The Naked Edge

The Naked Edge

Year: 1961

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: English

Director: Michael Anderson

ThrillerMystery

Five years after George Radcliffe served as the key witness in a high‑profile murder trial, his wife suddenly receives a blackmail letter that accuses him of the very crime he testified about, thrusting the couple into a dangerous web of suspicion and intrigue.

Tense
Happy ending
Emotionally heavy
High intensity
Steady pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Naked Edge (1961)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Naked Edge (1961). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1960s

Set in the early 1960s, the film mirrors post-war affluence and a strict social code. Financial ambition and reputational stakes drive the characters' choices, with new business ventures and legal pressure pushing the plot forward. The era’s polished surfaces mask underlying paranoia, fueling the psychological tension.

Location

The narrative unfolds across a stylish house and a corporate office, with a looming cliffside setting that adds danger to confrontations. Primary locations include a quiet study, a boiler room, and a courtroom, each serving as a stage for suspicion and manipulation. The atmosphere blends domestic intimacy with public scrutiny, heightening tension as clues accumulate.

🏡 House interior 🏢 Office building 🗺️ Cliffside locale

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:17

Main Characters – The Naked Edge (1961)

Meet the key characters of The Naked Edge (1961), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

George Radcliffe (Gary Cooper)

A calculating businessman whose craving for success drives him to conceal the truth and manipulate those around him. He masks charm with underlying deceit, using fear and money to guard his secrets. Under pressure, his nervous demeanor reveals a ruthless, controlling personality.

💼 Ambitious 🧭 Secretive 🔒 Calculating

Martha Radcliffe (Deborah Kerr)

A perceptive wife who shifts from trust to suspicion as inconsistencies mount. She weighs loyalty against the truth, probing her husband’s alibi while resisting manipulation. Her determination to uncover the real killer drives the investigation and anchors the emotional core.

💑 Determined 🧠 Observant 🧭 Skeptical

Jason Roote

Victim whose murder and the subsequent blackmail scheme catalyze the plot. His death exposes the clash between business motives and personal vendettas, setting off a chain of accusations and revelations. He serves as the spark that unsettles the Radcliffe household.

💼 Victim 🔎 Catalyst 🧩 Puzzle piece

Donald Heath (Ray McAnally)

A nervous clerk who becomes the initial suspect, his proximity to the crime makes him a focal point of the investigation. His anxious demeanor and alleged involvement illustrate how quickly suspicion can swell. His conviction underscores the danger of premature judgment.

🧩 Suspicion 💼 Nervous 🔒 Convicted

Jeremy Clay

The actual killer and blackmailer, he manipulates facts and pressures others to keep the crime concealed. His threats loom over every revelation, turning small clues into potential triggers for violence. He embodies the concealed menace at the heart of the thriller.

🧠 Manipulative 🔒 Secretive 🗡️ Cunning

Morris Brooke

A mysterious new business partner whose involvement after the trial adds plausible motive and tension. His appearance suggests ulterior aims and fuels Martha’s suspicion that not everything is as it seems. He represents the unseen forces driving George’s ventures.

💼 Ambitious 🧭 Mysterious 🕵️‍♂️ Calculating

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:17

Major Themes – The Naked Edge (1961)

Explore the central themes of The Naked Edge (1961), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️ Suspicion

Martha’s growing doubt about George triggers a relentless investigation into his alibi and motives. Clues, like the recurring razor and shifting testimonies, pull the couple into a web of deception. The truth remains elusive, increasing danger as trust between spouses frays.

📜 Blackmail

The delayed letter from Jeremy Clay launches a blackmail scheme that colors every decision. The threat to expose George’s possible guilt pressures him to manipulate facts and people. Blackmail raises the stakes, turning small disclosures into potential triggers for violence.

💼 Power & Marriage

Marital strain is tied to corporate ambition, showing how money and reputation can distort truth. George’s pride and fear of ruin clash with Martha’s pursuit of the real killer, revealing how gender and power influence who controls the narrative. The boundary between love and leverage becomes a battleground for survival.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:17

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Thrillers about suspicious marriages like The Naked Edge

A partner's secret past casts a dark shadow of doubt over their marriage.If you liked the tense paranoia of The Naked Edge, you'll enjoy these movies where a marriage is tested by suspicion and hidden crimes. Discover similar thrillers and mysteries about spouses investigating each other, full of psychological tension and marital distrust.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically begins with an idyllic or stable married life disrupted by a piece of evidence—a letter, a witness, or a discovered object—that suggests one spouse is not who they claim to be, often connected to a past crime. The story unfolds as the suspicious partner secretly gathers clues, leading to confrontations that heighten the danger and emotional stakes.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped together because they share a core theme of marital distrust amplified by a criminal mystery. They deliver a specific kind of intimate tension, where the threat comes from within the home, creating a claustrophobic and deeply anxious viewing experience focused on relationship dynamics under extreme pressure.

Slow burn suspense movies like The Naked Edge

Stories where quiet tension and unease accumulate into overwhelming fear.Fans of The Naked Edge who appreciated its steady, anxious pacing will find more like it here. Explore similar slow burn thrillers and mysteries where tension builds gradually through psychological unease and accumulating clues, rather than fast-paced action.

slow burnsuspensefulanxiousuneasypsychologicaldreadmethodicalclaustrophobic

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread are defined by a patient, steady accumulation of clues, small deceptions, and subtle threats. The pace allows the viewer to sit with the characters' growing anxiety and paranoia, making the eventual confrontations or revelations feel earned and deeply impactful. The focus is on the internal psychological state more than external events.

Why These Movies?

These movies are united by their specific pacing and mood. They prioritize a consistent, simmering tension over sudden twists, creating an immersive experience of sustained anxiety. The similarity lies in the feeling of being trapped in a gradually tightening vise of suspicion and fear.

Unlock the Full Story of The Naked Edge

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Naked Edge in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Naked Edge is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Naked Edge Summary

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The Naked Edge Summary

The Naked Edge Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Naked Edge with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Naked Edge Timeline

More About The Naked Edge

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The Naked Edge (1961) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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