Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Farewell Liz Taylor


 I missed the real Liz Taylor, the audacious star of the Golden Age of cinema.

To me, I'm sad to say Liz has always been a frumpy and slightly batty middle aged woman with a Mrs. Mop hairdo, who married numerous husbands who came to look more and more like boiler repair men the futher she moved down the foodchain.

All this is a shame because Liz in her heyday was a stunningly attractive actress who had a Goddess like screen presence.

I like to think Liz in her prime would never dream of claming friendship with someone like Michael Jackson, whose only other best friend was a chimp called Bubbles.

Maybe all the high living and Hollywood excess got to Liz and meant she could never grow old gracefully like Sophia Loren.

Like some of the other icons of her time, there are few contemporary stars who could attain the screen presence of Liz in her prime which was when she played the iconic role of Cleopatra in the 1963 movie of the same name.

Cleopatra was legendary for her seductions of powerful men; first Julius Caesar and then Mark Anthony.

So when Taylor became involved in a tempestuous affair with co-star Richard Burton, who was cast as Mark Anthony, the actress became forever associated with the Egyptian queen.

However, unlike Cleopatra, who died suddenly and violently, Liz experienced a long and sometimes less than graceful decline.

The relationship between Burton and Taylor became the stuff of Hollywood legend. By comparison Brangelina, or any other 21st century movie relationship seems like a day out at Wal-Mart.

Burton and Taylor will live on as the ultimate movie couple of the 21st century, even if the reality was their relationship was fuelled by heavy drinking and it eventually fell apart.

So the death of Elizabeth Taylor draws a veil over a half forgotten age when movie stars were larger than life and you didn't become famous by virtue of an appearance on a half baked talent or reality TV show.

I'd like to say I'll miss Liz, but I never really knew her just like I never knew a glittering age inhabited by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Bogart.

You can't miss what you never had but just sometimes watching those black and white films and those iconic stars of the silver screen I feel a tingle of magic enter the room, and hear a faint echo of the glory long passed.

Before I look up and see the neon lights of the Shell station passing me by.

13 comments:

  1. I didn't even recognize her from that picture. You present an intriguing, informative perspective, as always.
    xoRobyn

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  2. RIP Lizzi. She was fekkin gorgeous!!!!

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  3. It is sad that such an iconic figure from the glamorous days of old hollywood is now gone. Now all we are basically stuck with are fame whores like the kardashians and those asshats from Jersey Shore. The hollyhood has definitely gone to hell in a hand basket.

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  4. It's sad that now you can become famous by having no talent and appearing on a reality show. She was really something in her prime. She had the most stunning eyes!

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  5. I was lucky enough to see lots of Liz on film/TV in the sixties when I was a teenager. To me she was breathtakingly beautiful and an absolute icon. You should have seen her in 'National Velvet' as a little girl. But yes, you've captured the essence of the Taylor/Burton thing. It was tempestuous and they were made for each other.

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  6. I have been an avid fan of many of Liz Taylor's films for many years. She had the sort of presence, beauty and acting skill that seemed to reach out of cinema and TV screens. For myself I am glad that I will still be able to see her in those films.

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  7. I never did understand how she was friends with M.J. That just never made any sense to me. She was quite a legend.

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  8. She was an original. Could drink or swear you under the table. Could talk and hold you until all your hurts backed off. The older she was, the bigger her heart. We could all learn something from that. Love You Liz!

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  9. Along with Lauren Bacall she was my old grandads favourite, a stunningly beautiful and amazing actress. I heard she was laid to rest beside Jackson??

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  10. See the power of positive thinking within you. God bless you.

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  11. thanks Roybn, must catch up with your funny blog. She was Daft Scots Lass. Well said Kavita and welcome back. 4sure Empress, I have resisted Jersey Shore so far. For sure Marnie, all this wannabe talent is just sad. you are kucky Fiftyodd. Thanks so much for the award Deirdra. I'll follow your blog if you let me know the best one to follo. Sure, she'll live on Frog. Can't work that our either, Daisy. Absolutely Violet, she would have been cool to hang out with. Really Ryan? That's freaky. Thanks positivethoughts.

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  12. I haven't seen a ton of her movies yet but I plan on having a bit of a Liz Taylor marathon this week. I saw Who's afraid of virginia woolf a while back, incredible performance.

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