God’s eye may be on the sparrow but my eye will always be on you

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton are known far more for their intense and turbulent relationship than for the eleven films they made together (which include Cleopatra (1963) and the 1966 acclaimed Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?). The couple met at a Hollywood party in 1953 and in his diary Burton recalled seeing Elizabeth, who was already a star at 21, for the first time: "... a girl sitting on the other side of the pool lowered her book, took off her sunglasses and looked at me. She was so extraordinarily beautiful that I nearly laughed out loud ... she was unquestioningly gorgeous ... She was lavish. She was a dark unyielding largess. She was, in short, too bloody much, and not only that, she was totally ignoring me.” They would meet again almost ten years later on the set of Cleopatra, their first film together, and it was during the first love scene that sparks started flying, with their kiss taking a lot longer than necessary. Married to other people —Elizabeth to singer Eddie Fisher and Burton to actress Sybil Williams— the two soon embarked on a heavily publicised love affair. The affair was met with public disapproval as well as criticism from the U.S. Congress and the Vatican, the latter condemning the couple for "erotic vagrancy". 

Once divorced from their spouses, "Liz and Dick" —as they were dubbed by the tabloid press that followed them wherever they went— were married on 15 March 1964. They divorced in 1974, then remarried in 1975 and divorced again less than a year later. Their life together had been one of extreme luxury, with millions spent on diamonds, furs, art, grand hotels, a yacht and a jet, et cetera. Also a lot of heavy drinking was involved (by both Burton and Taylor) as well as vicious fighting. After their final divorce, the couple remarried other people but the bond between them would never be broken. Looking back, Elizabeth said later in life: "After Richard, the men in my life were just there to hold the coat, to open the door. All the men after Richard were really just company." And in an interview with Vogue, she admitted: "I was still madly in love with him the day he died. I think he still loved me, too." 

During their time together, Richard Burton wrote Elizabeth Taylor many letters, one of them seen below. In the letter, written in June 1973, he said goodbye to Elizabeth after she had told him their marriage was over. Burton was a womaniser and had several affairs during the marriage and Elizabeth had had enough. It would still take a year, though, before the couple had their first divorce.

Also shown is a passionate love letter from Elizabeth to Richard, written in March 1974 on the occasion of their 10-year wedding anniversary. Shortly thereafter, the couple separated and three months later they were divorced. 

 

June 25, 1973

So My Lumps, 

You’re off, by God! 

I can barely believe it since I am so unaccustomed to anybody leaving me. But reflectively I wonder why nobody did so before. All I care about—honest to God—is that you are happy and I don’t much care who you’ll find happiness with. I mean as long as he’s a friendly bloke and treats you nice and kind. If he doesn’t I'll come at him with a hammer and clinker. God’s eye may be on the sparrow but my eye will always be on you. Never forget your strange virtues. Never forget that underneath that veneer of raucous language is a remarkable and puritanical LADY. I am a smashing bore and why you’ve stuck by me so long is an indication of your loyalty. I shall miss you with passion and wild regret. 

You may rest assured that I will not have affairs with any other female. I shall gloom a lot and stare morosely into unimaginable distances and act a bit—probably on the stage—to keep me in booze and butter, but chiefly and above all I shall write. Not about you, I hasten to add. No Millerinski Me, with a double M. There are many other and ludicrous and human comedies to constitute my shroud. 

I’ll leave it to you to announce the parting of the ways while I shall never say or write one word except this valedictory note to you. Try and look after yourself. Much love. Don’t forget that you are probably the greatest actress in the world. I wish I could borrow a minute portion of your passion and commitment, but there you are—cold is cold as ice is ice.

Source:  Letters of Note

Source: Paul Fraser Collectibles

Transcript:

My darling (my still) My husband 

I wish I could tell you of my love for you, of my fear, my delight, my pure animal pleasure of you - (with you) - my jealousy, my pride, my anger at you, at times.

Most of all my love for you, and whatever love you can dole out to me - I wish I could write about it but I can't. I can only "boil and bubble" inside and hope you understand how I really feel.

Anyway, I lust thee 

Your (still) Wife 

P.S. O'Love, let us never take each other for granted again! 

P.P.S. How about that - 10 years!!

Note: On the back of Elizabeth's letter the following was written: "This letter written by Elizabeth Taylor while renting my home from Feb 15th till April 18th 1974. It was left behind - inside a book in the drawer under the masterbedroom bed." Elizabeth and Richard had rented a private home in Oroville, California, while Burton was filming The Klansman. The owner of the house Antonia Henning had found Elizabeth's letter after the Burtons had already left. Another letter from Elizabeth to her lost cat Cassius (here) was found in the same drawer.

