The Razor’s Edge is a 1984 American drama film directed and co-written by John Byrum starring Bill Murray, Theresa Russell, Catherine Hicks, Denholm Elliott, Brian Doyle-Murray, and James Keach. The film is an adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham’s 1944 novel The Razor’s Edge.
This marked Murray’s first starring role in a dramatic film, though he did inject some of his dry wit into the script. The book’s epigraph is dramatized as advice from the Katha Upanishad: “The path to salvation is narrow and as difficult to walk as a razor’s edge.”
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No, much as I would have liked this film to work, it didn’t and Bill Murray was the main reason.
Murray, like De Niro or even Steve Martin (see The Spanish Prisoner), has a distinct presence, a style, an “scent” if you will, and his style was definitely not suited for this role, especially for that point in Murray’s career. Like George Reeves’ uncredited role in From Here To Eternity (the audience in 1953 kept expecting Reeves to rip open his shirt and fly off) it seemed that Murray was always on the verge of breaking into “lounge singer” mode or at least delivering some withering, sarcastic punchline.
In later years, directors such as Wes Anderson and Sofia Coppola found how to mix that characteristic Murray flavor into the stew.
Thanks for this. It’s all subjective, isn’t it? I agree with everything you said, except for, “his style was definitely not suited for this role”. Somehow, his charisma saved it for me.
E.g., the way he carries himself in the second half of the story, how he saves his friend from migraines, how he handles the death near the end. His character has changed, due to the years he was away from Chicago.
I get what you’re saying though. Was it this movie or Meatballs where he chanted, “It just doesn’t matter”?
It’s all subjective, isn’t it?
No, I have documented sources and signed affidavits by the crew…of course it’s all subjective! 🤣 🤣 🤣 Then again, film critics and the public were unanimous in their opinion and the film flopped, soooooo there’s that.
Was it this movie or Meatballs where he chanted, “It just doesn’t matter”?
And with this, sarcastic or sincere, you’ve proved my point. Murray, at this point in his career, was more famous for leading the chant “it just doesn’t matter” (Meatballs) or for goading John Candy to mudwrestle, “You’re a lean…mean…FIGHTING…MACHINE!” (Stripes)
And to think, he did Ghostbusters just to get financing for this vanity project. Hey, we all like what we like and later make up reasons for it. Cheers!
I really love everything about this film and never understood why it wasn’t appreciated more. I love Brian Doyle Murray’s portrayal of the war weary Piedmont, and Denholm Elliott’s Templeton in Paris. I even love Bill Murray’s mostly serious, introspective Larry Darrell.
Read the book as well if you like this story. Maugham is a great writer.
somebody finish this story please; Bill Murray did a comedy he wasn’t super into so the studio would let him do this after.
