Product: Ash Wednesday [VHS] (1973)
Rating: 5.0
La Liz the Great!
Gay men have treasured this unabashed tribute to the once phenomenal beauty of la Liz since "Ash Wednesday" came out in l973. Some day, the rest of the world will appreciate this movie as Liz's last glamour movie and a chance at last to act with somebody besides that hambone scene-eater Richard Burton who she demanded co-star with her in one disaster after another. Filmed on location in Italy's famed Cortina ski resort, you've never seen the 41-year-old Taylor look as spell-binding as she does here. An Oscar should have gone to her personal make-up artist, Albert De Rossi, for creating her stunning make-up; to Alexandre of Paris for her classic hair-styles; to Edith Head for whipping up the fabulous furs, velvet gowns, robes worn by the star; and especially to French couturier,Valentino for the knock-out white turban and ermine lined ensemble worn by Liz to the resort's mardi gras ball. Producer Dominic Dunne wrote in his memoirs that more drama occurred behind the camera than on. Liz was breaking up with Burton. Dunne says she was drinking heavily, over-dosed, relentlessly late, was rushed to the hospital for a mysterious condition, had operatic confrontations with her promiscuous spouse and Burton accused her of having an affair with her hunky on-screen lover, Helmet Berger, which caused everyone to laugh. Berger was the lover of Italian director Luscino Visconti. Incredibly, none of this tumult appears on film. Cameraman Ennio Guaninieri bathed Taylor in beautiful light and shadows. Before Taylor resumed making her string of disasters where she shrieked like a harridan, looked hideous in funhouse clothes and huge hair of the 70s, we can all watch Ash Wednesday and drool over this dark little fantasy about a woman who has her entire body lifted--just to impress her cold-fish of a husband, played with zero flash and fire by Henry Fonda. Couldn't Liz have gotten the ravishing Rod Taylor, probably the most magnificent looking male star eye candy of the 70s?