Film of the Week: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, 1958

“Mendacity!” That was most-likely what Tennessee Williams said of the 1958 film version of his successful 1955 Broadway play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Williams did not care much for the film, finding that the toned-down sexuality of the picture strayed too much from his original concept. Still, the film is a triumph from a cinematic standpoint and features excellent performances from its principal cast which includes Elizabeth Taylor as “Maggie the Cat,” Paul Newman as “Brick,” Burl Ives as “Big Daddy,” Judith Anderson as “Big Mama” and Jack Carson as “Gooper.”

Much like the play, the film explores the interpersonal relationships of a wealthy Southern family as they weave in-and-out of discussions about truth, loyalty and fidelity. Newman is perfect as Brick—the aging, alcoholic, former football hero/favorite son and frigid husband. Taylor is the ideal, overwrought Maggie who wants nothing more than her husband’s love. Taylor wasn’t the first choice for “Maggie.” The role was originally offered to Grace Kelly who probably wouldn’t have been as deliciously neurotic in the part. Similarly, the role of “Brick” was first offered to Elvis Presley who turned down the part. That would have been quite a different film. Burl Ives reprises the role he made famous on stage and he’s joined by the always-excellent Judith Anderson as the melodramatic and misunderstood “Big Mama.”

The film is particularly interesting when one considers the back-stage drama. Taylor became a widow during the film’s production when her husband at the time, Mike Todd, was tragically killed in a plane crash. She took a brief break from the production, seeking solace in the company of her friend, Monty Clift. When she returned to the production, she was considerably thinner and more fragile, but nonetheless gave an excellent performance.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof offers up just the right amount of tawdry, steamy Southern drama and is the perfect way to spend a chilly Sunday afternoon.

Film of the Week: Suddenly, Last Summer, 1959

Oh, Sebastian, what a lovely summer it's been. Just the two of us. Sebastian and Violet. Violet and Sebastian. Just the way it's always going to be. Oh, we are lucky, my darling, to have one another and need no one else ever.

--Katharine Hepburn as “Violet Venable”

In 1958, Southern playwright Tennessee Williams, debuted a double-bill of one-act plays at an off-Broadway theater. The two plays were Something Unspoken and Suddenly, Last Summer and were presented under the titleGarden District (a reference to the elite neighborhood of New Orleans).

Suddenly, Last Summer was a dark play with disturbing themes that concerned a wealthy Southern family. Violet Venable—a domineering widow—was still reeling from the death of her only son, Sebastian. Her niece, Catherine Holly, was the last person to see Sebastian alive when he died “suddenly, last summer.” In order to silence Catherine’s less-than-flattering recollections of Sebastian’s last days, Violet has ordered that the girl be lobotomized. She contracts a gentle doctor, John Cukrowicz, to perfom the surgery. Soon, Dr. Cukrowicz finds himself embroiled in this sick family drama and realizes that it isn’t Catherine who needs the lobotomy.

When Columbia Pictures bought the film rights to the play and began to develop their cinematic production, Tennessee Williams was against the casting of Elizabeth Taylor as the vulnerable Catherine Holly. He stated, "It stretched my credulity to believe such a 'hip' doll as our Liz wouldn't know at once in the film that she was 'being used for something evil.” Nevertheless, Taylor gives one of her best performances—an achievement which brought her a Golden Globe Award for the role and an Academy Award Nomination.

Taylor urged director Joseph Mankiewicz to cast her long-time friend Montgomery Clift as Cukrowicz. Clift, who had been struggling with an addiction to pain killers and alcohol, was deemed too difficult and erratic to be a good risk for the studio. However, Taylor got her way. Joining Clift and Taylor is Katharine Hepburn who gives Violet Venable the necessary bite and wit. Hepburn and Taylor were very protective of Clift who was often mistreated by the director. At the end of the production, Hepburn politely asked if they were finished. When told that they were, she walked up to Mankiewicz and spit in his face, saying, “That’s for Monty.”

The behind-the-scenes drama continued as composer Malcolm Arnold walked off the project after finding the film too upsetting. His work was finished by Buxton Orr. Furthermore, the studio met with resistance from the Catholic Legion of Decency who objected to the many references to Sebastian’s homosexuality. By their command, these references were largely removed or made as vague as possible. Furthermore, you’ll notice that we never see Sebastian’s face nor hear his voice in any flashbacks. This was also due to the Catholic Legion of Decency who ordered that the character not be recognizable as any particular person.

