The Razor's Edge Blu-ray Review
Fox Studio Classics
Score: 53
from 2 reviewers
Review Date:
The Razor’s Edge features a unique, literate story and great performances but is marred by some stiffness, pacing issues, and subpar video quality on Blu-ray.
Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 56
The Razor's Edge Blu-ray presentation by 20th Century Fox features a 1080p AVC encoded transfer in a 1.34:1 aspect ratio, offering pleasing clarity, contrast, and excellent black levels with natural grain and minimal compression issues, despite minor flaws like dust and scratches from the source material.
Audio: 61
The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track on 'The Razor's Edge' delivers clear, well-modulated sound with excellent fidelity and tonal depth, though it may sound slightly dry and shallow due to the age of the soundtrack. Dialogue is easy to comprehend, and ambient effects like rain and waves are effectively presented.
Extra: 26
The audio commentary by Anthony Slide and Robert Birchard, including trivia on the 100-day shoot and personal details of the crew, is marred by inaccuracies and gaps. The Blu-ray includes informative 480i Fox Movietone News segments showcasing W. Somerset Maugham and the film's lavish New York City premiere.
Movie: 66
The Blu-ray of 'The Razor's Edge' showcases impeccable production values and a star-studded cast, but it fails to convey the depth and soul of Maugham's novel, with Lamar Trotti's screenplay reducing its impactful themes to a shallow narrative. Despite the opulence, elegance, and technical grace, the movie remains surprisingly soulless.
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Video: 56
The Razor's Edge is presented on Blu-ray by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in a 1.34:1 aspect ratio. This high-definition transfer displays remarkable clarity and sharpness, capturing every detail with pleasing precision. While overall presentation quality remains commendable, it is evident that the source material utilized introduces some minor imperfections such as dust, dirt, scratches, and occasional density fluctuations. These imperfections are mostly negligible and rarely distract from the viewing experience. The grain structure has been preserved well, offering a natural and authentic replication of the original celluloid feel. Additionally, contrast and black levels deliver excellent performance with rich blacks and crisp whites, avoiding any notable compression issues due to ample room on the BD-50 disc.
However, despite these positive attributes, some aspects of the transfer reflect a certain dullness that belies the film's grand production value. The transfer seems to be an upscaled version of the previous DVD release from the Fox Studio Classics Series, lacking the vibrancy one might expect from scenes set in picturesque locales like the Riviera and Himalayas. The carefully crafted cinematography by Oscar-winner Arthur Miller still manages to shine through, particularly in close-ups that capture iconic glamor and detailed character portrayals. From the inky black evening wear to weathered visages, the imagery maintains a certain elegance amidst intermittent imperfections. Overall, while this Blu-ray transfer might fall short of fans' high expectations, its inherent visual beauty and authenticity are effectively preserved, making it a valuable addition for film enthusiasts.
Audio: 61
The audio presentation of "The Razor's Edge" on Blu-ray showcases a robust DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track. This presentation maintains high clarity and captures the delicate nuances of the dialogue, surfacing without distortion or age-related defects like hiss or pops. The soundtrack’s fidelity and tonal richness lend an impressive depth to Alfred Newman's lush, romantic score, enabling it to fill the room with ease. Ambient effects, including rain and crashing waves, are reproduced with precision, complementing the moments and immersing viewers effectively in the atmospheric scenes.
Despite its strengths, the track does reveal its age through a somewhat shallow and dry texture, especially noticeable in orchestral cues. Nevertheless, these minor limitations do not impair the overall listening experience. The audio remains devoid of damage, ensuring dialogue and sound effects are comprehensible and engaging. The track's overall balance and lack of distortion help it sound far younger than its years, contributing to an immersive and pleasurable audio experience.
Extras: 26
The Blu Ray of "The Razor's Edge" offers a limited but compelling set of extras that appeal to both casual viewers and film historians. The commentary by historians Anthony Slide and Robert S. Birchard is notably detailed, covering a variety of topics from the 100-day shooting schedule to personal anecdotes and the controversial private lives of the production team. However, the commentary's impact is somewhat lessened by occasional inaccuracies and gaps. Additionally, the vintage newsreel clips present a nostalgic look at the film’s historical context, including W. Somerset Maugham’s Library of Congress presentation and highlights from the New York premiere, featuring appearances by prominent figures of the time.
Extras included in this disc:
- Commentary by Anthony Slide and Robert Birchard: Detailed discussion on film production and personal lives of key figures
- Vintage Newsreel Clips: Historical footage including Maugham’s Library of Congress presentation and New York premiere highlights
Movie: 66
"The Razor's Edge" is a thought-provoking film adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's novel, tapping into the era's post-war existential dilemmas. Edmund Goulding directs with a meticulous hand, providing a visual feast that features stunning performances by Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney. However, the screenplay by Lamar Trotti tends to dilute Maugham's deeper philosophical inquiries into the meaning of life, leaving audiences to wade through superficial elements to grasp the story's profound messages.
Larry Darrell, played by Power, embarks on a spiritual quest after World War I, rejecting materialism and societal expectations. This anti-materialistic stance starkly contrasts with characters like Isabel Bradley, played by Tierney, who embodies the post-war consumerist ethos. Power's portrayal of Larry's serene and almost Christ-like journey offers a compelling, albeit somewhat flat performance. Tierney, on the other hand, navigates her character's transformation from socialite to embittered spouse adeptly.
