Customer Reviews

The Razor's Edge [VHS]

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The newly released DVD of 20th Century Fox's production of W. Somerset Maugham's "The Razor's Edge" is a cinematic treasure. The direction by Edmond Goulding is top notch and captures the glamour and decadence of post World War I Paris in glittering perfection. Much praise must go to the art and set direction by Richard Day and Nathan Juran. Over 80 sets were constructed; some only glimpsed for a few moments evoke the period and splendor of the time and place. The production values of this picture are of the highest quality of this, Fox's "Important Picture for 1946".Goulding was famous for long takes and he is aided by the brilliant cinematographer Arthur C. Miller. The score by Alfred Newman is magnificent though surprisingly sparse for a film from the 1940's His use of source music and songs of the period help to inform the viewer of character and mood. His main theme is majestic and stirring and its reprise at the end is something near to epic played against a close-up of Tyrone Power and dissolves into the crashing waves against a tramp steamer.
Though a little too old and too handsome for the role of Larry Darell Tyrone Power, turns in a beautifully felt performance of a man in search for himself and his place in the world. A very modern and complex idea for the 1940's involving a trip to India and consultations with a guru. Gene Tierney is perfect as the woman who loves him and will stop at nothing to get him. This underrated beauty gives one of her best performances in an unsympathetic role. Anne Baxter, who won her Oscar as Sophie, is at times touching, real and yet manages to chew her share of the scenery toward the end of the picture. She is just plain fun to watch. But the picture is completely stolen by the wonderful, prissy and perfect performance of Clifton Web. His bravery as an actor in his last scene when he cries "There are going to be fireworks" is to be applauded. He perfectly captures the futile collapse of a shallow man as not many in Hollywood at that time might have dared.
There is one scene that epitomizes the skill and craft of film making in the end of the golden age and that is the chapter on the DVD entitled "Last Fling". All the powers of the actors, director, cinematographer, set designers, lighting technicians, and composer come together in this nearly silent montage and the subsequent scene at dawn in Tierney's Paris apartment. Larry's and Isabel's night on the town moves through a sumptuous Paris nightclub, to a Russian restaurant, and on to a hot jazz club where a fist fight ensues. Watch the extras in this scene. They are the stars here and each have a tale to tell in there brief moments on screen. I was reminded of Scorsese's Coconut Grove scenes in "The Aviator" by this impeccably directed montage and wondered if it had in fact influence him being the film historian he is.
But the best is yet to come, upon arriving home Isabel and Larry move through a brilliantly choreographed scene that leads up to a kiss and then a rejection. There is no dialog, only the pantomime of the actors and the accompaniment of the musical score. In this we learn all we need to of her motives and desire and his reaction and acceptance. It is very sexy and intense and the only bit of clothing that is lost is her shawl.
It is brilliant and movie storytelling at its best.
There is also a wonderful commentary by film historians Anthony Slide and Robert Brichard. Also included is a Fox Movietone News reel of other aspects relating to the film. Don't miss this wonderful classic from Fox's brilliant Studio Classics collection. They really know how to present their treasures to us as few other studios do.

'The Razor's Edge' is truly a rare masterpiece. this movie is slowly paced but not at all plodding. a profound message lies within the sophisticated dialogue. the viewer must have a mature patience to reap the enriching experience from this excellent film. this one was definitely a superior film. it deserved the oscar but unfortunately there were 2 other masterpieces released tha year (1946), one of which garnered the oscar (The Best Years Of Our Lives). a true classic that deserves more recognition than it has received thru the years.

as for the DVD, it is a good clean transfer. the only true extra is the commentary. it is still well worth the money.

Goulding's intrepretation of Maugham's novel is elegant and visually alluring. It doesn't hurt to have Tyrone Power as Larry and the stunning Gene Tierney as Isabelle. Anyone that loves dramatic cinema that is thought-provoking and leaves you feeling satiated will enjoy this movie. Although most movies don't compare with the novels they are based on, this one comes close.
This is a movie about a non-conformist; Larry doesn't want to live the life society expects of him, he wants to savor life on his own terms. Isn't that what your life should be about anyways? Somehow you sense that in the 21st century Larry would not be driving an SUV and a gas grill would not be sitting on his patio underneath the satellite disk. Perhaps it would be more accurate to state that Larry is his own man and that he is more concerned about what he thinks of himself versus what others think of him. Clifton Webb is perfect as Elliott Templeton, the quitessential snob who is catty and generous in equal turns. John Payne is a self-effacing Gray and Anne Baxter shines as Sophie. At the movies conclusion, the only person you can envy is Larry, because he is living life exactly the way he wants.

