William Somerset Maugham was one of England's greatest popular novelists in the 20th Century. He's still among the most read of the 20th Century novelists, with Orwell, Woolf, Greene, Waugh, Amis, and many others. But he is not considered (outside of his OF HUMAN BONDAGE) a very deep novelist. His best work illustrates personality or areas of life, like the world of English letters (in CAKES AND ALE). When he tried to be "deep" he had mixed results. His best known misfire on this was his attempt to discuss religious spirituality in THE RAZOR'S EDGE. Written after World War I, he was trying to discuss how a survivor of the killing fields of France goes into the East (i.e. Asia) to recover the needed religious basis for his life that the senseless slaughter in Europe destroyed. As a counterpoint to this search by the hero Larry Darrell, we are shown the shallow, materialistic lives of Larry's lover Isabel, and her socialite uncle Elliott.
Basically, Elliott (who never thought highly of Larry even before this search for spiritual purity) encourages Isabel to dump Larry and marry stock broker Gray Manturin (John Payne). She does this, especially when she finds that Larry is more interested in his spiritual quest than in her. The marriage does produce one child, but it is not a very close one. As for Elliott, he moves to France, and hobnobs with the ultra-snob set on the Riviera in the 1920s. He shows great concern about his clothing (does the sash of his robe properly sway as he moves or does it bobble?). He is into enjoying the finer things in life, like Polish liquors. And Larry? He finds contentment after going to India and finding inner wisdom.
So who turns out to be the happier? Maugham is good enough a writer to make the personalities of his characters interesting. Elliott (played deliciously by Clifton Webb as the ultimate snob) is made to look shallow and ridiculous and "bitchy" but relatively harmless. Isabel is far worse. Larry's attempts to help his old friend Sophie (Anne Baxter) who is a recovering alcoholic after tragedy. He announces they will be marrying. Isabel (Gene Tierney) sets up Sophie's low esteem and then allows her to get drunk - which leads to a second tragedy).
At the end, Isabel is resigned to remain married to Gary, although she may begin an affair with neighbor Somerset Maugham (Herbert Marshall). Elliott gets the highest recognition of his lifetime before he leaves the scene. And Larry - he's determined to continue his life of good deeds from now on.
As you can see, the real issues of religious revivalism and spirituality are barely touched. Larry finds a secret - and he is a changed man. But so what! We don't know what the secret is. I doubt if Maugham did.
Tyrone Power had been begging Darryl Zanuch for more meaty acting roles - less adventure parts. He did not realize that his acting skills in adventure films like JESSIE JAMES and THE BLACK SWAN were quite good ones, and that those roles were more realistic than this. But he acquits himself well, despite the real emptiness of the character. The real characters who bring the story to life are Webb's, Tierney's, Baxter's (an Oscar winning performance), and Elsa Lanchester in a nice cameo. This is the best version of THE RAZOR'S EDGE...but that does not say too much.
Basically, Elliott (who never thought highly of Larry even before this search for spiritual purity) encourages Isabel to dump Larry and marry stock broker Gray Manturin (John Payne). She does this, especially when she finds that Larry is more interested in his spiritual quest than in her. The marriage does produce one child, but it is not a very close one. As for Elliott, he moves to France, and hobnobs with the ultra-snob set on the Riviera in the 1920s. He shows great concern about his clothing (does the sash of his robe properly sway as he moves or does it bobble?). He is into enjoying the finer things in life, like Polish liquors. And Larry? He finds contentment after going to India and finding inner wisdom.
So who turns out to be the happier? Maugham is good enough a writer to make the personalities of his characters interesting. Elliott (played deliciously by Clifton Webb as the ultimate snob) is made to look shallow and ridiculous and "bitchy" but relatively harmless. Isabel is far worse. Larry's attempts to help his old friend Sophie (Anne Baxter) who is a recovering alcoholic after tragedy. He announces they will be marrying. Isabel (Gene Tierney) sets up Sophie's low esteem and then allows her to get drunk - which leads to a second tragedy).
At the end, Isabel is resigned to remain married to Gary, although she may begin an affair with neighbor Somerset Maugham (Herbert Marshall). Elliott gets the highest recognition of his lifetime before he leaves the scene. And Larry - he's determined to continue his life of good deeds from now on.
As you can see, the real issues of religious revivalism and spirituality are barely touched. Larry finds a secret - and he is a changed man. But so what! We don't know what the secret is. I doubt if Maugham did.
Tyrone Power had been begging Darryl Zanuch for more meaty acting roles - less adventure parts. He did not realize that his acting skills in adventure films like JESSIE JAMES and THE BLACK SWAN were quite good ones, and that those roles were more realistic than this. But he acquits himself well, despite the real emptiness of the character. The real characters who bring the story to life are Webb's, Tierney's, Baxter's (an Oscar winning performance), and Elsa Lanchester in a nice cameo. This is the best version of THE RAZOR'S EDGE...but that does not say too much.