Delving into the captivating saga of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, one of the 20th century's most iconic power couples, reveals a tumultuous love story filled with jewels, swoons, and tumultuous battles.
Together, Liz and Dick starred in 11 classic films, creating cinematic magic in productions like "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" However, beyond their on-screen chemistry, their off-screen life was a sensation, chronicled in Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger's definitive book, "Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century." The authors detail the couple's passionate beginnings and their extravagant life as "doomed nomads," traversing three continents, leaving an indelible mark on everyone they encountered, especially each other.
Reflecting on their intense relationship, Taylor once expressed, "When you are in love and lust like that, you just grab it with both hands and ride out the storm." And ride it out, they did, through years of excess, turmoil, scandal, and copious amounts of alcohol.
Their initial encounter in 1953 at a Hollywood party, where Burton was captivated by Taylor's extraordinary beauty, set the stage for a dynamic relationship. However, Taylor, unimpressed by the Welsh upstart actor, initially found him "swaggering and vulgar."
Fast forward to 1962, during the filming of "Cleopatra," their paths crossed again. Determined not to succumb to Burton's legendary charm, Taylor initially dismissed him. Yet, their first day of shooting together marked the beginning of a profound connection.
In a love scene for "Cleopatra," Burton, nursing a hangover, and Taylor shared a deep kiss that transcended the scripted narrative. The kiss, evolving with each take, left the director, Joseph Mankiewicz, in awe. Even after declaring "print it," Taylor and Burton continued, prompting the director to humorously interject, "Does it interest you that it is time for lunch?"
This glimpse into their passionate on-set connection marked the inception of a love affair that would become legendary—an epic romance filled with jewels, dramatic swoons, and the echoes of their undeniable chemistry.
