The Razor's Edge (1984)

He had everything and wanted nothing. He learned that he had nothing and wanted everything. He saved the world and then it shattered. The path to enlightenment is as sharp and narrow as a razor's edge.

Director:

John Byrum

Writers:

W. Somerset Maugham (novel), John Byrum (screenplay)

Stars:

Bill Murray, Theresa Russell, Denholm Elliott

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Murray	...	Larry Darrell
Theresa Russell	...	Sophie MacDonald
Catherine Hicks	...	Isabel Bradley
Denholm Elliott	...	Elliott Templeton
James Keach	...	Gray Maturin
Peter Vaughan	...	Mackenzie
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Piedmont
Stephen Davies	...	Malcolm
Saeed Jaffrey	...	Raaz
Faith Brook	...	Louisa Bradley (Isabel's mother)
André Maranne	...	Joseph, the Butler (as Andre Maranne)
Bruce Boa	...	Henry Maturin
Serge Feuillard	...	Coco
Joris Stuyck	...	Bob MacDonald
Helen Horton	...	Red Cross lady

Storyline

Larry Darrell returns from the battlefields of World War I to America a different person. His fiance (Isabel) resigns herself to a delay in the wedding plans when Larry heads off to Paris. There he finds he prefers a simpler existence and begins to read. One book inspires him to visit India and on to Nepal where he finds spiritual help from a lama. On returning to Paris he finds Isabel and some old friends. Everyone has changed.

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Plot Keywords:

wedding | lama | india | buddhist | wounded soldier | 

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Taglines:

The story of one man's search for himself.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

While he was thinking of making a film adaptation of The Razor's Edge, John Byrum gave a copy of the novel to his friend, Bill Murray. Byrum got a phone call the next morning at 4 o'clock from Murray saying, "This is Larry. Larry Darrell."

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Goofs

There is ice and snow in the mountains, but you can't see anyone's breath.

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Quotes

Tibetan Monk: The pathway to salvation is as narrow and as difficult to walk as a razor's edge.

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Connections

Referenced in Portlandia: Pickathon (2016)

User Reviews

One of my all-time faves

I was prepared to hate this movie, when I first rented it. It was a 'curiosity pick': I liked the title, I didn't have anything else in mind, and my thought was, of course, "Bill Murray!?"

It turned out to be one of my all-time favorite movies in the 'character-transformation' genre.

It's a compelling story of choices in life and how those choices affect or disaffect perceptions of that life. Murray is perfection in this role, because we seem him change from something we recognize to something quite different. It is a palpable and comprehensible transformation - the movie draws us in, it allows us to change with him.

The rest of the characters are well cast and provide definitive counterpoint to the protagonist - the bon-vivant aristocratic uncle Elliot who simply lives his life appreciatively, the unthinking and manipulative Isabel concerned only with her own comforts and social standing, the uncertain Sophie that allows her uncertainty to trap and destroy her, the practical yet contemplative Raaz who challenges Darrell's notion of things, constructively, and leads him to further his quest. Good character development, all around.

Finally, I was impressed with the faithfulness to the book. It's difficult for a movie to be that, and still be an watchable movie.

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 October 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Razor's Edge

Filming Locations:

Belgium

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,411,311, 21 October 1984

Gross USA:

$6,551,987

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,551,987

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Colgems Productions Ltd., Marcucci-Cohen-Benn Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1