February 1963: - Elizabeth Taylor, 31, (wearing the Bvlgari emerald/diamond brooch that she wore on her and Burton’s 3/15/64 wedding day) in scenes and publicity stills from, MGM’s, “The VIP’s”…filmed in London, England from December 1962 to March 1963. The previous August, Elizabeth was residing in Gstaad, Switzerland with her children and her parents after she completed, “Cleopatra.” Richard Burton was living with his wife, Sybil, at their chalet in Céligny, Switzerland…a mere 85 miles away from Elizabeth. Though it was suspected that the Taylor/Burton affair would end at the completion of, “Cleopatra”…they each knew better. After the film finished, they traveled to the French Riviera (on the Côte dAzur) for an extended vacation together before retrieving to their respective Swiss homes. After all, Burton still had a wife and Elizabeth was painfully aware of the fact that he was not yet prepared to leave Sybil. She reconciled herself to the fact that if Richard could not divorce Sybil, then she would took on the label as ‘mistress.’ But it was due to the fact that Elizabeth was willing to lower her opinion (even more) in the public’s eyes that made Richard suddenly realize that she was worth much more than being labeled a mistress. Things in Gstaad did not start off well that late summer. Elizabeth’s close friend, Roddy McDowall and his lover, John Valva, arrived at Elizabeth’s Chalet Ariel ….and she was immersed in entertaining Richard at the time. Both Roddy and John were close friends of Sybil and didn’t particularly care for Richard’s treatment of her. In fact, John Valva soon abandoned both Roddy and Elizabeth and moved exclusively to Sybil’s camp. For a short time, they were lovers. That liaison lasted a month. When Sybil ended her association with Valva, he tried to return to Roddy. When Roddy rejected him, he attempted suicide. During the autumn 1962, Burton was constantly visiting Elizabeth. Her torrid reputation continued in the press. In London, ‘The Daily Mirror’ printed a story stating, “The lady is one long eruption of matrimonial agitation.” LIFE magazine ran a feature story containing Elizabeth’s children under the crude heading, “Please…Who’s my daddy now?” On the “Cleopatra” front, 20th Century Fox president was replaced by Darryl F. Zanuck. Elizabeth soon received news that “Cleopatra” director, Joseph Mankiewicz, had been fired by Zanuck from editing the film and she said that it was a disgrace….after all Mankiewicz saved the film. All of the disasters that were stemming from post-production “Cleopatra” seemed to be Elizabeth’s fault. The studio wanted big money from her as compensation for the ordeal that she put the production through. She balked at the entire thing. In November 1962, Richard and Elizabeth traveled to Paris to do some voice over work on “Cleopatra.” They had dinner with producer, Anatole de Grunwald. Burton had signed to do, “The VIP’s” ( a story roughly based on the true story of actress Vivien Leighs attempt to leave her husband, actor Laurence Olivier, and fly off with her lover, the actor Peter Finch, only to be delayed by a fog at Heathrow) with Sophia Loren. Elizabeth took Grunwald aside and told him, “Let Sophia Loren stay in Rome. I’ll do the film with Richard.” Apparently, Elizabeth was feeling somewhat insecure about Richard’s association with Loren. She would feel that way again ten years later…when she and Richard had separated and he actually ‘did’ have an affair with Sophia Loren. In December 1962, Richard and Elizabeth checked into separate suites at The Dorchester Hotel, in London… though it soon became public knowledge that they were both living in only one. Sybil was mortified at this new turn of events and quickly traveled to London (from Switzerland) with her daughters to spend Christmas with her husband. Richard was torn during this period. Throughout the week he would be with Elizabeth and on week-ends, he was with Sybil and his daughters. Feeling that he had to somehow protect Sybil, he told reporters that he had no intention of marrying Elizabeth…which unglued her. To erase her feelings of uncertainty, she drank…along with Richard. Their liquid lunches were legendary on the set of “The VIP’s.” Despite what she had told Richard in Switzerland, she couldn’t face the possibility that she was going to be dismissed from his life. A magazine article stated that, “If Burton marries Taylor, he will become the fifth husband of the wife of Bath.” He found himself roaming the London streets, at times, not wanting to be with Elizabeth or Sybil. One evening he was attacked by a London roughneck gang, called The Teddy Boys, and was un-photographable for two weeks. Rushing to see him after the incident, Elizabeth accidently fell down an empty elevator shaft and dislocated her knee…causing another production delay. She had to provide her own insurance money on “The VIP’s”. Because of her past record regarding illness, ‘Lloyds of London’ would not insure her for film work. There was no way around that except providing her own funding. These mishaps brought Richard and Elizabeth closer together and by the time, “The VIP’s” completed production…Burton had made up his mind. He wanted to be with Elizabeth…no matter what. He announced that he would, indeed, marry her. Burton told the press, “I love Sybil but in a different way. My love for Elizabeth is more complete, more…more necessary I suppose. I wasn’t terribly conscious of it and I didn’t rationalize it, but I would say that my love for Sybil is much more the love that a man feels for his daughter…not that for a wife.” A very coy Elizabeth, then, told reporters, “I am so glad that he has told you.”Sybil had been made to look ridiculous for over a year at that point and could not stand the humiliation any longer. She finally agreed to a legal separation but said nothing about granting Richard a divorce. She fled Europe for New York City…to start a new life and forget all about the likes of Elizabeth Taylor. The only time that the two women would even have any connection to one another was in the autumn of 1998…when Roddy McDowall was dying of cancer. They came together to be with him….but neither ever uttered the name, “Richard Burton.” They both thought it…but neither said it.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 17:08:03 +0000
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