Thursday, May 4, 2023

Fox’s Faithful Rendition of ‘The Razor’s Edge’ 1946


Gene Tierney & Tyrone Power are the well-cast leads in the 1946 all-star version
of "The Razor's Edge."


The Razor’s Edge from 1946 is remarkably faithful to W. Somerset Maugham’s best-seller, with many key passages of dialogue lifted directly from the book. While movie adaptations still run roughshod over their source novels, back in the golden era, studios were even cavalier with movie versions. The smart movie makers knew to adhere to the story as much as possible, as David Selznick did with Gone with the Wind and Rebecca.

Studio head Darryl F. Zanuck personally oversaw the production of 1946's
"The Razor's Edge."

20th Century Fox head honcho Darryl F. Zanuck was intrigued by the public’s response to W. Somerset Maugham’s spiritual best-seller. The autobiographical novel’s hero is questioning life after WWI and no doubt mirrored many readers’ feelings after WWII. Star Tyrone Power, having just served in the war, felt a similar chord regarding this work.

Lovers Isabel & Larry can't reconcile their opposite worlds in "The Razor's Edge."

Reading the source novel of The Razor’s Edge, one can see how well Fox cast the film. Larry Darrell is described as dark, slim, with incredibly striking dark eyes. Rich girl Isabel, once she loses her youthful baby fat, is described as sleek and sensual with striking hazel eyes, like Gene Tierney. The stylish society snob, Elliot Templeton, is a great role for Clifton Webb. And tragic Sophie, who’s described as attractive but not beautiful, is fiercely played by young Anne Baxter. Her volatile character is played just as she’s described in the novel. Herbert Marshall makes a most urbane author as M. Somerset Maugham. The only dud is John Payne as Isabel’s “regular guy” husband, Gray. While pleasant enough in musicals and comedies, Payne’s out of his league here.

Tyrone Power's Larry Darrell, both fresh out of the service, in "The Razor's Edge."

The Razor’s Edge was filmed April through July of '46. Power went into the production right out of the service and turned 32 during filming on May 5. Tyrone is at the peak of his male beauty, charm and sensitivity, and with the gravity of having just served in the war. While Power’s seeking Larry Darrell is the mouth piece for the film’s spiritual philosophies, Tyrone is much more natural and convincing than when Gary Cooper looked most uncomfortable reciting Ayn Rand’s beliefs in 1949’s The Fountainhead. When one compares Power to MGM’s robotic Robert Taylor, Tyrone had a genuine quality that complemented his talents and great looks. Director Edmund Goulding also guided Ty through another challenging role, in 1947’s Nightmare Alley.

Tyrone Power as Larry Darrell, after he's sought spiritual enlightenment.


Gene Tierney was 25 during filming and Anne Baxter turned 23 just two days after Power's birthday. It is incredible how actresses back then seemed more womanly, while so young. Tierney is incredibly sophisticated as Isabel and Baxter looks older than her years as working class girl Sophie, who hits the skids after suffering great personal tragedy.

Gene Tierney & Anne Baxter as younger Isabel & Sophie, in "The Razor's Edge."

Gene Tierney was not a highly praised actress in her time. And Gene got some sharp critical jabs in The Razor’s Edge, but I think Tierney's terrific as Isabel. And it's a well-rounded character, not one-dimensional and softened. Gene plays the bright and charming, but self-centered rich girl pitch perfect.

Gene Tierney wows as Isabel, on her last night with Larry, in "The Razor's Edge."

Clifton Webb, while he gets to be the acerbic scene-stealer in a number of scenes, per usual, he also gets to be generous and good-humored. Webb’s deathbed scene surprised me in his touching emotionalism, as the social snob who sobbingly acknowledges that he’s been forgotten by his in-crowd. 

Clifton Webb is genuinely moving in his final scene from "The Razor's Edge."

Herbert Marshall is empathetic, but with dry humor, as author Maugham. Marshall had quite an association with screen works of W. Somerset Maugham, appearing in Garbo’s The Painted Veil, with Bette Davis in The Letter, and George Sanders in The Moon and Sixpence.

Herbert Marshall is W. Somerset Maugham, the author of "The Razor's Edge."


The Razor’s Edge is an intelligent, adult adaptation, though tweaked somewhat to be studio movie-friendly.  Zanuck and those involved in the production put great effort into this film. Edmund Goulding, who directed literate fare such as Grand Hotel, does a great job balancing movie style without letting it take over the film’s story. Since the movie was filmed immediately after WWII, location shooting was out of the question. The production offers a convincing depiction of Paris and other locales, without being obvious—like plunking a landscape of the Eiffel Tower outside of Larry’s apartment window!

Anne Baxter is startling as Sophie, who can't overcome tragedy in "The Razor's Edge."

It’s interesting to compare Power in The Razor's Edge with The Sun Also Rises, two literary Darryl F. Zanuck super productions just over a decade apart. But the difference between Power then and later is a shock. It's really a shame that they didn't film Sun right after Razor.

Gene Tierney's Isabel later looks at Anne Baxter's Sophie as an adversary in 1946's
 "The Razor's Edge."