Though it’s a watered-down version of Williams’ original play, the film is gripping and emotional. Spectacularly acted, it’s a film that, while disturbing, is one that everyone interested in cinematic history should see.

Film of the Week: A Place in the Sun, 1951

When George Stevens suggested to Paramount Pictures that he wanted to direct a film version of the 1925 Theodore Dreiser novel, An American Tragedy (which had also been adapted into a play of the same name by Patrick Kearney), they swiftly disapproved the idea on the grounds that the studio had already produced an adaptation of the property. Stevens, relatively new to Paramount fumed that he was unable to direct the picture (that he knew would be a tremendous success) and was forced to sue the studio. Stevens was triumphant, as, thankfully for Paramount, so was A Place in the Sun—the title Stevens gave to this screen version.

Paramount Pictures

The story concerns the pursuit of the “American Dream.” Here, it has been updated from the 1920’s to post-war America and tells the tale of a handsome, intelligent young man, George Eastman, who has struggled against poverty his entire life. George dreams of “the good life.” To him, this means a beautiful wife and wealth. He entreats a wealthy uncle to employ him and ends up with a job in the family factory where he encounters a shy, plain young woman named Alice.

Paramount Pictures

George is bored and restless—filled with youthful energy and passion. To pass the time, he engages in a flirtation with Alice despite the company policy against fraternizing with the factory girls. Through George’s hard work, he garners the attention of his uncle and finds himself introduced to the lifestyle about which he’d always dreamed. At a swanky party, he meets a dazzling debutante—Angela Vickers. George falls madly and instantly in love with Angela and vows that they will be together. However, the cost of his love will be more than he had imagined. When Alice announces that she’s carrying George’s child, the young man’s thoughts turn quickly toward finding a speedy means of erasing his problems without Angela’s knowledge.

Clift and Taylor enjoyed each others company
both on and off set.
Paramount Pictures

George Stevens was quick to cast twenty-nine-year -old Montgomery Clift as George Eastman. Clift had already had success in films and showed that he was a versatile and sensitive performer. For the key role of Angela Vickers, Stevens selected a seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor had only starred in family films. “Angela” would be her first adult role and she proved that she was more than up to the task. With her striking features and clad in Edith Head’s chic, yet virginal wardrobe, Taylor showed that she was ready to work with a leading man who wasn’t a horse or a dog. She and Clift developed a deep friendship during this period which would last until his premature death at the age of forty-five.

Stevens had a bigger task in casting the role of “Alice.” Shelley Winters—known for her platinum locks and glamour girl ways—was interested in the role, but Stevens deemed her to be too much of a beauty for the part. By dying her hair brown, dressing in frumpy clothes and acting shy and reserved, Winters was able to fool Stevens when he arrived to meet her. Upon finally recognizing her, he agreed to test her for the part. Thus began a new chapter in Winters’ career and the first of what seems like many movies in which she drowns.

Everything from the costumes and Franz Waxman’s famously haunting score work harmoniously in this glorious film which is punctuated with long, slow dissolves, and deep, loving close-ups. It’s part art-film and part love story with a lot of tragedy thrown in. The centerpiece of it all are the performances of the three main characters. Winters is surprisingly convincing as dull, whiny Alice while Taylor gives the first truly good performance of her career. Clift, as always, is appropriately tense and completely absorbed in his character. Plus, Clift and Taylor are just so darn pretty that it’s hard to resist the picture.

This is the ideal 1950’s film and is sure not to disappoint. 

Sunday Viewing: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, 1958

“Mendacity!” That was most-likely what Tennessee Williams said of the 1958 film version of his successful 1955 Broadway play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Williams did not care much for the film, finding that the toned-down sexuality of the picture strayed too much from his original concept. Still, the film is a triumph from a cinematic standpoint and features excellent performances from its principal cast which includes Elizabeth Taylor as “Maggie the Cat,” Paul Newman as “Brick,” Burl Ives as “Big Daddy,” Judith Anderson as “Big Mama” and Jack Carson as “Gooper.”

