Elizabeth Taylor won an Oscar for a film she despised and called a disaster.
In short: Elizabeth Taylor famously loathed the 1960 drama BUtterfield 8, claiming she was forced into the role under duress. Despite her personal disdain for the script and the production, her performance as a troubled model earned her the first Academy Award of her career, turning a film she hated into a success.
Released in 1960 and directed by Daniel Mann, BUtterfield 8 was based on John O'Hara's 1935 novel. The plot follows Gloria Wandrous, a woman struggling with a history of promiscuity who attempts to reform her life after falling for a wealthy executive, Weston Liggett. The narrative, which culminates in a tragic car accident, was loosely inspired by the 1931 death of Starr Faithfull. While the film was a significant financial hit for MGM, earning a profit of $1,857,000, critical reception was deeply divided. Reviewers like Bosley Crowther noted the story was hackneyed, yet acknowledged Taylor's magnetic presence, while others criticized the script as shallow and the direction as theatrical.
Taylor’s own relationship with the project was defined by intense resentment. She and her husband, Eddie Fisher, derisively referred to the production as 'Butterball Four.' In a 2024 documentary, archival tapes revealed Taylor felt she had been coerced into the role to fulfill a contractual obligation before moving to 20th Century Fox for Cleopatra. She described the dialogue as 'diabolical' and claimed she performed with a 'pistol at her head.' Paradoxically, she channeled this anger into her portrayal of Gloria, a performance that ultimately secured her the Academy Award for Best Actress.
The film's title refers to a historical telephone exchange system in Manhattan's Upper East Side. Before the transition to all-number dialing, exchanges were identified by names; 'BUtterfield' corresponded to the digits 28, making the exchange 288. This technical detail, rooted in the era's telecommunications, serves as the backdrop for a story that has remained a cultural touchstone, even as its critical standing has fluctuated. Today, the film holds a 47% score on Rotten Tomatoes, yet it remains a notable chapter in Hollywood history, remembered as much for the star's public contempt as for the award-winning performance she delivered in spite of it.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: BUtterfield 8
- Also: Wikidata — BUtterfield 8 · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — BUtterfield 8 · CC0
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-butterfield-8.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
