Kirpianuscus one of films of Elizabeth Taylor. not memorable, not seductive, not so bad. only a simple story of a call girl and her fight to survive to social pressure, to her men, to the desire to be herself. only good point - the hard work of Elizabeth Taylor to create a credible character and the few sparkles who proves her talent. because she has the chance to drive Gloria Wandrous in the direction who transforms ordinaries clichés, the music of the period and the conflict mother - daughter in a realistic portrait of a young girl looking her personal way. and that is the basic virtue of a film who search to tell more than the moral of period permits. the game of suggestion, bizarre today, the manner to use it are the pillars of a rare performance of an actress who, in many occasions, was only the beautiful, eccentric woman or the second violin in films dominated by her partners.

Applause Meter The movie is about a high-priced call girl. Elizabeth Taylor as Gloria Wandrous is a prostitute but Hollywood, in 1960, still bound by antiquated production codes couldn't reveal her real resume. This leaves the film uncomfortably constrained and contrived. The audience has to go with what's presented, a story line crafted to sanitize the world's oldest profession. So the censors have given us a character Gloria, who is a "club girl," a model paid to wear fashionable clothes and be seen in trendy watering holes. These gathering places are frequented by men in suits, the wealthy and influential whose hands are never empty of a glass, downing one drink than another, the highball or martini. Gloria, a "good time girl," is promiscuous, BUT what she's really selling and out to get is "true love." She herself is an elitist in her own line of work, not just a common gold digger, but also a girl with an elevated purpose. And then in comes one of the regulars Gloria has hooked, Weston Liggett played by Laurence Harvey. Harvey's an actor accomplished at playing characters practicing deception and enduring subsequent remorse, and he's able here to deliver this type of troubled personality. Liggett, we soon learn is suffering from a terrible malady. He is married to a wealthy society woman, and works for the family company where he feels undervalued and unproductive. With all the entitlements of the good life, he is still a wretch, enslaved to a life of dull, staid opulence. His wife Emily, played by Dina Merrill, is the ever suffering, understanding spouse, putting up with her husband's philandering. His wife's indulgence of his shortcomings only increases Liggett's self-loathing and guilt. What's a young, good-looking man with money to do when he's destined to endure such a banal lifestyle? Why take up with a fancy slut and then of course, fall obsessively, madly in love with her. Eddie Fisher, Taylor's husband at the time, is awkwardly positioned into this melodrama, giving less a performance than a "walk through." He plays Gloria's childhood friend Steve who serves as her devoted, unfailing confidante. He's always there for her when she is in need of emotional support, which for Gloria means an almost daily cry for help. Steve's jealous finance Norma hates his relationship with Gloria. Susan Oliver as Norma gives a serviceable performance as she has little to do but by turns look aggrieved and frustrated. Her confrontations with her boyfriend Steve are verbal jabs, inviting Steve to challenge her dramatic statements, ones usually centered around Gloria's cheap behavior: "Is she not the biggest tramp in the whole city!" Since Manhattan contains somewhere around 8 million inhabitants…this is certainly quite a distinction. Mildred Dunnock is Gloria's mother, a woman living a genteel life of denial. Her daughter is a "good girl." Mrs. Wandrous' one time man friend, and prospective husband, sexually abused the young teen-aged Gloria, a heinous exploitation over a protracted period of time. Whether the mother even knows of her daughter's childhood ordeal is never in fact made clear to the audience. Kay Medford, provides the most noteworthy, spirited performance in this otherwise dour production. She is the ironically named Happy, the owner of a popular motel, a rendezvous for illicit love. Happy, herself a "good time girl" in her younger days, maintains a cynical but upbeat philosophical outlook on life. She's a self-defined expert on male/female relationships, the guru ready to dole out wisdom and advice gained from her own hard luck lessons of life. Elizabeth Taylor reportedly disliked making this movie and her displeasure shows. Her portrayal is deficient in conveying the emotional and physical scars of misuse. Taylor gives us the emotional posturing of an uninspired acting technique. She's too much The Screen Goddess throughout, unblemished by any of the authentic grit and misery defining a victim of a sordid past and present. No piece of used merchandise, Taylor on screen is every inch the Movie Star. Liz got the best actress Oscar for this movie, purportedly the "pity vote," in acknowledgment of the illness that almost took her life. The win certainly couldn't have been for the undistinguished performance she gave in this movie.

blanche-2 John O'Hara loved writing about bad girls, and "Butterfield 8," adapted from his novel, is no exception. Elizabeth Taylor stars as Gloria, a model/slut who sleeps around and keeps up the good girl illusion with her mother (Mildred Dunnock). Her mother's friend (Betty Field) has Gloria's number (Butterfield 8), but doesn't say anything to her mother. Gloria then falls in love with an unhappily married man (Laurence Harvey) -- but is it too late for her? Meanwhile, her childhood friend Steve (Eddie Fisher) is there to take care of her and listen to her confessions. His girlfriend (Susan Oliver) doesn't like it. I was reminded watching the film of Carrie Fisher's comment about her father: "When Mike Todd died, Eddie flew to Liz's side. Eventually, he got around to her front." The only reason to sit through this soapy, dated drama is Elizabeth Taylor, at the height of her beauty. And she's very good, despite people (and her) thinking her Oscar was a sympathy award.The film moves slowly, but Taylor keeps it interesting. She was a true movie star in the very best sense. When she was on the screen, you couldn't take your eyes off of her.

wes-connors Reluctant prostitute Elizabeth Taylor (as Gloria Wandrous) wakes up beautifully naked in her trick's bed. After scrounging around for a cigarette and scotch, she dons a slinky slip and brushes her teeth. When she finds $250 for services rendered, Ms. Taylor gets disgusted and saunters off in the mink coat belonging to the wife of wealthy bed-mate Laurence Harvey (as Weston Liggett). "I borrowed something spiteful and elegant," Taylor tells platonic pal Eddie Fisher (as Steve Carpenter). Mr. Fisher worries Taylor has become "boozed up and burned out." Fisher tinkers on the piano, but doesn't get a song to sing.A self-admitted "slut of all time," Taylor is sick of being mistaken for one. She calls herself a model, and really wants to settle down with someone like Mr. Harvey. "I've been with a man - a whole week," she excitedly tells mother Mildred Dunnock. Harvey is married, however, unhappily to beautiful country club blonde Dina Merrill (as Emily). Ms. Merrill (later Mrs. Robertson) never handled golf clubs at the "Maidstone Club" the way she wields her rifle in "Butterfield 8". Taylor (then Mrs. Fisher) was a triple crown movie queen when this film was released - with big celebrity, box office, and critical acclaim.Everyone, including the star, felt Taylor won the 1960 "Academy Award" for "Best Actress" because she nearly died during a health crisis. But, Taylor is undeniably excellent in this film. She also won the year's "Film Daily" award, and was nominated or mentioned by many critics and organizations, before her near-death experience. With Taylor's beautiful bust filling the screen, "Butterfield 8" is unabashedly trashy, but the star and production values are strong. This was the last in a string of consistently fine performances from Taylor. Her long-awaited next outing, "Cleopatra" (1963), initiated a series of ups and downs.******* Butterfield 8 (11/4/60) Daniel Mann ~ Elizabeth Taylor, Laurence Harvey, Eddie Fisher, Dina Merrill