Anne Baxter shines as Sophie MacDonald, delivering an Oscar-winning performance as a tragic figure battling alcoholism and grief. Supporting roles by Clifton Webb and Herbert Marshall add layers of complexity but struggle under Goulding’s leisurely pacing and the script’s verbosity. While "The Razor’s Edge" boasts impeccable production values and technical grace, it often falls short of emotional resonance and impact, rendering it a beautifully crafted yet somewhat hollow exploration of spiritual enlightenment and human struggles in the pursuit of inner peace.
Total: 53
"The Razor's Edge" Blu-ray release presents an ambitious adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's celebrated novel, characterized by its emphasis on spiritual enlightenment over material accumulation. The film exhibits remarkable production values and an attempted depth that is partially captured through superb cinematography and a strong audio track. However, the video quality sometimes falls short, lacking the sharpness and clarity that may be expected from a high-definition remaster. Supplementary features are notably sparse, offering limited additional content to enhance the viewer's experience.
Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney lead the cast, embodying Hollywood glamour with their striking screen presence. Nonetheless, Power’s somewhat wooden performance and Tierney’s icy characterization contribute to an overall stiffness that occasionally undermines the film's emotional resonance. While the plot occasionally suffers from indulgent pacing, "The Razor's Edge" does feature poignant moments and compelling interactions that explore profound themes of human connection and self-discovery. Despite these inconsistencies, the film's intelligent dialogue and premium attributes provide a rich backdrop for this classic tale.
It would probably be a bit facile to say they don’t make 'em like this one anymore, except that they of course did try to make 'em like this, at least with regard to the underwhelming Bill Murray version, as well as any number of other films (especially some in the 1960s and 1970s) which tried to emulate Maugham’s path of spiritual enlightenment whilst living (to quote a certain Madonna) in a material world. What's fascinating about "The Razor's Edge" is how prescient it is with regard to the lure of Eastern mysticism, as well as the then perhaps radical notion that amassing a pile of things might not be the ultimate meaning of life. Unusually literate and filled with great performances, "The Razor's Edge" is a very unique and distinctive film, and its debut on Blu-ray should be welcomed by pilgrims and high definition enthusiasts alike. Highly recommended.
Blu-ray.com review by Jeffrey KauffmanRead review here
Video: 80
Grain is intact and resolves very naturally and with plenty of room on a BD-50 with only a few (SD) supplements to take up real estate, there are no compression issues of any note....
Audio: 70
While there's no damage per se, the age of the soundtrack is readily apparent, especially in the cues of Alfred Newman (and an apparently uncredited Edmund Goulding)....
Extras: 40
While there's a bit of "dead air" throughout this commentary, Slide and Birchard offer a lot of sometimes picayune detail about the production, including some of Zanuck's battles to keep the film from...
Movie: 80
Daryl F. Zanuck evidently well understood the book's kind of counterculture thesis, but apparently was more bothered by some of the first treatments for a screenplay which (to Zanuck's mind, anyway) were...
Total: 80
It would probably be a bit facile to say "they don't make 'em like this one anymore," except that they of course did try to make 'em like this, at least with regard to the underwhelming Bill Murray version,...
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 60
Pleasing clarity and contrast levels, as well as a finely woven grain structure that replicates the feel of celluloid, produce a slick, watchable image, but the source material shows some noticeable wear,...
Audio: 80
Excellent fidelity and tonal depth distinguish the lush strains of Alfred Newman's romantic score, which fills the room with ease, and all the dialogue, most of which is delivered in measured, soft-spoken...
Extras: 20
The duo relays plenty of interesting trivia, citing, among other things, the 100-day shooting schedule as the longest of any Fox film to date, Tierney's affair with a young John F. Kennedy that occurred...
Movie: 60
A stronger director might have been able to endow the story with more power and a greater sense of meaning, but Goulding, who specialized in so-called women's pictures (he also directed the Oscar-winning...
Total: 60
Beauty is only skin deep, or so the saying goes, and despite lofty intentions, eye-popping production values, and a substantive, meaningful story by one of the world's most renowned authors, the ambitious...
Director: Edmund Goulding
Actors: Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, John Payne
PlotLarry Darrell, an American pilot traumatized by his experiences in World War I, embarks on a quest for meaning and spiritual fulfillment. He spurns the conventional path of wealth and social status coveted by his fiancée, Isabel Bradley, and instead travels to Paris, where he engages in bohemian life and studies philosophy. His search for enlightenment takes him further to India, where he seeks wisdom from a Hindu sage. Meanwhile, back in America, Isabel marries Larry's best friend, Gray Maturin, who faces financial ruin during the Great Depression.
As years pass, Larry returns to Paris and encounters his old friends whose lives have sharply diverged. Isabel struggles with her lingering feelings for Larry, despite her prosperous but troubled marriage to Gray. Larry also reconnects with Sophie MacDonald, a childhood acquaintance who has spiraled into despair after personal tragedies. Determined to find inner peace and help his friends heal, Larry's journey becomes intertwined with their fates, showcasing the stark contrasts between material wealth and spiritual riches.
Writers: Lamar Trotti, W. Somerset Maugham, Darryl F. Zanuck
Release Date: 25 Dec 1946
Runtime: 145 min
Rating: Approved
Country: United States
Language: English, French