Customer Reviews

Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century

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3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Written with the cooperation of Elizabeth Taylor, who gave the authors 40 letters written by Richard Burton to her - including one she received a few days after his death - and his widow who gave them his diaries, this is probably the most realistic account of this couple that we are going to get. Elizabeth Taylor told the authors "I don't care what you write about me - as long as you honor Richard". Richard Burton does seem to be the most sympathetic character in this book.

After they met on the set of Cleopatra and fell in love, their lives were never the same. They sincerely loved each other but in the end, one of them was more destructive than good to the relationship. I ended feeling sorry for Richard Burton and thinking he would have been much happier wearing an old sweater and teaching at some university.

I'm glad I read the book. I now have a whole different view of an actor I've enjoyed for years.

The scandal in the 1960s of the love affair and then marriage of Elizabeth Taylor, then the world's most famous movie star, and the great Welsh leading man Richard Burton, may have been the biggest celebrity story of the 20th century that didn't involve murder. The word "paparazzo" to mean a celebrity photographer was even coined in LA DOLCE VITA to describe the kinds of press agents Federico Fellini observed congregating around the two stars during their courtship in Rome on the set of CLEOPATRA, and for the next fifteen years their relationship was inescapably in the public eye, often crowding off the front page the great political events of the period. This new account of this relationship--in many ways a biography of both stars--is supplied by unprecedented access to Burton's diaries and private writings, and by the express consent of Ms. Taylor herself and also Burton's widow Sally; this is probably as close to the full story as we'll ever get to this famous marriage until after Elizabeth Taylor's death.

Even so, she seems to have allowed Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger pretty full much full rein in writing whatever they wanted about her and Burton, and though the authors seem (justifiably) taken with the Burtons' prodigious talents and their charisma, they also do not stint in describing their selfishness, excess, and even at times their cruelty towards one another and (particularly in Richard Burton's case) towards others outside their circle. Burton and Taylor took great pleasure on as living as largely as they could, and their incredible profligate spending, drinking, eating, and sex was not only reported constantly but was very much the basis for their relationship: they both loved such glamorous excessive gestures. (It was what she was very much accustomed to her entire life, and he reveled in this given how deprived he had felt growing up poor in the Welsh coal district.) Yet this took its toll on their health, and on the lives of their children and former partners, and their love of fighting often prompted them to be quite vicious to one another. His propensity for being unkind when drunk led him at times to lash out not just at her but at others in their line of sight, and one of the book's most upsetting accounts is his vicious excoriation of his three mentors--Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, and Ralph Richardson--at a banquet in the Seventies (and we also read his regret expressed the next day in his diary when he's sober).

The book has a strong narrative drive, although it begins perhaps too rushed: we start right off with their first meeting, and are not given as strong a sense of her remarkable film career before CLEOPATRA (culminating in her fine performances with Montgomery Clift in the late 50s, and her winning the Oscar for her histrionic BUTTERFIELD 8 mostly through sympathy for her famous nearly-fatal health crisis) as we might have been. The account also suffers from the eventually wearying details of their excesses (Burton, apparently, was always frightened he would be a boring person without them and without his beautiful voice), and from the writers' often too-florid style, which suffers from an overreliance on cliche: for example, Taylor, we are told, "was born to rule, but she wanted a man's man, and in Mike Todd, she finally got one". But the account is redeemed by the writers' intelligent awareness of both how their talents blossomed in the early years of their courtship--they gave one another confidence, leading them to give their greatest performances ever in WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF, and for her to try acting on the stage--, and also of their intense likability. Her constant humorously self-deprecating awareness of herself as essentially a vulgar "broad" has always made it practically impossible to dislike her, and Kashner and Schoenberger are quite good at detailing his great sensitivity and wish to be a better person, which in many ways always redeemed him. These were two actors who found their most exciting roles married to one another and in the public eye, even if these roles as "Liz and Dick" ultimately could not be sustained forever.

