The Razor’s Edge *** (1984, Bill Murray, Denholm Elliott, Theresa Russell, Catherine Hicks, James Keach, Peter Vaughan, Faith Brook, Saeed Jaffrey) – Classic Movie Review 5136

Popular comic Bill Murray suddenly found that he had enough clout to talk Columbia Pictures into director John Byrum’s unexpected but pleasantly surprising and ambitious remake of the 1946 The Razor’s Edge film of W Somerset Maugham’s philosophical and spiritual novel about a young American, Larry Darrell (Murray), who questions the truth about himself and life in general between the First and Second World Wars. It is, as the adverts say, ‘The story of one man’s search for himself’.

Wise-guy comic Murray works hard to be spiritual, which is not really his strong suit, though he does prove a good serious actor. Catherine Hicks is good enough, too, entirely adequate in Gene Tierney’s old part as his socialite fiancée Isabel Bradley who marries Gray Maturin (James Keach) when Larry goes off for 10 years to find himself. Later, he finds she will stop at nothing to get him back.

But it is Theresa Russell who impresses most as a dipsomaniac, Sophie MacDonald, the role for which Anne Baxter won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1946.

Murray’s screenplay, co-written with director Byrum, is a brave attempt, but there is a problem with anachronistic dialogue and attitudes. Nonetheless, it is an always intriguing and often rewarding film. It was made the same year as Murray’s great success Ghostbusters. Unlike the blockbuster 1946 film, this out-of-its-time remake was not much of a hit, costing $13,000,000, and taking back only half that in the US ($6,600,000). The Columbia Pictures studio bosses wanted a modern-day setting, but Murray insisted the film keep the faith with Maugham’s novel as a period piece. But in 1993 Murray accepted: ‘I was wrong, and they were right.’

Also in the cast are Denholm Elliott as Elliott Templeton Peter Vaughan, Faith Brook, Saeed Jaffrey as Raaz, Brian Doyle-Murray, Stephen Davies, André Maranne, Bruce Boa, Helen Horton, Joris Stuyck, Serge Feuillard and Michael Fitzpatrick.

Saeed Jaffrey died on 15 November 2015, aged 86. After all the many roles – a couple of hundred – there was little awards recognition, with only a Bafta Best Supporting Actor nomination for My Beautiful Laundrette (1985).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5136

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