Somerset maugham, about a mans journey from shallow youth, through war and depression, to selfdiscovery and spiritual redemption. What other book might you compare razors edge to and why. Differences between the razors edge book vs movie page 1. The book siddhartha and the movie the razor s edge are two similar yet different stories. Bill murray was a fan of both the book and movie versions of the razors edge. Both films follow the quest of a young man named larry to find lifes meaning. A comparison of the book siddhartha and the movie the.
Its epigraph reads, the sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass overthus the wise say the path to salvation is hard, taken from a verse in the kathaupanishad. That competition was not there when the story first. Inside youll find 30 daily lessons, 20 fun activities, 180 multiple choice questions, 60 short essay questions, 20 essay questions. Sources differ as to whether maugham purchased a matisse or a monet but. How to discuss a book helpful discussion tips generic discussion questionsfiction and nonfiction readthinktalk a guided reading chart also consider these litlovers talking points to help get a discussion started for the razor s edge 1. What does january lavoy bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book. How to discuss a book helpful discussion tips generic discussion questionsfiction and nonfiction readthinktalk a guided reading chart also consider these litlovers talking points to help get a discussion started for the razors edge 1. He takes a job as a fish packer and reads a lot of books in his spare time. There are numerous differences from the novel, but the film is interesting and touches upon philosophical issues in life related to ones choices. The razors edge tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by his experiences in world war i, who sets off. Set in chicago, paris, and india in the 1920s and 30s, it involves characters. The razors edge lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles.
Written by guinness world record holder john juranitch, it contains all the knowledge and insights gained during his more than 45 years in the sharpening industry. First impression of this vanguard library edition not the true first. It tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by. When isabel arrives to take him back to america, she finds him to be a different man.
The razor s edge quotes showing of 7 youre beginning to dislike me, arent you. On the fringe of chicagos social elite, larry serves in a wwi ambulance crew and returns traumatized by his experience. Cambridge university press, 1983 and the imperial animal holt, rinehart and winston, 1970. Somerset maughams the razors edge 1944 was adapted for film in 1946 and 1984. The great war changed everything and everyone, and larry darrell is no exception. The razors edge follows the spiritual and physical journey of larry darrell, a sensitive, intelligent young man who refuses to conform to the prevailing social norms of postworld war i america. An article that compares both versions of the razors edge. Maugham was seventy years old when the book was published, and it. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the razors edge by w. The razors edge william somerset maugham the razors edge is a novel by w. He is university professor of social theory at rutgers university, new brunswick, nj 089011414.
The novels title comes from a translation of a verse in the katha upanishad, paraphrased in the books epigraph as. He founded the rutgers anthropology department in 1967, and is the author of kinship and marriage penguin, 1967. If i was told to read the razors edge specifically and watch the film over a decade ago then that would have saved a lot of time. It tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by his experiences in world war i, who sets off in.
Both in the book and in the 1946 production of the razors edge, larry darrells search for inner peace after experiencing traumas during wwi rings true to life. The razors edge the razors edge has been made twice. The main characters of these stories are very different people, yet they are in search of similar goals. Tyrone powers thoughtful portrayal illuminates the tragedies that darrell experienced during that horrific war that propelled his inner struggles. Its epigraph reads, the sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over. He had originally wanted to become a doctor, but decided that the art of writing was his true calling. The razors edge quotes showing of 7 youre beginning to dislike me, arent you. Somerset maugham takes a special interest in owing to the possibility that long after larry has lived and died the world may realize that there lived in this age a very remarkable creature. Whats the difference between the razors edge the book and the razors edge the movie. I wanted to see the film because of the famous cast all stars, with baxter having won the academy award for best supporting actress, the interesting topic, and i wanted to read this book for 2 reasons.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be. With backdrops of paris, the riviera and india, theres a faint whiff of the bohemian to larry and to tragic poet sophie, but the characters have no affectations. The second one was finished in 1984, directed by john byrum and played with the famous actor that we know, bill murray. It was adapted for the screen twice, once in a 1946 film starring tyrone power and again in a 1984 film starring bill murray the protagonist, larry darrell, starts as a materialistic and idealistic young man that volunteers. Instead of marrying a rich, pretty chicago girl, he goes to paris searching for answers to questions about man, god and the meaning of life. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of maughams most brillant characters his fiancee isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and. Celia copplestone is a uniquely spiritual person surrounded by a group of people who have no notion. When larry darrell tyrone power returns home from the fields of world war i, he grows.
The novel is concerned in large part with the search for the meaning of life and with the dichotomy between materialism and spirituality. Perhaps the book was simply better timed than the film. Each these two works explore mans search for truth, self, and lifes true meaning. The book was twice adapted into film, first in 1946 starring tyrone power and gene tierney, and herbert marshall as maugham and anne baxter as sophie, and then a 1984 adaptation starring bill murray.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Somerset maugham, first published by doubleday doran in the united states in 1944, relates the experiences of a world war i pilot, larry darrell, who chooses to embrace a countercultural lifestyle as a way of dealing with his ptsd, though the syndrome is of course not identified as such in the book. When ninja gaiden 3 originally released on xbox 360 and ps3, it wasnt without its flaws. Approved 2h 25min drama, romance 25 december 1946 usa an adventuresome young man goes off to find himself and loses his socialite fiancee in the process. The novel had been a massive best seller and the public anxiously awaited the film adaptation. While that is maugham the author speaking of larry it is also maugham the character in the. The razors edge is a frustrating and fascinating film from 1946. He not only was a successful novelist, but he was also a successful playwright for the london stage. It tells the story of larry darrell, an american pilot traumatized by his experiences in world war i, who sets off in search of some transcendent meaning in his life. Somerset maugham published the razors edge in 1944 as the world was. Again, the film was a success, raking in five million dollars throughout 1946 and 47.