I grew up with a mother who was an avid film fan, and read Photoplay and Modern Screen magazines, enjoying the pictures alone until I was old enough to read the stories. I lived through the years of Le Scandale, as Richard Burton described his headline-grabbing affair with Elizabeth Taylor. My mother was horrified by their daring and, to many, immoral, hedonistic behavior and was appalled to read a quote by Ms. Taylor, asking "What are they saying about us now?" during the thick of things. However, I, as a young girl, couldn't get enough of the news of these two larger than life stars. I later grew into a movie fan myself and was constantly amazed by the talent that these two people possessed, as well as their propensiy for excess.

I therefore could not resist purchasing "Furious Love" and devouring it with a great deal of guilty pleasure. It is a book that is obviously sympathetic to Richard and Elizabeth, as they preferred to be called, and referred to themselves. They apparently hated "Liz & Dick," as they were called in the press, but seemed to understand that, under those names, they were a product and were also news. I enjoyed coming to see these two people as human beings, with all their faults.

It is the story of Burton, a frustrated writer and magnificent stage actor who made the uncomfortable transition to movies, where he guiltily enjoyed the money and fame that move brought him, and his insatiable love for Taylor, which he could not quench in spite of the guilt that also produced in him. He left his wife and children, caught up in a grand passion for the woman he was never able to forget.

Taylor and Burton lived life to its gaudy fullest, drinking and brawling their way around the world. Over time, their lifestyle took its toll on both of them, and ultimately led to the demise of their marriage (twice).

I have always admired Ms. Taylor's mental toughness and seeming ability to deal with whatever life deals her. Apparently, she granted unprecedented access to herself and to her correspondence, for information regarding her tempestuous relationship with Burton. This book also had the cooperation of Sally Hay Burton, Burton's widow, as well as personal friends and professionals who worked with them. As such, it is a very revealing piece of work.

I would have liked for photos referred to in the text to have been included in the book. However, the photos that were provided are interesting.

Fortunately for the purposes of this book, Richard Burton was an avid journal-keeper and correspondent, frequently writing love notes and letters to Elizabeth Taylor even when she was in the next room. And the fact that his last letter was written to her on the day before he died is an incredible bit of irony and romance. It is the one letter that Taylor did not allow the authors to quote directly.

This is a sad story of two people who loved each other, but whose relationship was destroyed by a combination of excess (alcohol, spending/consumption, jealousy) and dark passion. But they loved each other nonetheless. In this book, Elizabeth and Richard are seen at their best and their worst. The waste of potential and talent and the subsequent losses they both sustained are truly tragic. But it is also the story of a love that was bigger than two of the biggest stars the movies have ever seen.

If you love reading about Liz and Dick, check out this story about Elizabeth and Richard. I can't imagine that anyone who is interested in these two wouldn't find something new here.

In short, I ate it up. I admit it. There, I said it.

I had a hard time rating FURIOUS LOVE (and almost as difficult a time finishing it), for two reasons. The first reason is, I've read all this before. Burton's rise from nothing - his constant philandering - the overwhelming pull of his love for Elizabeth Taylor - being torn between 'serious' work in the theatre or the quicker buck of the film world; the gradual fall into alcoholism and career doldrums. Taylor's early screen successes - her (generally unsuccessful, with the exception of Mike Todd) search for happiness in her first four marriages; the extravagance and mutual excesses of her life with Richard Burton which would eventually bring the lives together to an end. It's been written before. (And better, in some instances - especially with regard to Richard Burton. Read Melvyn Bragg's life of Richard Burton for a better book about his life.)

The second reason I had difficulty finishing the book -(which somewhat impinges on reason #1)- is this: for the umpteenth re-telling of the love affair and marriage of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor to be *really* irresistible reading, the writing had better be crisp and the re-telling of the facts revelatory and fresh. Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger are, at best, pedestrian authors. Maybe it's something to do with the dual authorship, but the writing is lackluster. It's a cut above a tell-all, but only just (it maintains a respectful tone, probably due to the cooperation of Elizabeth Taylor and Sally Hay Burton with the authors). But disappointingly, for a book about a "furious" love affair, the writing has no panache, no eloquence, and, despite Ms. Taylor's cooperation in sharing her thoughts and Richard Burton's letters to her with the authors - no lasting poignancy.

