User Reviews

Nothing special about this routine and foreseeable court drama made by the prolific TV film director Arthur Hiller before he became an excellent film maker for the big screen. Joseph Cotten plays here a lawyer who is in charge of defending his friend Lorne Greene accused of the murder of a notorious high society courtesan, a kind of fancy prostitute. And our lead will stop at anything to prove his friend is innocent. Real nothing special, it would never had been worth for an Alfred Hitchcock Hour or Presents episode. The final twist is not really one, but only a little surprise. But it remains an honourable time waster. Playhouse 90 has already given us much better material. Catch it if you can. Rare stuff anyway.

I loved The Edge of Innocence! It was a Playhouse 90 live production, and I knew Joseph Cotten would be great in it because he came from Broadway and was used to live, one-take performances. His timing was superb and he had high energy to captivate the audience. He plays an in-demand lawyer who has never lost a case, with a specialty of defending accused murderers. He's ruthless in the courtroom, and his fiancé Teresa Wright has never seen him in action. She has respect for him, but that second side to his personality hasn't affected their relationship-yet. I won't tell you what happens, but Joe winds up in court again with Teresa in the audience.

Berne Giler's screenplay was top-notch and kept me guessing until the very end. The courtroom scenes were clever yet realistic, and I loved how Joe could get anything he wanted out of every witness. If you like courtroom dramas or have been looking for that one television play that seems like a movie, check this one out. I've seen my fair share of court cases in the movies, and Joe is such a great lawyer, I'd want to hire him if I ever got into trouble.