Much like the play, the film explores the interpersonal relationships of a wealthy Southern family as they weave in-and-out of discussions about truth, loyalty and fidelity. Newman is perfect as Brick—the aging, alcoholic, former football hero/favorite son and frigid husband. Taylor is the ideal, overwrought Maggie who wants nothing more than her husband’s love. Taylor wasn’t the first choice for “Maggie.” The role was originally offered to Grace Kelly who probably wouldn’t have been as deliciously neurotic in the part. Similarly, the role of “Brick” was first offered to Elvis Presley who turned down the part. That would have been quite a different film. Burl Ives reprises the role he made famous on stage and he’s joined by the always-excellent Judith Anderson as the melodramatic and misunderstood “Big Mama.”

The film is particularly interesting when one considers the back-stage drama. Taylor became a widow during the film’s production when her husband at the time, Mike Todd, was tragically killed in a plane crash. She took a brief break from the production, seeking solace in the company of her friend, Monty Clift. When she returned to the production, she was considerably thinner and more fragile, but nonetheless gave an excellent performance.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof offers up just the right amount of tawdry, steamy Southern drama and is the perfect way to spend a chilly Sunday afternoon.

Sunday Viewing: Suddenly, Last Summer, 1959

Oh, Sebastian, what a lovely summer it's been. Just the two of us. Sebastian and Violet. Violet and Sebastian. Just the way it's always going to be. Oh, we are lucky, my darling, to have one another and need no one else ever.
--Katharine Hepburn as “Violet Venable”

In 1958, Southern playwright Tennessee Williams, debuted a double-bill of one-act plays at an off-Broadway theater. The two plays were Something Unspoken and Suddenly, Last Summer and were presented under the titleGarden District (a reference to the elite neighborhood of New Orleans).

Suddenly, Last Summer was a dark play with disturbing themes that concerned a wealthy Southern family. Violet Venable—a domineering widow—was still reeling from the death of her only son, Sebastian. Her niece, Catherine Holly, was the last person to see Sebastian alive when he died “suddenly, last summer.” In order to silence Catherine’s less-than-flattering recollections of Sebastian’s last days, Violet has ordered that the girl be lobotomized. She contracts a gentle doctor, John Cukrowicz, to perfom the surgery. Soon, Dr. Cukrowicz finds himself embroiled in this sick family drama and realizes that it isn’t Catherine who needs the lobotomy.

When Columbia Pictures bought the film rights to the play and began to develop their cinematic production, Tennessee Williams was against the casting of Elizabeth Taylor as the vulnerable Catherine Holly. He stated, "It stretched my credulity to believe such a 'hip' doll as our Liz wouldn't know at once in the film that she was 'being used for something evil.” Nevertheless, Taylor gives one of her best performances—an achievement which brought her a Golden Globe Award for the role and an Academy Award Nomination.

Taylor urged director Joseph Mankiewicz to cast her long-time friend Montgomery Clift as Cukrowicz. Clift, who had been struggling with an addiction to pain killers and alcohol, was deemed too difficult and erratic to be a good risk for the studio. However, Taylor got her way. Joining Clift and Taylor is Katharine Hepburn who gives Violet Venable the necessary bite and wit. Hepburn and Taylor were very protective of Clift who was often mistreated by the director. At the end of the production, Hepburn politely asked if they were finished. When told that they were, she walked up to Mankiewicz and spit in his face, saying, “That’s for Monty.”

The behind-the-scenes drama continued as composer Malcolm Arnold walked off the project after finding the film too upsetting. His work was finished by Buxton Orr. Furthermore, the studio met with resistance from the Catholic Legion of Decency who objected to the many references to Sebastian’s homosexuality. By their command, these references were largely removed or made as vague as possible. Furthermore, you’ll notice that we never see Sebastian’s face nor hear his voice in any flashbacks. This was also due to the Catholic Legion of Decency who ordered that the character not be recognizable as any particular person.

Though it’s a watered-down version of Williams’ original play, the film is gripping and emotional. Spectacularly acted, it’s a film that, while disturbing, is one that everyone interested in cinematic history should see.

Game Changers: Raintree County, 1957

Taylor, Clift and Saint studying MGM footage: MGM

Nearly twenty years after David O. Selznick began shooting Gone with the Wind, MGM launchedRaintree County. MGM promised that this epic Civil War drama—based on the novel of the same name by Ross Lockbridge, Jr.—was meant to surpass GWTW in spectacle and beauty. The cast was stellar. Elizabeth Taylor was to be paired, once again, with the enigmatic and handsome Montgomery Clift. Theirs was a magnificent team. The best of friends, they adored one another and worked perfectly together. Taylor, it was thought, could keep Monty’s drinking under control during the filming. Monty would keep Liz’s acting in check. Rising star Eva Marie Saint was cast as Monty’s hometown sweetheart. The glorious Agnes Moorehead (known to most of us as Endora) would play his mother. Rod Taylor, Walter Abel, Nigel Patrick, Tom Drake and Lee Marvin rounded out the cast.


