Elizabeth Taylor: Signature Collection (National Velvet / Father of the Bride / Cat on a Hot Tin Roof / Butterfield 8)

What a great way to view the first half of her career all in one fell swoop. In National Velvet, of course, she plays young Velvet Brown, the most beautiful little girl ever born, with a love for her horse that knows no bounds. What a shame injury prevented her from playing in International Velvet for Bryan Forbes many years later, though Nanette Newman was very good in the part as well. In FATHER OF THE BRIDE, Taylor is all of a sudden very grown up, and Vincente Minnelli really showcases her youthful beauty and high spirits and passionate nature. The movie is wonderful with details, and although it is really Spencer Tracy's story, both Taylor and her look-alike movie mom, Joan Bennett, have some great scenes and both look ravishing. Yes, Liz was all grown up but the movie doesn't really go to the place of sexuality in the same way that Richard Brooks' CAT ON A HIT TIN ROOF does. Taylor kind of wears that white slip, otherwise it looks like it's falling off of her, and Paul Newman seems suitably aroused, and yet the whole premise of the picture is that for some reason, and what could it be, he's just not up to having sex with her. It's a very funny movie despite its torrid plotline and the sterling performances of all concerned. While Taylor received the Oscar for BUTTERFIELD 8, the final movie of our quartet, she really should have been handed the statuette for her superior work in CAT. As Maggie she created an indelible image that ranks with her finest work (such as PLACE IN THE SUN and WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF).

This DVD set is a good bargain and the films themselves have rarely looked better, though there is some flaking around the edges during early reels of BUTTERFIELD 8.

Four excellent DVDs are contained in this box, This is Elizabeth Taylor's box, and although our fascination goes more to the boxed set of the Legendary Duo: Taylor/Burton, this nevertheless is a must buy too.

It covers almost thirty years of Liz Taylor's career, starting with "National Velvet" in 1944, followed by "Father of the Bride", the original version of 1950 which actually has Spencer Tracy starring in it, Elizabeth just having a secondary role there, cued by the mythical "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958) and ending with the melodrama "Butterfield 8", the only one in which Liz played opposite her own then husband: Eddie Fisher and co-starring Laurence Harvey in 1960.

The first two come in a full screen presentation (Cinemascope and Panavision widescreen presentations were only introduced in 1953). The other two come in their correct theatrical ratio.

There are no frills here, like specials, interviews or some other fluff, but the movies were decently transferred and the sound, although mono on all four, is fairly crisp and well polished.

Well worth its price if you asked me, and you did not...

I have always loved Elizabeth Taylor and the day I turned on my computer and seen movie collections going for sale, i grabbed some of my favorites. My formost favorite has to be Butterfield 8. Her acting in that movie was something I dont think a lot of people expected from her. If I could afford every one, I would have bought them that day! Of course there is still time. Not to mention the fact I must have received them in record time. Nicely wrapped, etc., in a matter of days. I sat down and had an Elizabeth Taylor day in fondness of her memory of one of the great actresses of all time!