Serving decades in the entertainment industry Bill Murray has earned an illustrious career for himself. Often known for his dynamic characters and vulnerable sides, the actor appeared in a range of movies to showcase his talent in Hollywood. Reprising his roles from being a serious actor to his deadpan humor Murray has proved his talent over decades.
But certainly nothing stood out like his extremely serious role in the 1984 adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham’s story, The Razor’s Edge. Well, when one talks about the 1984 film, there’s another surprising project that apparently gave a kickstart to Bill Murray’s The Razor’s Edge. It’s none other than his career-changing project – Ghostbusters. But surprisingly there’s a strategy involved that soon put a heavy toll on Murray’s life.
Bill Murray Strategically Signed A Packaged Deal
Having a diverse genre of filmography, Bill Murray is often known for his infamous role in The Razor’s Edge (1984). Playing the uber-serious role of Larry Darrell, the World War I veteran who suffers from survivor’s guilt, Murray turned his career trajectory once and for all. Appearing in the devastating story, the actor turned it into one of his most famous works.
Nonetheless, there’s a story behind how the actor landed his role in the 1984 film, that not only offered Bill Murray his global recognition but also tied him to another acclaimed project – Ghostbusters. During an interview, Murray revealed how director John Byrum and he were involved in the production and script of The Razor’s Edge. But unfortunately, no one was interested in making their movie a reality.
That’s when the actor hatched a plan to convince Hollywood to turn The Razor’s Edge into reality. “Dan Aykroyd called me up with this ‘Ghostbusters’ idea, and I said, ‘Yeah, this is great’. He sent me about seventy-five pages, and within an hour there was a deal,” Murray revealed. But since he was busy with The Razor’s Edge Aykroyd suggested using that project as a bargaining chip.
Thereafter, Bill Murray informed Columbia Studios about his packaged deal – no Ghostbusters, without The Razor’s Edge. Thus, the actor convinced Hollywood to make his 1984 movie based on the epic script of Ghostbusters.
Also read: “You can’t do it better”: The Flash Star is Thankful He Didn’t Replace Bill Murray in Groundhog Day
Ghostbusters Took A Heavy Toll On Bill Murray’s Life
Striking a great deal in the entertainment industry with strategy, Bill Murray was more than happy to be involved in two projects. However, he mentioned starting Ghostbusters after being done with The Razor’s Edge. But unfortunately, with the two movies being drastically different, Murray had a hard time adjusting between the shifts.
Jumping between the two mindsets required to make the films work, Bill Murray got a taste of his cunningness. Thus, when Columbia Pictures was eager to get started on Ghostbusters, Murray was already exhausted from filming The Razor’s Edge in India. “I wanted to take 10 days off.” the actor shared about his packed schedule with Rolling Stone.
“I was so tired that I couldn’t even get out of the hotel room in Delhi for four or five days. I didn’t really do anything except sleep,”
Unfortunately, despite Bill Murray’s tiring schedule, Colombia Pictures was adamant that he return as soon as possible to start with Ghostbusters. Thus, with no option left, the actor eventually made it onto the Ghostbusters set and almost started questioning his career. After pondering upon the major differences between Indian and American cinema, the actor finally adjusted to the Hollywood way of things and began focusing on Ghostbusters.
Watch Ghostbusters on Peacock Premium.
The Razor’s Edge streaming on Amazon Video.
Source: Rolling Stone