MGM built lavish sets and planned detailed battle scenes meant to rival Gone with the Wind. The location shooting was planned to the last detail. Everything was in place. Production began…

And, then, one night, after leaving a little dinner party at Elizabeth Taylor’s house, Montgomery Clift crashed his car. His friend, Kevin McCarthy, was in the car ahead of Monty’s. He rushed to the wreckage, but couldn’t see Monty. McCarthy ran back to Taylor’s house, banging on the door. “Monty’s dead!” Taylor and others rushed to the scene. However, Montgomery Clift wasn’t dead. The impact forced his body under the dashboard. His head was swollen to the width of his shoulders. He was choking. Elizabeth Taylor forced her way through the rear windshield, cradling her dear friend in her lap as she removed two teeth that had been lodged in his throat.

While Montgomery Clift lived that night, part of him died. Production halted for months while he recovered. He returned to filming as a different man—the left side of his once-perfect face was paralyzed. His mind was muddied from pain and too much medication. Though at times, he appears gaunt and wooden, Clift still manages to give an outstanding performance in the film which is, otherwise, I hate to say it, rather uneven.

Clift, after the accident, his face paralyzed.

Taylor’s performance swells to sometimes unnatural crescendos. However, these moments of histrionics fit the increasing madness of her character. And, of course, she looks stunning. It’s not Taylor’s fault that the film falls flat at times. Nor is it Montgomery Clift’s—or anyone’s. It’s just a production that was chaotic from start to finish.

Strangely enough, the picture did well at the box office though everyone associated with it knew it wasn’t the best. Clift—in his own dark way—joked that people would go if only just to see if they could spot which scenes were filmed before and which were filmed after his accident.

So, why am I recommending the film? Frankly because it’s an important part of film history. It marks an important place in the lives of Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor. Also, despite being overwrought, it’s an interesting film to watch. The plot is a bit murky, but the picture is beautifully shot. Not only is it a recreation of the Civil War, it’s, more importantly, a time capsule of the film world of the late-1950’s. Also, it’s historically significant as the first use of 70 mm cameras. Raintree County was a turning point in the film industry and worth seeing—even if only once.

(Note: The film has not yet been released on a legitimate DVD by MGM)

Film of the Week: A Place in the Sun, 1951

When George Stevens suggested to Paramount Pictures that he wanted to direct a film version of the 1925 Theodore Dreiser novel, An American Tragedy (which had also been adapted into a play of the same name by Patrick Kearney), they swiftly disapproved the idea on the grounds that the studio had already produced an adaptation of the property. Stevens, relatively new to Paramount fumed that he was unable to direct the picture (that he knew would be a tremendous success) and was forced to sue the studio. Stevens was triumphant, as, thankfully for Paramount, so was A Place in the Sun—the title Stevens gave to this screen version.

Paramount Pictures

The story concerns the pursuit of the “American Dream.” Here, it has been updated from the 1920’s to post-war America and tells the tale of a handsome, intelligent young man, George Eastman, who has struggled against poverty his entire life. George dreams of “the good life.” To him, this means a beautiful wife and wealth. He entreats a wealthy uncle to employ him and ends up with a job in the family factory where he encounters a shy, plain young woman named Alice.

Paramount Pictures

George is bored and restless—filled with youthful energy and passion. To pass the time, he engages in a flirtation with Alice despite the company policy against fraternizing with the factory girls. Through George’s hard work, he garners the attention of his uncle and finds himself introduced to the lifestyle about which he’d always dreamed. At a swanky party, he meets a dazzling debutante—Angela Vickers. George falls madly and instantly in love with Angela and vows that they will be together. However, the cost of his love will be more than he had imagined. When Alice announces that she’s carrying George’s child, the young man’s thoughts turn quickly toward finding a speedy means of erasing his problems without Angela’s knowledge.

