The Razor's Edge (1946 film)

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This article is about the 1946 film. For the 1984 remake, see The Razor's Edge (1984 film).

The Razor's Edge
original film poster
Directed by	Edmund Goulding
Produced by	Darryl F. Zanuck
Written by	Lamar Trotti Darryl F. Zanuck (uncredited) W. Somerset Maugham (novel)
Starring	Tyrone Power Gene Tierney John Payne (actor) Anne Baxter Clifton Webb Herbert Marshall
Music by	Alfred Newman Edmund Goulding (uncredited)
Cinematography	Arthur C. Miller
Editing by	J. Watson Webb Jr.
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	December, 1946
Running time	145 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1,200,000
IMDb profile

The Razor's Edge is the first film version of W. Somerset Maugham's 1944 novel. It was released in 1946 and stars Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, John Payne, Anne Baxter, Clifton Webb, Herbert Marshall, supporting cast Lucile Watson, Frank Latimore and Elsa Lanchester. Marshall plays Somerset Maugham. The film was directed by Edmund Goulding.

[edit] Production history

20th Century Fox purchased the film rights from Maugham in March 1945 for $50,000 plus 20% of the film's net profits. The contract stipulated that Maugham would receive an additional $50,000 if the film did not start shooting by February 2, 1946. In August 1945, producer Darryl F. Zanuck had the second unit begin shooting in the mountains around Denver, Colorado which were to portray the Himalayas in the film. The stars had not yet been cast, Larry Darrell was played by a stand-in and was filmed in extreme long shot. Zanuck wanted Tyrone Power to star and delayed casting until Power finished his service in the Marines in January 1946.

Zanuck originally hired George Cukor to direct, but creative differences led to Cukor's removal. Although Maugham wanted Gene Tierney for Isabel, Zanuck chose Maureen O'Hara, but told her to not tell anyone. O'Hara shared her secret with Linda Darnell, but Zanuck found out, fired O'Hara, and hired Tierney. Betty Grable and Judy Garland were originally considered for the role of Sophie before Baxter was cast. Maugham wrote an early draft of the screenplay but it is unknown how much of his version, if any, was used in the final script.