Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The Last Of The Great Broads...

I once had the opportunity of seeing Elizabeth Taylor in person, and I was astonished by her beauty. She did have those famous violet eyes, and the most extraordinary luminescent complexion.  But the thing that impressed me the most was her laugh.  She laughed a lot and it could only be described as bawdy.  She was clearly a woman who enjoyed life to the fullest, in all its manifestations.  Elizabeth Taylor was also an amazing actress, having won as many Oscars as Meryl Streep.  My two favourite Elizabeth Taylor roles were as Catherine in "Suddenly, Last Summer" and Maggie in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", both written by the brilliant playwright, Tennessee Williams.  It was as though Williams had written both roles just for her.  They were great friends.  One of her lines from "Suddenly, Last Summer" is: "Truth is the one thing I have never resisted." I have a feeling that is how she lived her life as well. She was small in stature, but larger than life, and she will be missed.

14 comments:

RiverPoet said...

She was my mother's favorite actress, and I loved her roles in the Williams' works, too. What an amazingly beautiful woman with a spirit that will go on forever.

D

SparkleFarkel said...

NOT ONLY BECAUSE she was astonishingly beautiful both inside and out, I will remember Elizabeth Taylor for being fun and funny, for her wise and generous heart --spokeswoman for several causes, most notably AIDS (<-- Of course, that's not news to anyone, now is it?)-- and for being such an amazing inspiration: she never faced the day without perfume; she dressed to be noticed; and she believed you can be close to God anywhere.

AND THOSE eyes, those incredible violet eyes...

Mia said...

I like the fact that one of her last roles was with Debbie Reynolds, written by Carrie Fisher. Time heals everything.

Land of shimp said...

She is an icon and the nice thing is that she will always be there, preserved forever, youthful and stunningly beautiful on film.

You know, for all the chaotic nature of her personal life, she did tremendous good for AIDS understanding and research.

Both a Lady and Broad at once, which is a truly rare combination.

Linda Myers said...

My mother used to tell me with pride that when I was a baby and little girl I looked just like Elizabeth Taylor. It sounds like she lived life wide open. I'd like to do more of that.

Jennifer D said...

Oh Jo! you picked the perfect photo of her. Stunning, she was an incredible woman. I recently watched a show about her and I did get to hear her laugh, Bawdy is right. She was such a passionate woman.

DJan said...

I like to think of her reunited with her two greatest loves, Richard Burton and Mike Todd. She was a dame with a heart, that's for sure! Beautiful picture of her, Jo.

Tom said...

I was never particularly a fan of hers. But don't forget "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Great performance, great movie.

Btw, as a new follower of A Majority of Two, I now want to go see "Winter's Bone." Thx. for the recommendation. But lemme cast a vote in favor of "The Social Network." I thought it was a good contemporary movie with interesting (if not always sympathetic) characters.

Katy said...

When I was little National Velvet was one of my favorites so I think I will always remember Elizabeth Taylor the child actress best of all.

She had a great zest for life. I wouldn't say she is the last of the great broads, but the field of living starlets from her generation is sadly growing thin. Another great ledgend of Hollywood's Golden Age will be missed.

Leslie: said...

Seems like it's the end of an era. May she rest in peace after a lifetime of illness amid all the wonderful things she did for mankind.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

She was always there at the fringes of my life, and now she isn't. When I was growing up, she was referred to as the most beautiful woman in the world, and I wondered how anyone could be that as there were so many types of beauty. But she was extraordinary in every way, and I'm sorry she's gone. Like Frank Sinatra, she did it HER way.

fiftyodd said...

This must be the loveliest picture I've ever seen of Liz, apart from my memories of her in 'National Velvet'. No-one who wasn't around in the sixties can appreciate how breathtakingly beautiful she was - except Burton of course. What a passionate couple they were. Made for each other. I'll never forget her.

rebecca said...

How beautiful was she, no? My favorite all-time movie was her and Burton as Katharina and Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew. Oh, she was fantastic there and the chemistry between the two was sterling! I always thought their real lives couldn't have been that much different - in terms of the fire within they both had.

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