Clift and Taylor enjoyed each others company
both on and off set.
Paramount Pictures

George Stevens was quick to cast twenty-nine-year -old Montgomery Clift as George Eastman. Clift had already had success in films and showed that he was a versatile and sensitive performer. For the key role of Angela Vickers, Stevens selected a seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor had only starred in family films. “Angela” would be her first adult role and she proved that she was more than up to the task. With her striking features and clad in Edith Head’s chic, yet virginal wardrobe, Taylor showed that she was ready to work with a leading man who wasn’t a horse or a dog. She and Clift developed a deep friendship during this period which would last until his premature death at the age of forty-five.

Stevens had a bigger task in casting the role of “Alice.” Shelley Winters—known for her platinum locks and glamour girl ways—was interested in the role, but Stevens deemed her to be too much of a beauty for the part. By dying her hair brown, dressing in frumpy clothes and acting shy and reserved, Winters was able to fool Stevens when he arrived to meet her. Upon finally recognizing her, he agreed to test her for the part. Thus began a new chapter in Winters’ career and the first of what seems like many movies in which she drowns.

Everything from the costumes and Franz Waxman’s famously haunting score work harmoniously in this glorious film which is punctuated with long, slow dissolves, and deep, loving close-ups. It’s part art-film and part love story with a lot of tragedy thrown in. The centerpiece of it all are the performances of the three main characters. Winters is surprisingly convincing as dull, whiny Alice while Taylor gives the first truly good performance of her career. Clift, as always, is appropriately tense and completely absorbed in his character. Plus, Clift and Taylor are just so darn pretty that it’s hard to resist the picture.

This is the ideal 1950’s film and is sure not to disappoint.

In Memoriam: Elizabeth Taylor 1932-2011

Today, the world lost Elizabeth Taylor at the age of 79. She took with her, the last gasp of “Golden Age Hollywood.” Her life was a source of fascination for many. She’s made in indelible mark on world culture through her talent, her fashion sense, her tumultuous lifestyle and her vast humanitarian work.


I like to think that right now, she’s enjoying a rousing chat with Monty over gimlets. I’m sure they have much to discuss.

Sunday Viewing: Suddenly, Last Summer, 1959

Oh, Sebastian, what a lovely summer it's been. Just the two of us. Sebastian and Violet. Violet and Sebastian. Just the way it's always going to be. Oh, we are lucky, my darling, to have one another and need no one else ever.
--Katherine Hepburn as “Violet Venable”

In 1958, Southern playwright Tennessee Williams, debuted a double-bill of one-act plays at an off-Broadway theater. The two plays were Something Unspoken and Suddenly, Last Summer and were presented under the title Garden District (a reference to the elite neighborhood of New Orleans).

Suddenly, Last Summer was a dark play with disturbing themes that concerned a wealthy Southern family. Violet Venable—a domineering widow—was still reeling from the death of her only son, Sebastian. Her niece, Catherine Holly, was the last person to see Sebastian alive when he died “suddenly, last summer.” In order to silence Catherine’s less-than-flattering recollections of Sebastian’s last days, Violet has ordered that the girl be lobotomized. She contracts a gentle doctor, John Cukrowicz, to perfom the surgery. Soon, Dr. Cukrowicz finds himself embroiled in this sick family drama and realizes that it isn’t Catherine who needs the lobotomy.

When Columbia Pictures bought the film rights to the play and began to develop their cinematic production, Tennessee Williams was against the casting of Elizabeth Taylor as the vulnerable Catherine Holly. He stated, "It stretched my credulity to believe such a 'hip' doll as our Liz wouldn't know at once in the film that she was 'being used for something evil.” Nevertheless, Taylor gives one of her best performances—an achievement which brought her a Golden Globe Award for the role and an Academy Award Nomination.

Taylor urged director Joseph Mankiewicz to cast her long-time friend Montgomery Clift as Cukrowicz. Clift, who had been struggling with an addiction to pain killers and alcohol, was deemed too difficult and erratic to be a good risk for the studio. However, Taylor got her way. Joining Clift and Taylor is Jatherine Hepburn who gives Violet Venable the necessary bite and wit. Hepburn and Taylor were very protective of Clift who was often mistreated by the director. At the end of the production, Hepburn politely asked if they were finished. When told that they were, she walked up to Mankiewicz and spit in his face, saying, “That’s for Monty.”

