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Cat On A Hot Tin Roof [1958]

starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives, Jack Carson, Judith Anderson
directed by: Richard Brooks

Release Date June 01, 2006
Seeing this film again recently reminded me just what a great film it is. It's a very powerful story and the film keeps closely to the original play. The acting couldn't be better. All of the actors are excellent. Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman are superb: he in the way he depicts his feelings of hopelessness and radiates such antipathy and tension; and she, in subtle glances and body language, her enduring love for him and disappointment that their marriage is childless and failing.

I don't think a better film version of the play could be made than this one.

CD-Charts Position 2
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National Velvet [1945]

starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, Donald Crisp
directed by: Clarence Brown

Release Date August 25, 2008
This is a wonderful film especially for all those who have a 10-year-old horse-mad daughter! Elizabeth Taylor`s portrayal of a girl who has an ambition to win the Grand National is very convincing and gives a preview of her great acting ability. The family life is quite authentic and the viewer is made to feel that they are actually "dropping-in" on a family discussion. They appear as very pleasant people, although one feels the film could have done without "Butch" Jenkins, who seems a little trying!
The highlight of the movie is, of course, the race itself (speeded-up for effect!) In the run-up one can feel the tension Velvet is feeling and we can quite understand her last-minute doubts. There is a wonderful cameo role by Arthur Treacher ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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The Taming Of The Shrew [1967]

starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Cyril Cusack, Michael Hordern, Alfred Lynch
directed by: Franco Zeffirelli

Release Date March 19, 2001
I'm studying this play and bought this Franco Zafirrelli / Elizabeth Burton version as it was dirt cheap on amazon. I found it more enjoyable than the BBC version (as did my wife), even though we both preferred John Cleese's to Richard Burton's Petruchio. It gains over the BBC version by not having that awkward out of place hymn at the end (and after Shakespeare note-worthily eschewed religious arguments in Kate's final speech)! Also, the dialogue is here more clearly and comprehensibly spoken; it is just a shame it misses out the majority of it! There are a lot of visual gags to retain the interest of those who do not follow the language used. Unfortunately it also misses some of the plot points for the minor characters along the way, although it ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Under Milk Wood [1971]

starring: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter O'Toole
directed by: Andrew Sinclair

Release Date October 20, 2003
If you know the voice-only versions of this play, this is disappointing. The viewer's imagination does it all so much better: I want to imagine Rosie Probert in any way I fancy, not to have an image of Elizabeth Taylor's acting in my head whenever I hear her words.

The film adds quite unnecessary extras to the original, in an attempt to give the text some sort of rational context. When listening to the play we can quite happily accept the narrators (First Voice and Second Voice) as disembodied observers. In the film there are awkward contrivances such as a coachload of sightseers and Burton meeting a girlfriend for a quick bonk in the afternoon to explain the narrators' presence. It's not just that those additions are instrusively out ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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Mansfield Park [1999] [2000]

starring: Frances O'Connor, Jonny Lee Miller, Alessandro Nivola, Hannah Taylor-Gordon, Talya Gordon
directed by: Patricia Rozema

Release Date June 15, 2006
I have to say that I am astonished to see how poorly this film is rated by many other reviewers.

I've read a Jane Austen or two, but not Mansfield Park. Consequently, when I saw this film for the first time I thought it was great, and I still do because I still haven't read the book.

It's clear from reading the many other reviews that the makers of this film have greatly upset the Austen purists by substantially altering the story and characters and bringing in non-original elements such as the references to slavery, which anyone could guess was where the family money must have come from.

However, the fact remains that this is a very, very decent film in its own right. Frances O' Connor's Fanny Price - whether she resembles ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
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Went The Day Well? [1942]

starring: Leslie Banks, C.V. France, Valerie Taylor, Marie Lohr, Basil Sydney
directed by: Alberto Cavalcanti

Release Date November 13, 2006
A quaint peaceful english village, more at home on a picture post card or jigsaw puzzle is the setting for this wonderful piece of WW2 propoganda. Bramley End (not Bromley) houses the usual suspects, lady of the manor, clergyman, policeman, postmistress etc etc, there is even a poacher.
Little did they know that a troop of army engineers were not what they appeared, but were in fact nazi paratroopers, dropped to disrupt british radio transmissions ahead of an impending invasion.

The outcome of WW2 was in the balance in 1942, with Churchill preaching 'total war', along with 'Mrs Miniver' this film is designed to not only raise the country's moral, but to also emphasise that everyone has a part to play (including the film industry). This they did very well as when the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
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Lassie Come Home / Son Of Lassie / Courage Of Lassie (3 Disc Box Set)

starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowall, Donald Crisp, June Lockhart, Tom Drake
directed by: Fred M. Wilox

Release Date June 02, 2008
This box contains 3 classical Lassie movies, Lassie come home, Son of Lassie and The courage of Lassie.


"Lassie come home" is about the poor Carraclough family, situated in Yorkshire. When the father loses his job, he sees no other choice than to sell the family dog, the beautiful collie Lassie. Naturally his son, Joe, is heart broken.
The duke brings Lassie to his estate in Scotland, where she finds herself at the mercy of a malicious employee. She escapes and begins her long and perilous journey home. She endures hardships and meets new friends along the way.


"Son of Lassie" takes place some years later and Joe is now a young soldier during World War 2. His dog Laddie, son of Lassie, is young and disobedient. He seems to be nothing like his mother. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
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The Complete James Dean Collection : East Of Eden / Rebel Without A Cause / Giant [1955]

starring: James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Carroll Baker, Raymond Massey
directed by: Elia Kazan, Nicholas Ray, George Stevens Jr.

Release Date June 06, 2005
Jean-Luc Godard said about the director of Rebel Without a Cause "Nicholas Ray is cinema."
Well now, risking Pseuds' Corner, I wager James Dean is movie stardom personified on the strength of his three great performances in these three 1950's movies. With Dean dead for more than 50 years, this boxset underlines that the only sense we have of him is on celluloid.
Brando may have been a better actor but even before that car crash ensured Deans iconic afterlife, Dean was the more complete celebrity.
Even though these movies are classics they are dated.
My only criticism is of the movie Giant. I can't help feeling it is like a 3.5 hour episode of Dallas. Watch Dean in it as he steals every scene. Genius.

CD-Charts Position 9
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That's Entertainment Box Set

starring: Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Gene Kelly

Release Date October 17, 2006
I bought this as a gift for someone.
The extra disc is missing only on the US Version.
DO NOT buy this.

CD-Charts Position 10
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Little Women [1949] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Margaret O'Brien, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh
directed by: Mervyn LeRoy

Release Date August 26, 2003
This is, for me, the best ever adaptation of Louisa May Alcotts 'Little Women' It is perfectly cast, beautifully acted, and just how I had pictured the girls in my imagination. It's a lovely story, of 4 sisters, Meg, Jo Beth and Amy, and their mother and father, and their lives and loves. June Allyson is the perfect Jo, and Peter Lawford a very handsome Laurie. Elizabeth Taylor plays Amy to perfection, and it is just so totally like the book. I absolutely love this version, though I have seen them all. This is by far my all-time favourite. I love the opening where the girls are walking through the snow singing, and I ALWAYS cry over Beth. They just don't make 'em like this any more, sadly. A true gem.