I watched two documentaries this past week from iconic Hollywood women. The first was Elizabeth Taylor, then the other was Faye Dunaway. Both were on Netflix. I also watched Nixon on Nixon which was a documentary and analysis of the Nixon Oval Office tapes that were not released until 2013. Nixon ensured that while he was alive that they were not released.
I have to say that I have watched some really good and interesting documentaries lately. These three are added to that list.
Elizabeth Taylor: Lost Tapes. New tapes have recently been found with interviews of Elizabeth Taylor. Some from 1964 and then others later. The documentary examines the life of the iconic actress who is probably most known for her eight marriages to seven different men.
But make no mistake that Taylor was Hollywood royalty. She was the first actress to receive $1m for a role (the over-budget Cleopatra with Richard Burton with whom she married twice). She was married three times in her early twenties. Only one of her marriages ended in a death. Ironically in the film she says that he (Director Mike Todd) was the love of her life. She later in life was an early champion for research into AIDS. Many of her early closest friends were gay including Roddy McDowell, Rock Hudson and Montgomery Clift. I enjoyed this glimpse back into her life. The fishbowl even then for the major film stars was intense.
Faye Dunaway:
Faye is currently still alive and 84 years old. She lives in New York. The film documents her life as she rose quickly to stardom with the major role in Bonnie and Clyde which propelled her career to new heights. Interestingly Warren Beatty wasn’t sure about her for that role but the director insisted on her. In 1967, it was her fifth role. Other amazing roles followed in Chinatown, Network, Thomas Crowne Affair with Steve McQueen and Mommie Dearest which had a lukewarm reception. She is still acting. She was married twice. Once to rocker Peter Wolf from J Geils Band.
I enjoyed this too. Faye had a reputation of being difficult to work with. Much of this probably comes from her perfectionism. She admits to being bi-polar. This could obviously cause some issues on the set. Together these two women have created some amazing and memorable roles. They have both been awarded Oscars. This is worth checking out.
Nixon on Nixon: Also on Netflix. Richard Nixon I would expect would think was the high water mark for Presidents who used the Office as their own personal means of addressing those who didn’t agree with him. Having been defeated by JFK early on, Nixon was very suspicious and vindictive at times.
This documentary uses excerpts from the tapes known only to a few close Nixon confidants and were subpoenaed during Watergate. Nixon refused but the Supreme Court disagreed.
I watched this because I wanted to be refreshed with some of the Nixon issues of the day. Note he was dealing with Vietnam, China and a press that was viewed as against him. In the tapes you hear the President speak freely and surprisingly about blacks, Jewish people, the press, and others. You can see why he wanted to suppress them. But all of this pales with the current administration. Nixon still believed in the rule of law, and when impeachment was being proposed he chose to resign. I wouldn’t say that current President Donald Trump is Nixon 2.0 but rather Nixon x10. This is a good insight into what transpired 50 years ago, and how things while they have changed, they can still have recurring themes. Well worth a watch.
Mondays With Robbie 