Pbenjay's Blog

Maggie and Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Everybody has an opinion and as readers, you know I certainly do.  I thought it would be apropos  post my favorite Elizabeth Taylor movies.  Probably there’s been hundreds of articles written in newspapers today but I have been working all day and have not seen the news or a newspaper.  So here’s my list not in alphabetical order:

1. A Place in the Sun – A triumvirate of talent; Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Cliff, Shelley Winters.  Taylor portrays Angela Vickers,  gorgeous and sophisticated.
2. Butterfield 8 – Elizabeth is beautiful fashion model, Gloria Wandrous who has an illicit affair with a married man.
3. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – Maggie the cat, Elizabeth starred opposite Paul Newman.  Hard to tell who was more gorgeous!
   
4. Cleopatra – Offered this role, Taylor said she would only do it if they paid her a million dollars and 10% of the gross.  And they did so she did.  And she had Richard Burton to toy with on and off the screen.
5. Giant – Elizabeth is joined by a star-studded cast including Rock Hudson, James Dean, Rod Taylor, Chill Wills, Carroll Baker, Sal Mineo and Dennis Hopper.  I loved this movie but not because of Taylor, this was all about Dean.
6. National Velvet – Velvet Brown is portrayed by the young Elizabeth Taylor who once again is surrounded by strong actors; Mickey Rooney and Angela Lansbury.  This movie was probably the turning point in her career.
   
7. Raintree County – Susanna Drake, a lovely Southern belle who also happens to have inherited the crazy gene.  And again, Taylor is in a movie with lots of talent including Agnes Moorhead, Rod Taylor, Lee Marvin, Eva Marie Saint, and one of her favorite (and mine) co-stars, Montgomery Cliff.
8. Suddenly Last Summer – Another triumvirate of talent; Liz joins Montgomery Cliff again and Katherine Hepburn.  This time her character, Catherine Holly is driven to insanity.
9. The Sandpiper – A twenty-something free spirit with an illegitimate son whom she home-schools and lives with  on the beach in Big Sur.  She plays the seductress who leads the minister astray.
10. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Saving the best for last (I think) Elizabeth Taylor relishes her role as the castrating wife, drinking herself into alternative rages, seductions, and pitiful slobbering denial.  She was at her best in this movie and the Academy knew it.  She walked away with Best Actress Oscar for this stellar performance which was enhanced by her co-star Richard Burton and Sandy Dennis and George Segal.
    

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