He leaves his betrothed, the beautiful and devoted isabel. Written by john byrum and bill murray, based upon the novel of. But when he returns 10 years later, she will stop at nothing to get him back, even though she is already married. Somerset maughams 1944 novel of the same name the title comes from an ancient. As you may have noticed, there are several other characters that have been introduced to us in the story. Authors background william somerset maugham was born in 1874. Somerset maugham novel the razors edge, which has been put to film twice, first in 1946 and again in 1984. The razors edge is an american film from 1946, based on the novel of the same name by w. The reason why the film was good is because the book is good. Universally recognized as the bible of the cutting edge, this book belongs in the library of anyone whos serious about sharpening. The books theme is spiritual discovery, but this is welltrod ground in our age, and we can give maugham more credit than that for the books resonance. Still that number is less than half of what the best years of our lives, which had its new york premier two days after the razors edge, would take in. Somerset maugham is about a character named larry darrel. Although it is a bit different from maughams original book, i would and have highly.
That flop, the razors edge, was an adaptation of w. Another film version of the razors edge was made by. The razors edge 1946 starring tyrone power, a success. Razors edge definition of razors edge by merriamwebster. The razors edge is a novel about larry darrell in them. This book challenges the cultural ideals of the 1940s, and disregards. Robin fox is an anthropologist, poet, essayist, and historian of ideas. The the razors edge community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. The meaning of the razors edge a correspondent writes do you understand this, the source of maughams title the razors edge the razors edge is a book by w. Discussion questions use our litlovers book club resources. Larry darrell is a young american in search of the absolute. I didnt feel that the heros attention had been quite focused during his quest for the meaning of life.
It is a contemporary adaptation of the somerset maugham classic novel. Though his physical wounds from the war heal, his spirit is changed almost beyond recognition. He is a complete description and analysis of them, as well as one for characters that have been there since the beginning. While the debate over the validity of a remake over an original adaptation of a story or film remains ongoing, its worth noting that a single story retold several times over.
Collecting the razors edge by maugham, w somerset first. The best novel ive read since joining goodreads might be the razors edge, the 20th century bestseller by. The razors edge is a 1984 romantic drama film about an american pilot traumatized by his experiences in world war i, who sets off in search of some transcendent meaning in his life directed by john byrum. Somerset maugham and published in 1944, the story is set between wwi and wwii and follows a young. Some of the scenes are very good, especially the uncles deathbed farewell and murrays first attempts to sober up russell. Ive been thinking about how books and movies are two different species of. National association of scholars the razors edge by. There is a free, full and complete online pdf version of the razors edge book available at the link below as well as, for those who would rather not read the book but rather watch the movie or do both, a full version of the black and white 1946 movie by clicking the graphic below the link.
Razor edge book of sharpening razor edge systems inc. Zanuck and fox spared no expense in translating the sprawling book to the silver screen. After wwi, the main character came back changed, profoundly enough to alter the way he lived the next several years of his life. Razors edge definition is used in various phrases to refer to a dangerous position or a position in which two different things are carefully balanced. The book siddhartha and the movie the razors edge are two similar yet different stories. The film would be remade in 1984, with bill murray in the tyrone power role. But most movies pale in comparison to the books that are based on period. The first film was created two years after the book was made, which is in 1946 and directed by edmund goulding. She tells larry what she did is no different from larry ruining their relationship by running off to find the. The razors edge is a drama film starring bill murray. Of all the novels and books of fiction i have ever read the razors edge is the one that had the most profound effect on me personally.
He is the narrator, who meets the different characters as the years go by and tells their story. In case you did not know, there are two films about the novel the razor s edge. While the original and remake more or less follow the same trajectory set by maughams novel, its important to point out the differences. The razor s edge is about a very unusual young man, larry darrell as played by tyrone power, whom author w. The reason why the book works is because of the writing. The razors edge tells the story of an american who, having prepared himself by acquiring a deep tan and donning indian garb, visits the guru shri ganesha and at his hands has an ecstatic spiritual experience, an experience of the same order as the mystics have had all over the world through all the centuries. In structure, however, it is much closer to a series of loosely collected short stories featuring the same cast of characters. It was released in 1946, and stars tyrone power, gene tierney, john payne, anne baxter, clifton webb, and herbert marshall, with a supporting cast including lucile watson, frank latimore, and elsa lanchester. Movies like the razors edge if you like the razors edge you are looking for touching, psychological and tense movies about with soldier, murder, enlightenment, redemption, friendship, friends and love and romance themes of drama, romance and war genre shot in usa or uk.