Too bad Ms. Taylor doesn't publish her own memoir of her life with Richard Burton. The letter from Ms. Taylor to the authors, which is briefly quoted in the Preface, says more about her deep feelings for Burton and his effect on her life than any of the other 400+ pages of FURIOUS LOVE.

I expected so much more from this book. I'm so glad I only borrowed it from the library.

The book is well written in the sense that it's an engaging, fun read. However, the book is riddled with factual errors. Can no one afford to hire fact checkers or copy editors anymore?

If you were not born until after 1966, this book will act as a primer for what went on with Richard Burton & Elizabeth Taylor in the 60s. A well-researched, well-written book, it is full of never-before-read information on the couple. However, the one book you must read on the subject is Melvyn Brag's book, RICHARD BURTON-A LIFE. It contains Mr. Burton's personal hand-written and type-written diaries and information about the couple that cannot be disputed. Furious Love contains information that I, personally, do not believe exists, such as the final letter Burton wrote to Ms. Taylor only days before his death, which she found waiting for her upon her return from his funeral. One only has to read Bragg's book to understand Burton was well over Ms. Taylor and was quite content reading his books in Switzerland. He did love her to his dying breath, but she was toxic to him and he finally realized that. Both books boggle the mind with the excess of their lives. Her constant illnesses, hospitalizations. His inability to come to grips with his daughter's mental illness that put her in an institution and his betrayal of his wife, Sybil. A life wasted to a large degree. Such a talented actor we shall not see for a long time. Ms. Taylor comes out smelling like a rose in Furious Love, but does not in Mr. Bragg's book. If they had never met Mr. Burton would have had a long career on stage and in films. He would have lived far longer than his early death before 60. But they happened and changed celebrity for all time. Both books document this very well. Without Taylor/Burton, you would not have the paparazzi, celebutards, instant stardom (disappearing just as quickly) and the multi-million dollar salaries. Their romance changed the landscape of Hollywood forever. Bragg's book is 500+ pages long and every page holds information you're not going to find anywhere else. Both books are a must read.

When I was growing up, Richard and Elizabeth Taylor were very much "adults"-- my parents' age, they were mysterious, larger-than-life people like Marilyn Monroe. And they seemed to be everywhere-- in the movies, the newspapers,and tabloids. I remember the old Photoplay and other magazines with their screaming headlines and gaudy photographs-- one comes to mind of an overweight Liz Taylor with a caption to the effect of "Is Liz Eating Her Heart Out for Richard?" or something like that. I even saw Richard Burton on stage in Camelot and was mesmerized by his talent. Such charisma and charm that just exuded from the stage. I also remember how by the late 1960s they seemed so "old" even though they weren't-- they just were part of a generation whose time had passed rapidly with the cultural changes of the late 60s/early 70s.

So I don't know exactly what I expected from this book, but I think I was hoping to get a deeper inside story-- the psychology, the feelings, the analysis of who they were and why they lived the way they lived. Instead, I feel like I got an accounting of their lives-- which in this book appear to be stupefyingly shallow and excessive-- where acquiring the finest diamond, yacht, or flying in food from halfway across the world becomes the goal of everything. (Hey- you're in Italy-- why not eat their food instead of flying in chili from LA?) It seems like the goal was just to do whatever would cost the most as some sort of statement. What one more piece of jewelry can be acquired? What more expensive excessive thing can be bought to buy love, atone for personal sins-- or whatever other rationale was behind it.

It is clear that there were more human elements in both of their lives-- Ms. Taylor's kindness to gay actors at a time when few people were, her devotion to the cause of AIDS and social charities,of her time and money to causes over the last few decades-- this is the story I wanted to learn more about.