The plot synopsis above tells you the story line, and this very unconvential story is remarkable in having been made. At a time when some other movies were being made in color, this was still in black and white, which tells you where the movie moguls placed it in "rank". Color was reserved for block busters, and despite the epic sweep of this story, they didn't expect it to sell. (Also, "serious" dramas were often done in B&W.) It fits very well in black and white, both with it being set in the 1920s, and much of its story line is dark.
Tyrone Power does some of his best acting work in this film. Perhaps his military service deepened him, or the story line seemed more important and personal to him, but I believed his quest for something beyond the conventional, comfortable life. Unfortunately, as a fan of Gene Tierney, I find this her worst work. Even at her best she can be alittle blank, but here, a level of mental machinery is required of this manipulative, calculating character, and we are left always seeing only an beautiful empty surface. Her eyes betray no inner life. And yet, as soon as you dismiss her as an empty shell, she will have a really lovely moment of total truth, ususally in the most odd places. She is perfectly cast as the pampered, narrow minded patrician. She does look a bit like Kathryn Hepburn, who was considered for the role, but determined to not have enough charm - and it is true. Hepburn in this role would have had more fire and spirit, but not this genteel icy sweetness. We do see why he loves her inspite of knowing how rotten she is.
Contrast Tierney's blankness with a very young Anne Baxter who has a very demanding role; first mousy and insecure, heartbroken and heartbreaking, and then alcoholic and defeated. She did deserve an award for her work here, and it should have been a lesson for the mannered, self-conscious diva she became in her later work. This is some of her best, risk taking, work. In a role that could have been a wallpaper tearing scene stealer, she is very contained and her struggle is with herself, inside.
I saw the version with Bill Murray when it was in theatres. I understood completely why he would want to make it, and he simply was not right for the role, not his acting ability, nor his personal qualities. Tyrone Power, usually too pretty, hits just the right notes. It is worth mentioning that the studio fought constantly to take religion out of this story which, ultimately, is about a religious quest - the way to live a life of meaning and rightness. The resulting restraint, as with many classics, work in its favor.
The commentary is very good on this DVD, discussing details like the long takes of the director, and how that influenced all the technical aspects, from lighting to acting style. But the overwhelming stand out of this film is the story. Thoughtful, different, and interesting, it overcomes any elements of dated presentation to make it remain a classic worth continued viewing.

The Razor's Edge takes an unusual theme and manages to turn it into a terrific drama. Tyrone Power stars as a war veteran who can't seem to find his purpose in life. Whether he's searching for the meaning of life, or to understand the reason why he is on Earth, he goes on a journey (externally and internally) to understand the bigger picture. That's a pretty lofty theme, but it is well played out and may leave the viewer asking themselves a few questions, too. Gene Tierney stars as the girl who loves him, but can't understand what he's all about. Anne Baxter gives a great performance as Tierney's friend, who through personal tragedy, turns to alcohol and loses all purpose in her life. Clifton Webb is Tierney's uncle, a man who exists to enjoy the pleasures of life and who is only concerned with society and appearances. This is certainly an odd film to have come out of Hollywood in the 1940s, but with its good performances and production values, it is surprisingly enjoyable.

This inspiring film bears repeated viewings. Five stars, 5 reasons:

1. It is UNIQUE. No other A-list Hollywood film of the era, to my knowledge, (and few since) specifically portrayed a man's quest for spiritual truth as the central plot. A handful, such as Capra's "Lost Horizon" and "Wonderful Life," have heroes who stumble upon spiritual truth, but they don't spend the entire film rejecting conventional values solely in order to undergo a philosophical quest. Later period films such as "A Man Called Peter" and "A Nun's Story" frame their spiritual quests within strictly Christian contexts; many others offer Christianity within war stories or adventure tales ("Joan of Arc" -- "Ben-Hur" -- etc). Since "Razor's Edge" conspicuously lacks these typical story values, it is astonishing that this film got made at all...just slightly less unlikely than if MGM had decided to turn "Thus Spake Zarathustra" into a movie.

2. It's a glossy, prestige production of a novel of artistic merit. Reviewers here offer mixed opinions on how faithful to the book it is; I say it's a superb adaptation. Larry, the central character, is off-stage for much of the book; the screenplay puts him front and center and dramatizes his quest. That necessitates invention, but to my mind the film's additions were faithful to the book's spirit. For fans of the Campbell-Vogler "Hero of a Thousand Faces" paradigm, it's intriguing to see how "Razor" fits that dramatic structure perfectly.

3. The portrayal of Larry's spiritual quest, his questions and the nature of the answers he finds, are indeed left a bit vague but that's a strength, not a weakness. First, it meant Fox avoided provoking the Bible Belt of that day. More importantly, Speilberg and Kubrick kept the godlike aliens of "Close Encounters" and "2001" vague for the same reasons -- it's hard to portray the transcendent convincingly on screen.

4. Some viewers complain that since Larry achieves enlightenment halfway thru the film, there's no real drama once he comes down from the mountaintop and rejoins society. Au contraire; although Larry is not tempted by Isabel's maneuvering, he does try to save a few souls (or at least heal a few wounded hearts) and he sees two good people die. Antagonist Isabel commits murder, or its moral equivalent, to win Larry and fails. Pretty dramatic stuff.

5. Although dated by contemporary sensibilities, the acting -- photography -- sets -- costumes -- and music are just plain terrific for fans of old school Hollywood at its finest.

