Steven Boyd once joked that he should be invited to the wedding of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Because, if it weren't for Stephen, the biggest celebrity couple in the 60s might never have met.
Boyd was selected as the original Mark Anthony in the 20th Century Fox production "Cleopatra". He had talked about this role with Fox producers as early as the end of 1959, and Boyd seemed destined to play this role.
"Vange (President Fox) talked to me about Mark Anthony's role in Cleopatra... I told him that I think I am too young to play Anthony. He was 48 years old when he and Cleopatra were together. Yes. But I played him on stage."
Boyd signed in early 1960.
In late June, Taylor contracted acute bronchitis, which prevented her from attending the company’s "Rome Carnival" party in New York. The worst is yet to come.
When the film began in October 1960, it was performed at the London Pinewood Studios in cold and humid conditions. Almost immediately, Taylor had another episode of bronchitis in June and then developed pneumonia. She was bedridden with pneumonia.
In November, she was taken to the hospital because a virus-infected tooth had infected the tissue at the bottom of her brain, causing meningitis. The film was therefore postponed in December 1960. On March 4, 1961, due to severe pulmonary congestion and double pneumonia, she was again rushed to the hospital for tracheotomy.
Boyd recalled, “I was outside the hospital with Eddie Fisher that day, and the doctor came out and told us she had an hour to live. This was one of the saddest and most tragic moments I can recall. But Somehow, she survived-when she wanted something, nothing could stop her." Boyd's regret about missing "Cleopatra" was not working with Elizabeth Taylor.
"I think she is amazing. I remember one day Elizabeth was sick and we went to her house when she was getting up. God! She is the most beautiful creature. Do you know how you get up?"
"I think she is a dream."
"In "Cleopatra", the only thing I don't like about Elizabeth Taylor is her makeup-all those heavy eyeshadows and other things." (August 11, 1963)
"She is sexier, her lavender eyes, no makeup, just her natural side." (September 18, 1966)
"While waiting for "Cleopatra" to start, I went to Cairo to watch the Sphinx. They planned to shoot the show in Egypt, but, of course, it failed.
"I want to say that the personal climax of these 24 months is my trip to Cairo and Lebanon. These countries are very beautiful, but they are too bad. Many things have happened to prevent the filming of Cleopatra there." (1962 March 8th)
"Unfortunately, I can't wait to wait until they decide to start. The script is being rewritten, a new director is being replaced, and the whole concept of Bernard Shaw and Shakespeare's plays is discarded and replaced by pros or cons, so I left.
They gave my role to a man named Richard Burton. They even gave him my costume, and to this day, whenever he sees me, he will say,'Oh my God, you have big feet! '" Boyd was occasionally mistaken for Burton in Hollywood, which led Boyd to explain himself: "He is Welsh, and I am Irish. He sings Welsh songs and I sing Irish songs. He drinks, I don't drink. "
Boyd also expressed his views on the world's most notorious love between Taylor and Burton, and the opportunities he lost with Taylor.
"Why, you know, before we met, they started talking about Liz and me! I think Burton is an excellent actor, and I like Elizabeth as an actor-when I made this movie, she Great-but I think Burton is stupid to leave Sybil. When asked if he is going to divorce her and marry Leeds, I was amused by his answer. Burton said,'This is impossible.' "
"She's not the type I like, and I don't think I'm the type she likes... I'm sure the reason she fell in love with Burton is because he has the spirit and strength of Mike Todd. That's right, Richard Burton Because of all the gossip and slander, he became a big star in Rome. He is one of the best actors, but it was not until his love with Elizabeth that became really important. I feel shocked.” (December 30, 1962 )
"My only regret is that I didn't have the opportunity to cooperate with Elizabeth Taylor on the screen. The fact that I quit made them meet, and Richard became the great Anthony." Picture 1 to Picture 4 are the makeup of the first edition of "Cleopatra" According to
Picture 5 and Picture 6 are comparison pictures of Burton and Boyd wearing the same armor. Although Figure 6 is vague, I still feel that Burton’s Anthony is obviously more heroic than his.
Looking at Taylor’s many costumes, the first edition of the costumes is not good-looking, with a bit of Indian elements, and looks weird, making her black-skinned and chunky.
Fortunately, this movie has changed the roles. The Rex Harrison + Burton combination is bigger and more pleasing to the eye than the first version of Peter Finch + Stephen Boyd. Judging from the content of Boyd’s interviews, everyone really opposed Burton’s abandonment of Hibir for Taylor’s sake and caused a sensation in the world.
Obviously people think that Taylor made Burton from a good actor to a real Hollywood superstar.
In short, just this accusation and the ridicule of "eating soft rice" were really the shackles on Burton's shoulders, and he couldn't break free for the rest of his life.
Can you really say that Burton has no regrets at all? can not.
"There must be a malignant tumor in my mind, which made me do the wrong thing at the wrong time. It is irretrievable." In 68 years, he said with regret in his diary.
During the filming of "Berlin Bournemouth" in 65 years, Burton told John Le Carré gloomily, "Elizabeth is more famous than the Queen. How good would it be if this hadn't happened?"
In 60 years, he hated that he was always spending time in bad movies, and he always used wine to pour his sorrows. He told Oliver that he was going to quit the film world and become a writer.
If it were not for the financial temptation of "Camelot" and "Cleopatra", he might really become the writer he most wanted to be, and his life would not be reduced to a tragedy.
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