THE STORY OF ONE MAN’S SEARCH FOR HIMSELF.
After surviving World War I, Larry Darrell (Bill Murray) returns to Chicago and announces to his fiancĆ©e (Catherine Hicks) that he doesn’t want to get married yet and that he’s moving to Paris. The second film adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham’s novel about a veteran in search of meaning was a labor of love for Murray ā but he’s sadly all wrong for the part, unable to stir emotion as we follow Larry on his spiritual journey. Handsomely photographed (with gorgeous views of the Himalayas) and effectively scoredā¦ but this dramatic story is too lackadaisically treated.Ā
1984-U.S. 128 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed byĀ John Byrum. Screenplay: Bill Murray, John Byrum. Novel: W. Somerset Maugham. Cinematography: Peter Hannan. Music: Jack Nitzsche. Cast: Bill Murray (Larry Darrell), Theresa Russell (Sophie MacDonald), Catherine Hicks (Isabel Bradley), Denholm Elliott, James Keach, Peter Vaughan.
Trivia: The first adaptation was filmed in 1946. John Gielgud was allegedly considered for a role.
