DANIEL MANN

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BB

USA, 1960.  Afton-Linebrook.  Screenplay by Charles Schnee, John Michael Hayes, based on the novel by John O’Hara.  Cinematography by Charles Harten, Joseph Ruttenberg.  Produced by Pandro S. Berman.  Music by Bronislau Kaper.  Production Design by George W. Davis, Urie McCleary.  Costume Design by Helen Rose.  Film Editing by Ralph E. Winters.  

Even Elizabeth Taylor insisted that it was her life-threatening illness and emergency tracheotomy that inspired the Academy to award her a Best Actress Oscar for this mundane film. She plays a high-class call girl who falls in love with swanky Laurence Harvey.  It should work out for them both, but naturally it can’t because she’s too much of a party girl.

Taylor isn’t bad in the role, it’s more that the screenplay is too bland to really accommodate her fiery personality. It also couldn’t have helped her confidence much to win a pity Oscar after years of great, award-worthy performances.

Academy Award:  Best Actress (Elizabeth Taylor)
Nomination: Best Cinematography-Colour

Golden Globe Award Nomination:  Best Actress-Drama (Elizabeth Taylor)