There is as much here for history enthusiasts as there is for movie buffs.