1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 50% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Razor's Edge
"The story of one man's search for himself."
1984 2h 9m EN
😐
6.4
MID
🥫
47%
ROTTEN
😬
47
METACRITIC
⭐
6.4
IMDB
★6.4TMDB · 89🥫47%Rotten Tomatoes●47Metacritic★6.4IMDB · 6,040
DramaRomance
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
An American WWI veteran undertakes a spiritual quest that takes him from Paris to Nepal to the Himalayas and back to his hometown. Upon his return, he discovers he is not the only one who has changed.
“The story of one man's search for himself.”
Cast
Bill Murray
Larry Darrell
Theresa Russell
Sophie MacDonald
Catherine Hicks
Isabel Bradley
Denholm Elliott
Elliott Templeton
James Keach
Gray Maturin
Peter Vaughan
Mackenzie
Brian Doyle-Murray
Piedmont
Stephen Davies
Malcolm
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- John Byrum
- Writers
- John Byrum, Bill Murray
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
42 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by John Byrum, shot by Peter Hannan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Jack Nitzsche. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Peter Boyle shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Bill Murray and Theresa Russell and Catherine Hicks carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "The story of one man's search for himself.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0087980 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
John Byrum directs. Peter Hannan behind the camera. Jack Nitzsche scores. Peter Boyle cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Earned back only 50% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 242 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Directed by John Byrum, shot by Peter Hannan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by Jack Nitzsche. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Peter Boyle shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6Bill Murray and Theresa Russell and Catherine Hicks carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "The story of one man's search for himself.".
- 8IMDB entry: tt0087980 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Only 89 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 10Classified under 19 themes, including "based on novel or book", "himalaya mountain range", "change", "world war i".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Peter Hannan
- Original score
- Jack Nitzsche
- Editing
- Peter Boyle
- Production design
- Philip Harrison
- Costume design
- Shirley Russell
- Makeup / hair
- Nick Forder
- Stunt coordinator
- Peter Brayham
- Runtime
- 129 min · 2h 9m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $13,000,000
- Box office
- $6,551,987
- Return
- 50% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 47% 🥫 Rotten
- Metacritic
- 47/100
- IMDB rating
- 6.4/10 · 6,040 votes
- MPAA
- PG-13
Also by
John Byrum
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Columbia Pictures
US
Key crew
- NovelW. Somerset Maugham
- Production DesignPhilip Harrison
- EditorPeter Boyle
- ProducerHarry Benn
- Associate ProducerJason Laskay
- Set DecorationStuart Rose
- Set DecorationIan Whittaker
- ProducerRobert P. Marcucci
- Executive ProducerHarry Benn
- Art DirectionMalcolm Middleton
- Costume DesignShirley Russell
- Executive ProducerRob Cohen
- Wardrobe MasterMichael Jeffery
- Casting DirectorJennifer Shull
- Casting DirectorMaude Spector
- Production SupervisorJohn Comfort
- Construction ManagerTerry Apsey
- Makeup ArtistNick Forder
- HairdresserMike Jones
- HairdresserMike Lockey
- Supervising Sound EditorLeslie Hodgson
- Dialogue EditorStan Fiferman
- Production ManagerSerge Touboul
- Stunt CoordinatorPeter Brayham
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- based on novel or book
- himalaya mountain range
- change
- world war i
- materialism
- remake
- enlightenment
- post world war i
- american abroad
- monastery
- socialite
- spiritual journey
- socialite party
- 1920s
- the meaning of life
- drastic change of life
- buddhist monastery
- murdered fiancée
- search for happiness
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1984-10-19PG-13
Also known as
International titles
- El filo de la navajaES
