Behind Every Film in Taylor Swift’s “Elizabeth Taylor” Music Video
Taylor Swift's music video for her single "Elizabeth Taylor" is a heartfelt love letter to one of Hollywood's most enduring icons. Where the song's lyrics drew parallels between the two stars, the video goes a step further — weaving some of Elizabeth Taylor's most iconic film moments into a rich visual tapestry that cements their connection. But as with everything in Swift's world, there's far more beneath the surface than a first viewing reveals. Here, we break down every Elizabeth Taylor film featured in the video, exploring both the artistry on screen and the remarkable real life unfolding behind it.
A Place In The Sun
At only 17 years old, Elizabeth Taylor was cast by Director George Stevens as socialite Angela Vickers in Paramount Pictures’ A Place in the Sun (1951). In search of the quintessential girl on the cover of a chocolate box, Elizabeth was his first and only choice for the role. The young star was thrilled about being given the chance to work alongside Montgomery Clift, an actor she admired, and she took the opportunity to throw herself into preparations for the film, eager to learn everything she possibly could from the experts around her, including the film’s costume designer Edith Head. Their collaboration on costuming for the film left a lasting impression, with her debutante dress becoming the biggest dress trend of the fifties.
Suddenly, Last Summer
The 1959 adaptation of Tenessee Williams’ play Suddenly, Last Summer was one of a handful of films that Elizabeth starred in alongside her dearest friend Mongomery Clift. At the time, Clift was considered uninsurable due to being chronically ill. Under normal circumstances, that would have led to him being fired and replaced, but Elizabeth saved her friend’s job by insisting she would not do the movie without him.
Boom!
In 1968, Elizabeth Taylor appeared alongside husband Richard Burton in Boom!, written and adapted for the screen by the playwright Tennessee Williams. The film starred Elizabeth as the enigmatic Flora “Sissy” Goforth, a woman who has everything and nothing all at once (sound familiar?) opposite Richard as the mysterious Chris Flanders. Due to its over-the-top style, Boom! was a wildly expensive production that lost money in box office sales and was not well received by the public or critics. However, as the film has aged it has shifted in contexts of aesthetics and storytelling, garnering a cult following and appreciation of the film as a camp classic.
Giant
Released in 1956, Giant boasted a cast of heavy hitters. Elizabeth Taylor (as Leslie Benedict), James Dean (Jett Rink), and Rock Hudson (Bick Benedict) starred in the Warner Bros. western drama that is a sprawling epic covering the life of a Texas cattle rancher, his family, and the woman he falls in love with. Filmed in the small town of Marfa, Texas, the production of Giant marked the beginning of Elizabeth’s close friendship with Rock Hudson — and where the two friends invented the Chocolate Martini.
Around The World Of Mike Todd
This made-for-tv documentary focuses on the life and career of legendary producer Mike Todd, centered on his role in producing the 1956 hit Around the World in 80 Days. Narrated by Orson Welles, it features behind-the-scenes footage from the film, as well as an inside peek into Mike’s relationship with then fiancée Elizabeth. For the film’s worldwide press tour, the couple were issued a joint passport, which is now part of the Elizabeth Taylor Archive. Elizabeth and Mike wed the following year in 1957, and welcomed daughter Liza later that year. Tragically, their relationship was cut short when Mike was killed in a plane crash in 1958, shattering Elizabeth’s world. Throughout her life, she maintained that Mike was one of her great loves.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
The 1958 film adaptation of Tennesee Williams' play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was a box office success and earned six Academy Award nominations. Starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman, the play-turned-film was well-received by both critics and audiences, despite the emotional stress going on behind the scenes. Underneath Elizabeth’s staggering beauty in her role as Maggie, she was processing insurmountable grief over the death of her third husband, producer Mike Todd, who died only a few weeks into shooting.
Cleopatra
The sweeping 1963 drama Cleopatra — and the surrounding intrigue — is the project that Elizabeth Taylor is probably most remembered for. This four-hour journey, starring Elizabeth Taylor in the titular role, set the bar for grandeur and star-power at the time of its release. Elizabeth became the first actor to ever successfully negotiate a million dollar contract for a single film, and while fans were spellbound by her performance and those of the accompanying cast – including stars Rex Harrison, Roddy McDowall, and Richard Burton – they became increasingly interested with the storyline brewing behind the scenes as well.
Father of the Bride
Directed by Vincente Minelli, the 1950 film Father of the Bride tells the story of a father who is overwhelmed by the complexities and expenses of his daughter’s extravagant wedding. Elizabeth Taylor, on her rise to becoming Hollywood’s favorite celebrity, was cast in the role of the bride in both the movie and real life. MGM saw Elizabeth’s impending nuptials to the heir to the Hilton hotel empire as an opportunity to blend her personal life with the film’s narrative, transforming her wedding into a publicity event tied to the movie’s release.
Julia Misbehaves
One of Elizabeth’s early films, under her contract with MGM, 1948’s Julia Misbehaves was part of her transition from child star to ingénue. Elizabeth turned 16 years old during production, and received her first on-screen kiss from co-star Peter Lawford.
Love Is Better Than Ever
This 1952 rom-com stars Elizabeth as a beautiful dance teacher from a small town who falls in love with a big-city talent agent. The film was released shortly after Elizabeth wed her second husband, Michael Wilding.
Elephant Walk
1954’s Elephant Walk was one of the first two films Elizabeth made after signing an updated contract with MGM, but was surprisingly with another studio — she was loaned out to Paramount Pictures for the film after its original star, Vivien Leigh, fell ill. In this drama, Elizabeth plays a British woman struggling to adapt to life on her husband's tea plantation in Ceylon. Much of the movie was filmed on-location in Sri Lanka.
Rhapsody
The second of the first two films made after she signed another contract with MGM, this 1954 romance stars Elizabeth as a woman caught in a love triangle with two musicians. This decade was a pivotal time for Elizabeth, as it marked her entry into high-level acting, marriage, and motherhood.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
The announcement that Elizabeth Taylor would star as Martha in the film adaptation of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? set the world abuzz. How would the gorgeous 32-year-old Elizabeth Taylor play 52-year-old Martha? This wasn’t the first time Elizabeth had been underestimated – from standing up to Louis B. Mayer at only 15 to winning her first Oscar for BUtterfield 8, a project she had been forced to make against her will – and she was now more determined than ever to come back swinging with the performance of a lifetime. Even her then-husband Richard Burton, who would act as her co-star in the film, bluntly stated that she was too soft for the role. But that only fuelled Elizabeth’s fire, and on-screen, she proved once and for all that she was more than a pretty face.