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Drama telling the story of Hollywood's most glamorous couple, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, who acted together for the last time in Noel Coward's Private Lives in 1983. When Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton met on the set of Cleopatra, the attraction was immediate. The public were enthralled by their illicit romance, two tempestuous marriages, frequent break-ups and extravagant reunions. They were the original fabulous stars, conspicuous in their consumption of clothes, houses, yachts, diamonds, and, more damagingly, alcohol. In 1976 Richard and Elizabeth divorced for the second time. They both married other people and it seemed that the romance of the century might truly be over. Then, in 1982, they both separated and were free again. In 1983, Richard and Elizabeth had one final reunion on the stage when they spent seven months touring with Noel Coward's Private Lives. During the tour public speculation grew about the possibility of another marriage, but in private old frictions played out once again. Speculation about another reunion ended when Richard Burton married his fiancée Sally Hay halfway through the run. This is the story of the first celebrity 'it' couple. Beyond alcohol, pills and the trappings of fame, was love the ultimate crutch that allowed them to escape the realities of their extraordinary lives? Funny, glamorous, tempestuous and dripping with diamonds, this is the last battle of the Burtons. (c) BBC
Rating
PG
Director
Richard Laxton
Studio
BBC
Writer
William Ivory
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- ???????? ?????, ??????????? ?????????? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ?????????. ? ??????? ?? Liz & Dick ? ??? ????????-????????????, ?????? ? ??????, ????? ????????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ? ???????? ?????. ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ????????? ? ????.Reply
- Fascinating in a Chinese boxes kind of a way. Burton and Taylor were all about dysfunctional relationships, viz 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf'. To watch West and Carter playing out an imagined version of Burton and Taylor acting the relationships of 'Private Lives' is to take on a kind of vertigo. At the centre is the tragic relationship of Burton and Taylor, but it's echoed in each of the other dyads here. Fascinating in a slightly voyeuristic and obscene way. Issues of alcoholism and addiction, not to mention narcissism, loom large. A good movie if not a particularly satisfying one. I can't help feeling that this panders too much to our fascination with the cult of celebrity.Reply
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- Wow Helena Bonham Carter was pretty much spot on & perfect choice as Elizabeth Taylor & Dominic West was good as Richard Burton too. Good story as wellReply
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- It's fun to see West and Bonham-Carter in the leads, but there isn't really a strong plot. It is enjoyable though.Reply
- At times the substance abuse & the destructive nature of their relationship can seem to grate on our nerves but the last 10 minutes was moving and affirms the strengths of both actors playing perhaps the most enduring love epic of our lifetime....Taylor to Burton, "you forget, Boy-o, who the star of this show really is," Priceless.Reply
- "Burton and Taylor" is a drama fixed on the last year of the famous Richard Burton's life and his last encounters with his ex-wife, the very famous Elizabeth Taylor. The story is starting when Burton and Taylor will both participate the the theatrical play of Private Lives. This TV movie is mostly centered on Burton's as a central character and his depiction of Taylor's extravagance/love.I really liked this TV movie, I felt it really well written, with a very experienced set of actors/actresses and it really cleverly depict two very famous personalities, their love, their fear, their regrets, their fame. Helena Bonham Carter was absolutely shining as Elizabeth Taylor, even if she doesn't really look like Taylor; Dominic West was also very good as Richard Burton, depicting him as a rather proud and yet sensitive man. I also loved that the direction avoided tons of flashbacks and instead just reinforcing only on a bit of a timeline in their life.The TV movie might be sometimes slow paced but it is so smartly developing the characters, that I believed it was the best way to do it.Reply
- Fun to watch but I cannot tell if it really is all because of Helena Bonham Carter alone. She is phenomenal to watch and translates beautifully into the Liz Taylor role she plays.Reply