W. Somerset Maugham's
The Razor's Edge is one of my favorite books, with many fine turns of phrase and dialogue and memorable main and side characters. The 1944 novel was made into a 1946 film starring romantic leads Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney, along with Herbert Marshall as Maugham himself, gliding in and out of scenes as the worldly but not always present narrator. Clifton Webb as shrewdly snobbish and haute Uncle Elliott Templeton steals the show, as does Anne Baxter in the more tragic role of Sophie. Baxter earned an Academy Award for her performance; Webb was nominated but didn't win an Oscar (he did, however, score a Golden Globe). The 1946 film is very good but doesn't totally capture the essence of the novel -- though that was unlikely to happen in Hollywood at the time. The 1984 remake with Bill Murray seemed to have high hopes to come closer to the book, but didn't quite make it either for different reasons.
As noted, the original novel is full of great quotes and descriptives, but one of the best lines from the 1946 movie is Elliott's frank observation: "I do not like the propinquity of the
hoi polloi." And regarding Maugham's character being invited to dinner, Elliott advises his guests: "He's an English author. He's quite alright. In fact he's quite famous. So pretend you've heard of him even if you haven't."
Indeed.
(Pictured: Clifton Webb as Elliott Templeton snobbing it up while Herbert Marshall/Somerset Maugham listens.)