The comparison to The Sun Also Rises is similar in their lead characters. Both male leads have suffered in WWI, leaving them at odds with the tantalizing women they love.

Also, there’s great similarity in characters between The Razor’s Edge and The Great Gatsby: lone wolfs Larry and Jay; society belles Isabel and Daisy; tragic Sophie and Myrtle; Gray as a nicer Tom Buchanan; and Maugham as the outsider observer, like Nick Carraway. They're variations of certain character archetypes. And wouldn't Tyrone and Gene have made a marvelous Jay and Daisy, as well? Finally, Tierney’s Isabel has a bit of Scarlett O’ Hara in her makeup, willing to be tough as a means to an end. And Power’s Larry is a bit of Rhett and Ashley!

Larry’s transformation is very detailed in the book version of The Razor’s Edge, but the movie does a skillful job of skimming his spiritual change. Both the novel and the ’46 adaptation of The Razor’s Edge are very worthwhile, indeed.

Tyrone Power at his peak, as Larry Darrell, in 1946's "The Razor's Edge."

Tyrone Power in his personal favorite role as a carny con man in the cult classic, 1947’s Nightmare Alley. My take here:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2022/01/tyrone-powers-personal-best-nightmare.html

Here’s my look at Gene Tierney in her signature role, as 1944’s Laura:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2018/04/laura-1944.html

20th Century Fox does justice to W. Somerset Maugham's "The Razor's Edge."


13 comments:

  1. Nice review Rick. Now I have to watch the movie which I don't think I ever saw. Tierney and Power were such beautiful people. Tierney had such a sad life and Power died so young. Perhaps they would have done a fine job as Jay and Daisy. Hollywood never did seem to get the story right. Anne Baxter was such a terrific actress and I always enjoyed watching Clifton Webb.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Bizz! Nice to see you post here. It's a worthwhile movie, about people seeking happiness during turbulent times. The book is very good, too. And yes, they've never gotten Gatsby right! Cheers, Rick

      Delete
  2. I enjoyed your write-up, Rick -- you've made me want to read the source novel! I hadn't realized how young Tierney and Baxter were here -- amazing! And so interesting that Edmund Goulding directed Tyrone Power in what I consider to be two of the best performances of his career.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Karen, thank you! I thought the novel was terrific reading with something to say about people reacting to traumatic times! Goulding directed some of the smarter Hollywood era movies, including Grand Hotel. And yes, I agree regarding Ty! Cheers, Rick

      Delete
  3. Nice summation, I think Gene Tierney and Tyrone Power were perfect in their roles and Anne Baxter was superb as usual. Unusually deep film for its time but you can't go wrong with such excellent source material.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you and agree about the movie and the source material! Rick

      Delete
  4. I love the film. I think Gene Tierney is terrific as Isabel. Costumes designed by her then husband Oleg Cassini also helped to add that extra layer of elegance and sophistication. While I liked Tyrone Power, I do feel his character is a bit colorless.His spiritual awakening is not particularly engaging and slowed the picture down a bit. Without Tyrone Powers' star persona, it might not have worked at all. I do wonder how the 1940's audience perceived Clifton Webb's character who is obvious gay. Do they just see him as a Clifton Webb type of roles ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, great comments! I thought the movie had a rather European feel, more adult for the era. I thought Tierney was just fine, too. And I thought Tyrone was much like Larry in the book, an enigma. As for Webb, he was a surprisingly popular star character actor for Fox. I think smarter audiences caught on, but the majority just thought of his as a comic sissy actor. Plus, he was just so sharp and funny. Cheers, Rick

      Delete
    2. Thank you for your kind words. The main reason that thr 1980's remake with Bill Murray flopped was that the audience just could not accept the smart ass and wisecracking Bill Murray from the Saturday Night Lives playing a character seeking spiritual salvation. As for Clifton Webb, he does not get enough credit for being able to stretch his persona wide enough to play convincingly romantic interest, husband and father.

      Delete
    3. Really love this film and review.

      Delete
    4. Thank you! I enjoyed the movie and book of "The Razor's Edge."

      Delete
  5. Love your review's insights! I wonder if there was ever any discussion of having Tyrone's hair more "hippie" style when he first returns from India. The dialogue that he had better cut his hair made it all the more obvious that he still looked fairly clean cut, though they allowed him a five o'clock shadow. Also, I haven't read the book yet. Was his guru in the book of Indian descent? Was there a suggestion of drugs involved in Larry's epiphany? Was there more to Larry's talents than hypnosis? Did he learn meditation? Change his diet? Just curious. I guess I need to read the novel, lol!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I read the book after watching the movie. I don't recall Larry having long hair but was a bit scruffy from his travels. In the novel, he was a bit of a spartan to start out with, out of sync with the American post-WWI crowd and then the Roaring '20s. He was constantly learning, trying to understand, and yes meditated, too. The movie is remarkably faithful to the book, but the novel is more fleshed out, and Larry in the book looks a lot like Power: dark, slim, and understated but strong in his personality. Worth a read! Cheers, Rick

      Delete