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The Razor's Edge (1946)
Rate:
4
Viewed:
4/21
4/21:
I first watched the Bill Murray version of The Razor's Edge before
finding out later that it was a remake of the 1946 picture.
One thing is for sure: they're both bad films. While the similarities are obvious, there are significant
differences such as the weird inclusion of the book's author W. Somerset Maugham among the fictional characters.
Yes, the story is mildly interesting, but it's hollow in execution. The chief problem starts with the central
star, and then there's the lack of character development for everybody else. I rolled my eyes at the sight
of the "Indian" guru who's played by a white guy named Cecil Humphreys. Good job, Mr. Darryl F. Zanuck, for
failing big time.
Tyrone Power plays Larry Darrell, a man who's supposedly achieved enlightenment after a long search for the meaning
of life by finding it deep in the mountains of India during a mere visit. Well, for the life of me, he looks
practically the same before and after the "transformation." That being said, Tyrone Power is clearly miscast as
he's only 40% effective. Either William Holden or Montgomery Clift would've done a better job of handling such
a difficult role. In reality, Larry just wants to be a lazy fuck; therefore, we should pass along the weed to him.
Next is Clifton Webb. He's good, if boring and silly to listen to, for a curmudgeon, but when his character passed
away at the end, I didn't care. Just die, so this overlong movie can end already. On the other hand, I'm not sure
why Larry bothered showing up given that the guy never cared for him.
Battling against Herbert Marshall and Anne Baxter, the ever-gorgeous Gene Tierney can be great at times but loses
her way by falling prey to typical soap opera tendencies. At least, she looks fantastic in dresses. Baxter may
have won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, but she fails to give me any reason to merit it after playing a
boring, melodramatic Lost Weekend character. However, I like Herbert
Marshall's presence for the sake of balance.
The Razor's Edge is more of a showy picture because of the grand in/exterior sets. What good are they
if I can feel nothing for anyone? No, that wasn't India but (a fake backdrop of?) Denver, Colorado. What annoys
me to no end is how the camera moves in a rigid path as the characters have memorized their blocks by going from
point A to point B and then from point B to point C or sometimes back to A and then to C or wherever else. It
occurs frequently throughout in spite of never happening in real life. A great number of years pass,
but not a single person looks aged for the least bit.
All in all, The Razor's Edge is very unconvincing because nobody has an idea of what "enlightenment"
looks like.