The Edge of the World

The Edge of the World Scotland, 1938, Drama, 80 min. Michael Powell, Director

I love this movie! In 1937 Powell completed his first truly personal project, The Edge of the World. Powell gathered together a cast and crew who were willing to take part in an expedition to what was then a very isolated part of the UK. They had to stay there for quite a few months and finished with a film which not only told the story he wanted but also captured the raw natural beauty of the location. It has an almost documentary quality that tells the story of the harsh, Spartan life on the fictional island of Hirta (shot on Foula), a very remote island off the shore of Scotland in the 1930’s.

Foula (/ˈfuːlə/), located in the Shetland archipelago of Scotland, is one of the United Kingdom‘s most remote permanently inhabited islands. Owned since the turn of the 20th century by the Holbourn family, the island was the location for the film The Edge of the World (1937). The island has a post office.

“When all is said and done it remains Foula which is both hero and heroine of this film, and its appeal will be to lovers of magnificent scenes of natural beauty.” MFB Critics Monthly Film Bulletin

“Told with old-fashioned simplicity yet avoiding any trace of sentimentality or emotionalism, it’s a small-scale masterpiece that shouldn’t be missed by anyone interested in cinematic storytelling at its most compelling.” David Sterritt Christian Science Monitor