Bill Murray has played a ton of characters in his decades of acting. Many of the most memorable are comedic, but there are also a handful of dramatic roles that have made an impact on fans of his films and roles.
When asked by ComicBook which of his roles has really stuck with him most, the actor mentioned the World War I drama The Razor’s Edge, and opened up about the film’s development.
He mentioned that during pre-production, there was debate about whether or not the film should be a period piece or not. Murray noted that while the story is set in World War I, there were still plenty of parallels to the then-present, meaning the narrative could have been updated to modern times. Murray explained:
“I played a character in The Razor’s Edge, and we did the movie as a period movie. At the time, there was talk that maybe we should have made it as a modern movie. Now I think maybe we should have made it as a modern movie.
“To me, even though that book was about World War I, to my generation it was about Vietnam and what it was like to come back from that situation and try to find out what life meant after going through the killing field.”
Based on the novel of the same name, The Razor’s Edge was released in October 1984, just months after Ghostbusters. It was notable for being Murray’s first dramatic headlining role, as he portrayed Larry Darrell. Unfortunately, the film earned a mixed reception.
It was not a box office success, grossing only $6.6 million worldwide against a $13 million budget. The film has since garnered more of a fanbase, with critics and viewers appreciating the story and nuance of the dramatic story.
Murray seems to feel that the story could have been just as, if not more, interesting if it had been set in 1984, and maybe could have been even more relatable to those who did see it in the theatre. Who knows? But it does make me want to go give it a watch.
Have you seen the film? What do you think about his comments?