The behind-the-scenes drama continued as composer Malcolm Arnold walked off the project after finding the film too upsetting. His work was finished by Buxton Orr. Furthermore, the studio met with resistance from the Catholic Legion of Decency who objected to the many references to Sebastian’s homosexuality. By their command, these references were largely removed or made as vague as possible. Furthermore, you’ll notice that we never see Sebastian’s face nor hear his voice in any flashbacks. This was also due to the Catholic Legion of Decency who ordered that the character not be recognizable as any particular person.

Though it’s a watered-down version of Williams’ original play, the film is gripping and emotional. Spectacularly acted, it’s a film that, while disturbing, is one that everyone interested in cinematic history should see.

Sunday Viewing: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, 1958

“Mendacity!” That was most-likely what Tennessee Williams said of the 1958 film version of his successful 1955 Broadway play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Williams did not care much for the film, finding that the toned-down sexuality of the picture strayed too much from his original concept. Still, the film is a triumph from a cinematic standpoint and features excellent performances from its principal cast which includes Elizabeth Taylor as “Maggie the Cat,” Paul Newman as “Brick,” Burl Ives as “Big Daddy,” Judith Anderson as “Big Mama” and Jack Carson as “Gooper.”

Much like the play, the film explores the interpersonal relationships of a wealthy Southern family as they weave in-and-out of discussions about truth, loyalty and fidelity. Newman is perfect as Brick—the aging, alcoholic, former football hero/favorite son and frigid husband. Taylor is the ideal, overwrought Maggie who wants nothing more than her husband’s love. Taylor wasn’t the first choice for “Maggie.” The role was originally offered to Grace Kelly who probably wouldn’t have been as deliciously neurotic in the part. Similarly, the role of “Brick” was first offered to Elvis Presley who turned down the part. That would have been quite a different film. Burl Ives reprises the role he made famous on stage and he’s joined by the always-excellent Judith Anderson as the melodramatic and misunderstood “Big Mama.”

The film is particularly interesting when one considers the back-stage drama. Taylor became a widow during the film’s production when her husband at the time, Mike Todd, was tragically killed in a plane crash. She took a brief break from the production, seeking solace in the company of her friend, Monty Clift. When she returned to the production, she was considerably thinner and more fragile, but nonetheless gave an excellent performance.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof offers up just the right amount of tawdry, steamy Southern drama and is the perfect way to spend a chilly Sunday afternoon.

Humanitarian of the Week: Elizabeth Taylor

One of the remaining great ladies of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Elizabeth Taylor symbolizes the heights of talent and the tempestuous Hollywood lifestyle. Born in London in 1932, Elizabeth Taylor began acting at the age of nine and quickly became one of the most sought-after child actors of her day. Her fame continued into her teen years as she made a strong of successful films. With each production, her talent grew as she wished to show herself as a true talent and not just a great beauty. She starred in some of the most famous films ever made and performed well into 2007.

Her personal life has provided a great deal of material for the media—from her health troubles to her eight marriages (to seven different men). She is a lover of jewelry, of animals and of people. Her generosity is as legendary as her talent. So much so that she was named a Dame of the British Empire.

Strip away the glamour and the scandals; Elizabeth Taylor is, at her heart, a nurturer. She has donated her time and money to AIDS research since the early 1990’s. By 1999, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation had raised $50 million to assist in research. Dame Elizabeth has also contributed her efforts to other charities. She is a staunch supporter of Dogs Deserve Better—a charity devoted to removing dogs from dangerous and abusive situations and finding them good, loving homes. Similarly, she has contributed greatly to Project Angel Food—a service which provides meals to people with serious illnesses.

She has enriched out world with her talent, her incredible beauty and her giving spirit. For this reason, Dame Elizabeth Taylor is our “Humanitarian of the Week.”

Recommended Reading: Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry

Few celebrities are as associated with jewelry as Elizabeth Taylor. Long an aficionado of beautiful gems, Miss Taylor has amassed a huge and famous collection of diamonds and magnificent pieces of jewelry. In a collection that includes masterpieces by Cartier, Bulgari and Harry Winston, Miss Taylor also boasts ownership of the 33.10 carat Krupp Diamond and the 69.42 carat Taylor-Burton diamond (seen right). Miss Taylor chronicles the most impressive pieces in her collection and the stories behind each in the colorful book, Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry. Truly, of all her affairs, this is the longest lasting. This book is worth a look if just for the photos alone.