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ELIZABETH TAYLOR GROWS UP II

Boy, you didn't mess with this beauty queen in real life:

In 1947, 15-year-old Elizabeth Taylor told off her boss, MGM head honcho Louis B. Mayer, arguably the most powerful man in Hollywood, for being mean to her mother.  She left the mogul’s office crying, fully convinced she was going to get fired.  It turned out she was wrong and after a few weeks the young actress recognized that she was a valuable commodity and by fighting she could get often get her way.

She was so mysteriously wicked that she evolved into a wolf with sheep's clothing. For that reason she drove a man's man absolutely insane. His inflated ego mindlessly drove him to make a daring attempt at conquering this vixen. He soon discovered, however, he got hopelessly tangled up with a raven haired black widow. Yet, if he willingly gave into her she fought for him like no other friend. What a woman!

ELIZABETH TAYLOR GROWS UP

Most of us know by now that last week we lost an old school movie goddess. Elizabeth Taylor began as a dramatic compelling little girl thespian with her role in National Velvet . And, the world watched while God gifted this adolescent actress with a rare natural beauty that took our national breath away. Rarely does God offer us both the rich combination of artistic skill combined with hypnotic beauty in one package.  Classic Hollywood produced either a craftswoman or an alluring queen while never the twain appeared to meet. Enter Elizabeth Taylor. The little girl disposition subtly evolved into a gentle, yet mysterious seductress who knew how to render a man's man utterly helpless. Raven hair, voluptuous physicality, and glowing eyes, combined with her acting skills made her immortal. We shall never see the likes of Ms.Taylor again.

Elizabeth Taylor won her first academy award for her dominating role as Gloria Wandrous in BUtterfield 8 . The movie also starred singer Eddie Fisher and veteran actor Lawrence Harvey. Butterfield 8 confirmed what we already intuitively felt. Eddie Fisher belonged on the turntable, not the big screen. Lawrence Harvey, however, offered a more telling surprise. This established handsome-man actor could not muster up enough talent to stay in the game with Ms. Taylor. When one watches the movie it becomes immediately clear that Harvey is out of his league when paired with Queen Taylor. In fact, she profoundly outclasses the whole troop in this one. Below features a scene from Butterfield 8 between Harvey and Taylor that undoubtedly gives the edge to Taylor.  

BELATED THOUGHTS CONCERNING TRUE GRIT

Rooster Cogburn's been resurrected. That's right. He now, however, resembles Jeff Bridges. And, like the Duke of old Bridges performs with Oscaresque precision.

Cogburn confirms that humanity's most surly among us often possesses a soul. Enter a young girl named Matti Ross. Matti hires Rooster to hunt down her father's cold blooded killer. Jeff Bridges convincingly baits us into hating mister Cogburn. Hailee Steinfeld (Matti) inspires us to love him.  

True Grit implicitly serves up other ethical offerings such as justice, selflessness, and character transformation. 

A good time should be had by all who delve into True Grit's compelling pleasures.

JAMES CAGNEY NATURAL ACTOR

Despite his infamous on screen moniker as Mr.Gangster James Cagney was one of the good guys of Hollywood. During the golden days of movies Cagney learned to act the hard way. He mastered the craft on the street. Many who studied with abandon at acting schools gave amateur performances in light of Cagney's natural genius. James Cagney often tried to imitate the characters he witnessed traipsing through his less than ideal neighborhood.  His style identified with commoners. No pretentious ivory towerism in his part. Perhaps this is why he hit home runs with audiences everywhere. He came by his expertise honestly. Watch below as he talks about learning the acting trade.

Cagney illustrates his street inherited abilities in the superb movie White Heat.