the author of numerous novel and play and and short story and w. somerset maugham ( 1874 1965 ) be consider among the world great author during his lifetime and and although his reputation have fade over the year his work continue to command critical respect and a large read public . publish in 1944 and the razor edge be the tale of a world war i veteran whose search for spiritual enlightenment fly in the face of shallow western value . it be maugham last major novel and it be immensely popular . give that the novel conflict be internalize spiritual and philosophical issue and it be also an extremely odd choice for a film version but darryl f. zannuck of 20th century fox fell in love with the book and snap up the screen right shortly after publication . accord to film lore and the razor edge be to be direct by the legendary george cukor from a screenplay by maugham himself and it do seem that maugham write an adaptation . when the film go into production and however and cukor be replace by edmund goulding and a director less know for artistic touch than a workman like manner and and the maugham script be replace with one by lamar trotti and the author of such memorable screenplay a the oxbow incident . tyrone power and recently return from military service during world war ii and be cast a the spiritually conflict larry darrell while gene tierney and one of the great beauty of her era and be cast a socialite isabell bradley . the support cast be particularly notable and include herbert marshall and anne baxter and clifton webb and lucille watson and and elsa lanchester . both budget and shoot schedule be lavish and and when the film debut in 1946 it be greatly admire by public and critic alike . but time have a way of put thing into perspective . see today and the razor edge be indeed a beautifully produce film but that aside the absolute best one can say for it be that it achieve a fairly consistent mediocrity . a in most case and the major problem be the script . although it be reasonably close to maugham novel in term of plot and it be noticeably off the mark in term of character and it completely fail to capture the fundamental issue that drive the story . we be tell that larry be in search of enlightenment while we be told that he receive it while we be tell he act on it but in spite of the occasional and largely superficial comment we be never really tell anything about the spiritual and artistic and philosophical and and intellectual process behind any of it . we be most particularly never tell anything significant about the nature of the enlightenment itself . it have the effect of cut off the story at it knee . we be leave with the shell of maugham plot and which center on the relationship between larry and isabell and a woman larry love but leave due to the grow ideological riff that open up between them . tyrone power and gene tierney be more noted for physical beauty than talent and but both could turn in good performance when they receive solid directorial and script support . unfortunately and that do not happen here while they be extremely one note and power be greatly miscast to boot . fortunately and the support cast be quite good and with herbert marshall and clifton webb and and lucille watson particularly so while the then famous performance by anne baxter and however and have not wear as well a one would hope . with a running time of just under two and a half hour and the film also feel unnecessarily long . there be seemingly endless cocktail party type banter and and indeed the entire india sequence ( which read a faintly hilarious ) would have be good cut entirely an odd situation and for this be the very sequence intend a the crux of the entire film . regardless of the specific scene and it all just seem to go on and on to no actual point . a for the dvd itself and the film have not be remastered and but the print be extremely good and and while the bonus package isn not particularly memorable neither be noticeably poor . when all be say and do and i give the razor edge four star for production value and everyone willingness to take on the material but frankly and this a film best left power and tierney fan and who will enjoy it for the sake of the star and and those whose idea about spiritual enlightenment be as vague a the film itself . gft and amazon reviewer .