Thread: Straight Razors in Movies

I'm curious as to how those of us who are too young to have had any childhood experiences with straight razors, be it by watching a father or grandfather etc., got the idea of shaving with a straight razor. For me it has to be seeing a straight used in the movies. I was first intrigued by a scene in Desperado where Antonio Banderas is shaving with one (and all wrong I might add). But, I didn't really get into it until I was shown a clip from the movie "Un Chien Andalou" in college while studying architecture. The link is below but, I have to warn you, it will be very disturbing to some viewers. The movie was co-directed by the surrealist painter Salvador Dali (think "melting clocks"). Feel free to comment on the actor's stropping technique, his use of the "thumbnail edge test" and anything else that might catch your...ummm...eye.

http://wayney.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/c....co.uk/uca.wmv

She's remarkably calm. He musta done a good job honing it up, for it to cut so comfortably.

Originally Posted by Joe Chandler

She's remarkably calm. He musta done a good job honing it up, for it to cut so comfortably.

Yes indeed! Now you know why they tell you not to shave parallel to the edge

ps. thanks for not revealing the punchline!

If I remember correctly, that is a pig's eye that is being cut.

RT

You know you got it bad when your like "Hey, he's doing the thumbnail test at an angle" LOL

Great moments on film w/ straight razor shaves:
Key Largo. Edward G. Robinson getting a str8 razor shave from a gang member. Eddy is talking and smoking a cigar throughout the scene. We are waiiting on the edge (bg) of our seats for him to get cut. He doesn't. Masterful direction from John Huston.
The Untouchables. Same scenario, only w/ Robt. De Niro as Al Capone in the barber's chair. Obvious rip off of above scene. De Niro gets cut. Too obvious.
Lives of a Bengal Lancer. Gary Cooper lathers his face and strops his razor while being annoyed by Franchot Tone playing a musical instrument. Cooper never gets to shave. He cuts his strop in two.
In Harm's Way. John Wayne shaves w/ a str8 in a rocking ship.
Captain Horatio Hornblower. Gregory Peck in title role also shaves w/ a str8 on a rocking ship.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. George Zucco as Prof. Moriarty has his beard shaved off w/ a str8 by his manservant.
One of the Sherlock Holmes movies starring Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce. Bruce as Watson shaves w/ a str8. Obviously knows what he's doing.
The Private Life of Henry VIII. Charles Laughton as Henry has just the front of his chin shaved by a royal barber. This matches the style of Henry's beard in the Holbein portraits.
Taras Bulba. Yul Brynner getting his head shaved w/ a str8. The barber, by the way, is smoking a large cherrywood pipe.
North By Northwest. While Cary Grant is doing a very funny bit shaving w/ a tiny lady's razor in a train station men's room, the man next to him is shaving w/ a str8.
If. Malcolm McDowell shaves off his mustache w/ a str8. Later in the film he and his friends cut their palms w/ the same razor to make a blood pact.
The Natural. Wilford Brimley shaves w/ a str8 in the locker room, while next to him Richard Farnsworth prefers an old Gillette double-edge.
Breaker Morant. Bryan Brown shaves w/ a str8 and swishes the blade in a basin of water. Struck me as a good way to really damage the edge.
Broken Arrow. James Stewart shaves w/ a straight and the Indian princess,played by Debra Paget sees him and thinks he's skinning himself. He then explains to her the whole process.
I know there has to be more; but I'd better let someone else have a chance here.

Unforgiven has a quick scene w/ clint eastwood shaving. I think it was mentioned somewhere on here a while ago as being improper.
Rounders has a scene in a barber shop where ed norton and matt damon both recieve str8 shaves. I've seen the movie a few times, but wasn't into straight razors at all at the time, so I don't remember any details.

We should keep adding to the list and post it in the Help Files. Not the weird stuff, just the real straight razor shaves in the movies.

X

High Plains Drifter: Clint Eastwood almost gets a straight shave, he just has to stop and kill 3 guys...talk about distractions!

Rambo, First Blood: When Stallone is arrested, they prepare to shave him with a straight razor. The guy is honing the razor...well, he is actually "back-honing" the razor. That's about the time all hell breaks loose.

RT

Norther Exposure Season 3, Episode 13...Holling Vincoeur (John Cullum) recieves a rather nasty swipe with a straight razor (my opinion) from the local barber as he hears the news of the death of an Uncle. Occurs around 8 minutes in and this is the setup...Hot towel followed by what appears to be can cream applied by hand (no brush? baaaaad barber...no..no...) The first two strokes seemed natural enough but he moved (because of the news) on the third stroke making it look like a killer chance for some needless blood shed. Interestingly enough the barber starts the shave by using strokes WITH THE GRAIN! Far as I'm concerned that puts this a notch above in my book for realism. Obviously not a detail most would notice but WE would right guys?

I know it's not a movie but it IS an example of straight shaving on film...albeit the small screen.