I have to believe there was a more interesting story to tell-- yes, certainly the money and glamor and fame is part of the story-- but this book appears to rely mostly on articles and newspaper accounts so it chronicles their lives very superficially and without the insight I was seeking. I read to learn-- and I don't think I really learned who they were-- or if I did, then it's just a sad story of excess, greed, and superficiality.

Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century

Sam Kashner & Nancy Schoenberger have written a masterful and enthralling biography, "Furious Love" about "Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century." The book encompasses glimpses into the lives and careers of this celebrated couple who truly were in love but had a toxic affect upon each other.

The authors have been given access to written material including two never before published poems by Richard Burton, his diaries, letters written to Elizabeth Taylor and by her to him, interviews with actors, directors, writers and others who worked with this famous tormented couple.

The press and public never exhausted their thirst for sightings and speculations about their comings and goings. Although Richard Burton was nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award seven (7) times, the Oscar eluded him. In one year, this amazing actor lost to Richard Dreyfus, demonstrating the politics in the Academy. It is thought that the voting members never forgave Richard Burton from "stealing" Elizabeth Taylor from the California studios to make films abroad.

Both will remain forever remembered as celebrated actors, lovers, philanthropists and people who jointly and separately gave so much to the Twentieth Century.

I am one of those who too never lost my curiosity about these larger than life people and have boundless respect for their talents and contributions to the world of entertainment. This biography is homage to Richard Burton's brief but blazing life and career and enduring love and respect they had for each other despite their inability to survive as a married couple.

Richard Burton called her "Twit Twaddle" or "Mrs. Lumps." The endearments changed but in his letters to Elizabeth Taylor, Burton remained constant in his appreciation for her allure and his belief in her abilities. "You are probably the best actress in the world, which, combined with your extraordinary beauty, makes you unique."

For Burton, Taylor represented a siren song. From the very beginning in Rome, she bewitched. "I am forever punished by the gods for being given the fire and trying to put it out. The fire, of course, is you," he wrote.

Burton prized the written word and wrote to Taylor regularly throughout the 20-year tempest that was their relationship. They met in 1962 on the set of "Cleopatra," the most expensive movie ever made. They married and divorced, twice. He died at the age of 58 in 1984. Taylor, now limited to getting around in a wheel chair, is 78. When she dies, she wishes to be buried next to Burton, whom she says was the love of her life.

Burton's letters, which Taylor made available to the authors, describe an enduring passion. Taylor says that in his final letter, which arrived at her Los Angeles home after his death and is the only one she has kept private, Burton asks for one more reconciliation. Taylor says, "I will always believe we would have been married a third time . . . from those first moments in Rome we were always madly and powerfully in love. We had more time, but not enough."She keeps that final letter in a bedside drawer.

"Furious Love" is really two books. It's the story of Richard and Elizabeth who together and each on their own left a legacy of great performances, on stage and on the screen. Hers: "National Velvet" (1944), "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958), "Suddenly last Summer" (1959), "BUtterfield8" (1960). His: "Beckett" (1964), "Hamlet" (1964), Night of the Iguana" (1964), "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" (1965). Together: "Cleopatra" (1963), "The Taming of the Shrew" (1967) and their greatest achievement "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" (1966).

It is also the story of Liz&Dick and the outrageous love affair that eclipsed any modern-day romantic entanglement in its excesses and indulgences, for the money earned and the money spent. They were well matched in their appetites both sensual and material. Liters of vodka swilled daily for years, the largest and rarest of diamonds and other jewels, chili flown in daily to Rome from Elizabeth's favorite Los Angeles restaurant, the desire that never ebbed, constant lovemaking and, of course, the epic battles private and public. Liz&Dick was a story made for the tabloids except that it was all true.