I've taught this film in colleges for thirty-plus years. Even back at the earliest screenings, traditional-aged freshmen had trouble with it (a) because it was in b&w, and (b) because the dimensional characters didn't telegraph plot advancement but instead used irony, wit, or assumptions that would later be proven wrong by subsequent events.
The first of these objections stunned me when they couldn't appreciate Gene Tierney descending the stairs to seduce "Larry" in a gown relegated to grays. The second objection (young auduence confusion) just made me sad about the impact of television ... but you already know that story.
As with Hollywood's THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, released in during the same general period, I personally appreciate the "epic scope" of the narrative, enhanced by remarkable set direction detail. And I appreciate even more the depth-of-focus photography in both of these films, which enriches viewing by sharp images at several planes of action within the frame. It's a story well-told at the visual level.
I've read complaints about Tyrone Power's "dated" acting in this performance, NIGHTMARE ALLEY, etc. But again, I suspect this is from a generation more comfortable with MTV editing than with theatre as an entertainment criterion. Power is given a series of difficult monologues to recite about uncinematic spiritual/ philosophical themes, and he pulls each off brilliantly. As with Olivier's opening scene in RICHARD III, it's interesting to watch how these monologues have been directed to use a pacing movement of the actor within the frame as a "paragraphing" punctuation. The lengthy, uninterrupted takes and consequent fluidity of camera movement within these shots not only enhances the impact of the monologues but also makes sly commentary on characters/ themes as continuous camera includes other characters in medium close-ups.
Herbert Marshall's Maugham is interesting and underplayed almost as masterfully as Cedrick Hardwicke's performance of "goodness personified" in ROPE. The close-ups of "Maugham's" eyes to communicate ironic plot points may seem obtrusive, but they're true to Maugham's voice in the novel.
Further, they emphasize the ill-advised decision to omit this narrator's perspective in Murray's hapless remake. That later film fails in no small part because the female characters are virtually indistinguishable visually, and because the studio (which only made the film to entice Murray to make GHOSTBUSTERS II) invested no interest in producing a good movie script. Pity, since Murray could have done okay.
Two less successful scenes in the 40s version are the "Baby!" hospital melodrama and the ashram Jehovah sequences (not including the remarkably visual spiritual moment in the mountains). But the supporting cast remains superb throughout--especially the bracing comedy of Webb and Lancaster, and the moving subtlety of John Payne and Lucille Watson.
Tierney's richest moments are linked to the plot: "That's all right, Larry. It might be less than a year"; the wedding announcement over the phone; the camera-narrated scene where Isabel "seduces" Larry's fiancee; and, of course, the climax with Larry at the end. And, by the way, she's as gorgeous as Tyrone Power!
How much more value can one expect from an entertainment that succeeds so well with complex, mature themes of spiritual redemption in a society of capitalist myopia?

This is my favorite movie of all time. It is intellectually, artistically, soulfully, authentic, honest, rare, uplifting, and truly divine. A masterpiece.

BRAVO!

Krystyna
Virginia Beach
www.krystynavabeach.com
www.loveabye.com
www.ceb-associates.com

The Razors Edge: Not to be confused with the painfully hideous of the same name re-make with of all people, Bill Murray. Based on an apparently true story from W. Somerset Maughm, you will see Gene Tierney at her ultimate best acting and with a magnificant overbite and figure which is astonishing.
Including, Herbert Marshall, Tyronne Power and Clifton Webb; a fabulous story and they too are also at their absolute best. I think Ann Baxter won a Best-Supp Act Oscar for one of her earliest films.
I believe this to be one of the best ever made, along with The Best Years Of Our Lives, etc. Like a rare good book, you can't put it down. Fantastic musical score.

FORGET THAT THIS MOVIE IS 58 YEARS OLD! THAT IS MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY! IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE MESSAGE,THE STORY CENTENT, THE CINEMATOGRAPHY,THE CLOSEUPS,THE LIGHTING,THOSE INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL EYES OF GENE TIERNEY AND THE ENDLESS LIFE SEARCHING OF TYRONE POWER'S CHARACTER.THIS MOVIE WILL SNAGE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN IMPOSSIBLE LOVE AFFAIRS AND THOSE THAT HAVE KNOWN TRAGEDY. THOSE THAT HAVE EVER HAD A DEEP THOUGHT ABOUT THE MEANING OF LIFE OR THEIR PLACE IN THE WORLD WILL HAVE A SPECIAL FEELING FOR THIS MOVIE.CRITICISM OF THIS MOVIE BASED ON 2004 STANDARDS OF ACTING, SET DESIGN AND STORY CONTENT IS PETULANT AND INAPPROPRIATE.IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS MOVIE YOU WILL HAVE CONFIRMED ICEWATER IN YOUR VEINS! PUT YOURSELF IN 1946.IT WILL BE A PLEASANT JOURNEY AWAY FROM THE VULGAR TRASH THAT HOLLYWOOD GRINDS OUT THESE DAYS.