The VIPs

The VIPs is a real ensemble piece. I read somewhere about Love Actually that, "If the set burned down British showbiz would be in trouble." Well, this has *gasps*: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Maggie Smith, Louis Jourdan, Rod Taylor, Margaret Rutherford (I wish she was my, ancient benefactress, or... something)

In Murder Most Foul (I think, they all morph into one!), one of her amazing characterizations of Agatha Christie's Ms. Marple

and the incomparable Orson Welles. That's a lot of awesome people for one building. Just to say, how amazing is Maggie Smith in like, everything? She doesn't get the credit she deserves! My grandma called my mum up a few weeks ago to tell her that some newspaper had done a top 100 British actresses list, and guess what. SHE WASN'T EVEN FLIPPIN' ON IT!!!!!!!!! That makes me so mad. She is one of the best actresses evah. After this long intro, here is some VIP stuff.

The V.I.Ps

Cast:

• Elizabeth Taylor - Frances Andros
• Richard Burton - Paul Andros
• Louis Jourdan - Marc Champselle
• Elsa Martinelli - Gloria Gritti
• Margaret Rutherford - Duchess of Brighton
• Maggie Smith - Miss Mead
• Rod Taylor - Les Mangrum
• Orson Welles - Max Buda

Plot:
Famous actress Frances Andros is flying out to New York from a London airport to get a connecting flight to Jamaica for a holiday escorted to the airport by millionaire husband Paul Andros. What he doesn't know is that she is really eloping aging playboy Marc Champselle because she is despairing of his checkbook generosity in place of emotion.

Les Mangrum is about to fly to New York to stop his business being sold, all of which has to be done within 24 hours. His secretary Mrs. Mead (who is secretly in love with him) is doing everything she can to ensure a safe journey for him.

The Duchess of Brighton is traveling to Florida to become a hostess at a resort in an attempt to save her stately home with the new money she will be earning.

Max Buda, movie tycoon has to leave London by midnight to avoid a hefty British tax bill. He takes his new protégée, Gloria Gritti with him.

But then a thick layer of fog moves in around the airport and they are all grounded. Leaving time for Frances and Marc to be descovered, Les to lose his business, The Duchess to go crazy with all of her hypocondriac pills and Max Buda to lose a fortune...

The Review:
This film (much like Maggie Smith) does not get the credit it deserves! It has amazing acting in it and great script! I love the Taylor/Burton story, but my favourite is the Taylor (Rod)/Smith story. There is a hilarious scene on a plane where Margaret Rutherford's hat box keeps falling on this Sidney Poitier lookalike's head. Great film. I gotta start reviewing some bad ones. All my reviews are of good films!



Ok, so I have one film I don't really want to rewatch; Suddenly Last Summer. Elizabeth Taylor in a mental asylum, Katherine Hepburn in a tropical garden in an advance state of insanity, Montgomery Clift as a brain surgeon and some guy in a white suit being eaten by cannibals. Disturbing on so many levels. Joseph Mankiewicz at his worst co-writing with Tennessee Williams.

As my blogger friend Libby posted the other day, I love listening to Doris day's christmas album. She is so cheerful and christmassy. I especially like her rendition of "White Christmas".




~Bette