"Elizabeth Taylor In London" (1963)

Elizabeth Taylor

REVIEW:
During the first years of the '60s, a star of Elizabeth Taylor's magnitude couldn't make tv films or commercials, simply because it was below her status or her dignity, it wasn't fashionable. Only "has been" actors who couldn't have contracts anymore in featured films were doing television (with few exceptions, obviously). Television productions were still considered minor projects. Only in the late '60s, Hollywood and the big television companies began to work together. But in the late '50s and early '60s, Hollywood stars and big colored movies that ran on huge theater screens were the only weapons that could help the film industry survive in the war against television. However, one thing was already happening: cultural tv shows with big movie stars. In those years, tv companies put a high value on cultural entertainment and shows, which had great ratings, especially as tv viewers had the opportunity to stay at home and see their movie idols playing themselves. Big stars had nothing against cultural projects on TV shows. CBS Television had started a cultural project by presenting the major tourist cities to its tv audiences. The series began with "A Look At Monaco" and "Tour Of The White House" and has proven successful once their viewers could see Grace Kelly in the first episode and Jacqueline Kennedy in the second. When it came to London, the producers were well aware that they couldn't ask Queen Elizabeth to be their guide. Instead they turned to England's other Elizabeth: Elizabeth Taylor. Her fee for the one hour episode was fabulous: $250,000, the most expensive ever offered to a star on television.

FILM TITLE
"ELIZABETH TAYLOR IN LONDON" (USA/ CBS/ 1963)
PROMO
"The most beautiful woman in the world will present the most beautiful city in the world" (CBS).

OVERVIEW
"I'm an adventurous nature. There are so many doors to be opened, and I am not afraid to look beyond them" - says Elizabeth Taylor in this film in which she plays herself, showing tv viewers all the attractions of the British capital in 1963. The London tour begins with a shining Elizabeth Taylor, wearing a Dior housedress, on the terrace of the Dorchester Hotel. Born in London, she shares her own vision of her native city. On the music composed by John Barry (author of the music from the James Bond films), we see the average Londoners, hear excerpts from famous people who were born and lived here (from Shakespeare to Sir Winston Churchill) and, of course, we come to see the historical attractions by visiting the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow, the Whittington Stone, the Parliament on the banks of the Thames, the Billingsgate Fish Market, the Tower of London and the "sinister" places frequented by Jack the Ripper. Elizabeth Taylor leads us to Chelsea, into the Battersea Park, to the Globe Theatre and we have the opportunity to see Judi Dench and Ian Richardson live on stage in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by Shakespeare. Then we hear Elizabeth Taylor reciting excerpts from "Hamlet". Later on we are introduced into a classic London club and we walk through the parks and gardens of London. An interesting part of the film is a tour to the Hampstead district, the birthplace of Elizabeth Taylor, where she lived until 1939, and we even get to see the house where she was born. This episode was a big success and the composer was nominated for an Emmy.

CAST
Elizabeth Taylor, as herself.
DIRECTED BY
Sid Smith.
SCREEN PLAY
Lou Solomon and S.J. Perelman.
PRODUCED BY
Phil D'Antoni, Norman Baer and Sid Smith.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Otto Heller.
MUSIC
John Barry.
CONDUCTOR
Johnnie Spence. Black and white
DURATION
58 minutes.
GENRE
documentary, travel, culture.
RELEASED
October 1963 on CBS and Christmas 1963 on BBC.

Elizabeth Taylor

MUSIC AND SOUNDTRACK
1. Elizabeth
- Music composed by John Barry.
2. London At Dawn
- Elizabeth Taylor speaking about "Westminster Bridge" by William Wordsworth.
3. The London Theme
- Music composed by John Barry.
4. Lovers and Browning
- Elizabeth Taylor reciting "Portuguese sonnets" by Elizabeth Barrett.
5. Pitt's Speech
- Elizabeth Taylor narrates phrases from famous politicians' speeches.
6. Jazz Waltz
- Music composed by John Barry.
7. Elizabeth Waltz
- Music composed by John Barry.
8. Queen Elizabeth I at Tilbury
- Elizabeth Taylor reads phrases from a speech of Queen Elizabeth I.
9. English Garden
- Music composed by John Barry.
10. Queen Victoria
- Elizabeth Taylor reads a few pages from the diary of Queen Victoria.
11. The Fire Of London
- Music composed by John Barry.
12. Churchill's Speech
- Excerpts are played from the speeches of the Prime Minister.

NOMINATED at
- Emmy Award for the best television music (John Barry).

TRIVIA
- After the success with this episode, the producers Philip D'Antoni and Norman Baer decided to resume it, this time in Rome, with Sophia Loren as tv host for a fee of $100,000. The Italian actress shows the tv viewers the beauties of the eternal city, from the Trevi Fountain to the Coliseum, the city's narrow streets and its famous gardens, accompanied by Marcello Mastroianni. John Barry was asked to write the music again, but Sophia Loren opposed, believing that an English composer can not capture the charm of Italy. Producers brought Sophia Loren a tape with a song named "Secrets of Rome" and asked her to listen to it without telling her who the composer was. The actress immediately agreed, saying that the music was very good and that it was certainly composed by an Italian. That Italian was, of course,...John Barry !
- After finishing this production, Elizabeth Taylor chose not to play in any film anymore, accompanying Richard Burton on the set of his films in England and Mexico, for "Becket" and "The Night of the Iguana". Later she helped him with the triumphant tour of "Hamlet" in Canada and U.S.A.

Elizabeth Taylor in London

See MOVIE CLIP here.