Girls, I am still wrapping my brains around the idea of Richard Burton doing that cameo in "Doctor Zhivago." No, I have not confirmed this, and, frankly, I do not expect to, but, in the course of discussion with another cinephile, I discovered some legends and facts about two film Burton did appear in, both important to his career. I am talking about 1964's "Beckett," and 1969's "Anne Of The Thousand Days."
The urban legends go, according to my source, that, in both films, somewhere in the background of one of their crowd scenes (these were period films, lambs, so both had big, and many, crowd scenes!!!!!!!) Elizabeth Taylor, just for fun, appears in the background.
Now, as we know, Liz was something of a Legend herself. Guess she had a ribald sense of humor. Well, I did my research, darlings, and I found the answers lie somewhere between myth and truth!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's start with "Beckett." I haven't seen this film, since it first premiered on NBC-TV, back around 1968!!!!!! When I saw the scene of Beckett barging in on Henry with the girl in bed, it was one of the raciest things I had seen up to that time. Or, as a burgeoning gay youngster, were they actually sharing her, which would have meant the relationship between Beckett and Henry II was homosexual!!!!!!!! But, then, Thomas a Beckett was eventually canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic church, and you damn well better believe, darlings, there are no homosexual saints out there!!!!!!!!!! At least, none that they or the Church will admit to!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, the legend goes that Liz is somewhere in one of the crowd scenes. I wondered, first, even if you froze each scene frame by frame, would she be spotted? Then, when I dug into my research, I discovered something even more lascivious, though, having not seen the film since 1968, I am not sure if this made it to the final cut of the film. But I bet it did!!!!!!!! That Liz!!!!!!!!!!!
In a scene where Beckett walks into the room which Henry is sharing with a girl, the unseen nude actress is lying under the blanket. Peter O'Toole talked Elizabeth Taylor--who thought it was hilarious, darlings!!!!!!!--into taking the actress' place for the scene. As I said, I don't know how much of this is seen, but, from what I can gather, Burton had no idea Taylor was there, until the director yelled "Cut!" and then--Surprise!!!!!! According to my research, Burton was not amused. What a hypocrite, girls!!!!!! Do you know he initially turned down the title role, because, not only did he feel more suited for the role of Henry II, (which went to the brilliant Peter O'Toole, who went on to give another brilliant performance as a more mature Henry, four years later, in 1968's "The Lion In Winter," holding his own with such hams as Katherine Hepburn and Anthony Hopkins!!!!!!!!) but, because, with his reputation as a boozer and womanizer, he felt the press would have had a field day, with him playing a saint!!!!!!!!!!! He should have lived in these times, darlings!!!!!!!!!! Not only would the press have a field day, no one now would bat an eye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, let's talk about "Anne Of The Thousand Days." This is less ribald, dolls!
It is five years later, 1969, and it is now Burton playing another famous Henry, one of THE most famous, in fact--Henry VIII!!!!!!! I mean, he was immortalized, musically, in the Sixties, by Herman's Hermits!!!!!!!!!!
You can bet there are plenty of crowd scenes in this film. But, according to my research,, there is a scene where Queen Katherine (wonderfully played by Irene Papas; what ever happened to her?????) is saying her prayers, and she is interrupted by a masked girl. Watch closely, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!! The masked girl in this scene is played by an unbilled Elizabeth Taylor! In a way, she was getting even with the filmmakers; she actually wanted to play Anne, opposite her husband, but was told she was too old--at 37, darlings!!!!!!!!--to play the role! You do NOT tell Elizabeth Taylor she is too old! Hell, you don't tell ME, girls, that I am too old!!!!!!! That would be worse!!!!!!!!!!
I have not seen 'Anne' since it first came out. I saw it in 1969, (or was it 1970??????) at the RKO Albany (which might, by then have been renamed the International 70!!!!!!!!) so I cannot recall either the scene, or whether Taylor, as the girl, speaks. But with those eyes, even peering out from behind a mask, she should not be too hard to spot!!!!!!!!!!!! The most lasting thing I recall, to this day, is the final shot, featuring a female toddler, back to camera, walking toward the palace, while a male voice over reveals this little girl will grow up to be Queen Elizabeth!!!!!!!!!!! While Elizabeth T, friend to queens, makes a cameo in this film!!!!!!!!!
Of course, now I will have to go back and look at these two films I never expected to see again!!!!!!! Such are the power of urban legends, loves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And, for the last time, Sharon Tate does NOT appear in "Rosemary's Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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