The book appears to be well researched and sources carefully credited. Access to Burton's diaries and his letters to Taylor, which she shares for the first time, give "Furious Love" dish and an insider's view of the price of celebrity. His letters declare Burton's passion for Taylor and what he termed her "special and dangerous loveliness." His ardor never faded. Late in their relationship he wrote admiringly, "Your breasts jutting out from that half-asleep languid lingering body, the remote eyes, the parted lips." For her part, Taylor says their bond remained, even when they were no longer together. "He was magnificent on the stage, he was magnificent in film, he was magnificent in making love."

"Furious Love" says that during the filming of "Cleopatra," the director Federico Fellini coined the word "paparazzi" (little insects) to describe the unrelenting swarm of photographers that followed Burton and Taylor. Their affair bedazzled. Who could not be drawn in by it all? "Let's face it," Taylor says, "a lot of my life has lacked dignity." That's certainly true, but Taylor and Burton were unrivaled in the way they loved and lusted, and that made up for a great deal of bad behavior.

Elizabeth Taylor, a talented actress known for her beauty and is no doubt a legend and the "It" girl through the 50's and the 70's. An actress that many will remember for her strong personality, her sexy demeanor but also her many marriages.

The one such marriage that fans or those who grew up alongside with Taylor was her marriage to actor Richard Burton. Of her eight marriages, Burton would be #5 and #6 which would last from March 1964 through June 1974 and October 1975 through July 1976.

Two talented people, who loved each other passionately and when they got married, despite their love, their addiction to alcohol, health problems and constant arguing which was fueled by jealousy and excessive alcohol would lead them to a path of discontent, fierce arguing and most of all, their marriage which brought out the best of them, would also bring out their most ugliness.

"Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century" is a book that is amazing in the fact that Dame Elizabeth has helped behind-the-scenes, answered questions and gave material that was invaluable to the book but to this date, Taylor has never authorized a biography nor given extensive interviews for one (since her 1965 memoir "Elizabeth Taylor". Joined by Nancy Schoenberger, the both Kashner and Schoenberger have created a book with so much detail on both individuals, that I don't think any other book that can best it.

The details about Elizabeth Taylor and her multiple marriages to various conflicts that took place during her marriage to Burton and having to balance career and husband.

With Richard Burton, he was suave and debonair but also a man who loved alcohol too much. And because he had insecurities himself, was constantly jealous and so much in love with his wife that everything was too much for him and it led to him drinking more and more. Elizabeth Taylor was one of the most wanted talents who had everything but always feared that she may lose Burton as he was unfaithful to her (and I was surprised to find out that the woman he would mess around with was actress Nathalie Delon, who divorced French star Alain Delon in 1969). But who she was losing Burton to was not a person but the bottle which ultimately consumed him.

The book also shed some details on their reunion and second marriage to each other. And once again, things were not the same. Taylor was wise to Burton and Burton while married to Taylor had his eyes set on Suzie Hunt, who would become wife #4 for Burton.

The book would then continue to cover the lives of Taylor and Burton after the divorce up to the funeral of Burton, who passed away in 1984.

Both Kashner and Schoenberger do a great job in detailing Elizabeth and Richard's marriage, from her hysterectomy that led to health problems to the growing dependency on alcohol for Burton. Where some books would refer to other books, news clippings and other printed sources, Kashner literally hit the ball out of the ballpark by getting access by Elizabeth Taylor to the letters that provide the reader the sense of what state of mind Taylor and Burton were in.

"Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century" is an absolutely fantastic biography on both talents and this time incorporating letters and even information from Elizabeth Taylor. As mentioned, there is no rose color glasses when it comes to how these talents are portrayed in this book. Both were talented onscreen but behind the scenes, they had major insecurities, addictions and issues.

There is no doubt that Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton grabbed the headlines with their marriage and divorce. But both Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger do a terrific job in providing the behind-the-scene details that many people including their fans were unaware of. It's important to note that the version I have read is the uncorrected proof but according to the writers, this is the closest memoir/biography of her marriage to Burton that we will ever see from her and that Dame Elizabeth wants Richard Burton to be well remembered.

Overall, this book is definitely recommended!