The critics are going to crucify her

I had never heard of the film Ash Wednesday (1973) until I came across today's letter, written by Richard Burton. The film stars Burton's then-wife Elizabeth Taylor as a middle-aged woman who, in an attempt to save her marriage (her husband is played by Henry Fonda), undergoes plastic surgery and then starts an affair with a playboy (Helmut Berger). While the film is nothing more than a soapy melodrama, the critical reception was still mildly positive, especially for Elizabeth who was also nominated for a Golden Globe. 

Richard Burton was intensely displeased with his wife's participation in Ash Wednesday. In the following letter to Gianni Bozzacchi (personal photographer to both Burton and Elizabeth) Burton rants about what he thought was a "f***ing lousy nothing bloody" film, convinced the critics would crucify Elizabeth. Her only reason for doing the film, he thought, was because she wanted to stay a famous movie star forever ("What the stupid (occasionally) maniac doesn’t realize is that she is already immortalized (as a film person) forever").  

As said, Elizabeth wasn't crucified by the press. Critics who were usually harsh were reasonably mellow in their reviews. Even famed film critic Roger Ebert said that while "the movie's story is not really very interesting, we're intrigued because the star is Taylor".

Source: icollector.com

Transcript:

27 April 1973

(Private)

Dear Gianni

There is perhaps no way for you splendid men to understand my vile temper when I am faced with being on the edges of a film which is essentially vulgar at its base and vicious in its implications. There is not, apart from Elizabeth (possibly) if she acts it well, one single person who shall and will command our sympathy. 

I asked Fonda last night "Why in the name of your God are you doing this piece of shit?" And he replied "For the chance of working with Elizabeth, Richard, and what the hell Richard, I need the bread." "Good enough," I answered. "If you need the loot go in there and get what you can when you can!" 

Once upon a time I did a film (with E) simply for money. 

No longer do I have to do that. E's singular acceptance of this film is because she wants to remain a famous film star. What the stupid (occasionally) maniac doesn’t realize is that she is already immortalized (as a film person) forever. Because films are coming to an end. 

But, day after day, I sit here vulgarised by the idea that my wife is doing —violently against my "taste" a fucking lousy nothing bloody film. The critics are going to crucify her. C'est une huis clos. There is absolutely no way out. Don’t ever show this letter to anybody. I am very fond of you. But indeed to God! That poor child! More and more POOR!

Many Apologies,

Richard

Above: Henry Fonda and Elizabeth Taylor in Ash Wednesday, their only film together. Below: Burton and Taylor, who separated shortly after the shooting of Ash Wednesday. They would divorce in 1974, remarry in 1975 and divorce again in 1976.

I was in that state where one does not remember

I must admit that I had never heard of Sophie Tucker, but apparently she was one of the most popular entertainers (a singer, actress and comedian) in the United States during the first half of the 20th century. Tucker was a good friend of fellow singer/actress Carol Channing, and in June 1964 she attended the premiere of Hello Dolly! on Broadway starring Channing in the leading role. After the premiere, there was a party with some of the day's biggest stars, among them Richard Burton and his then-wife Elizabeth Taylor. Burton was drinking heavily (he was known for his alcohol addiction) and after Tucker had sung a song in honour of her friend Carol, Burton stood up and slurred: "Ladies and gentlemen, up until now I thought my wife was in charge of butchering the English language, but I must admit I was wrong. Tonight I have witnessed the Empress of Butchery. Long live the Queen, Miss Sophie Tucker". [source] 

The next day, Tucker received a telegram from Burton apologising for his behaviour.

Source: sophietucker.com

Transcript:

New York NY Jun 19 1964

Miss Sophie Tucker

730 Park Ave NYK

Dear Miss Tucker

My wife tells me I was rude to you last night. I was in that state where one does not remember but Elizabeth never lies and so my deepest apologies to you. I am a great admirer of yours and can only think that I was very very much under the weather. Sincerely.

Richard Burton

"I might of course have married Olivia de Havilland!"

Richard Burton's Hollywood career was launched in 1952 with the lead role in My cousin Rachel. The man responsible for his American debut was George Cukor, who had seen Burton perform in the play Montserrat and wanted him to star in his new film My cousin Rachel. Cukor himself eventually withdrew from the project (being unhappy with the script), but Burton continued under Henry Koster's direction, earning himself his first Oscar nomination. 

The following note from Richard Burton to George Cukor is undated, but must have been written after 1964 when Burton married Elizabeth Taylor for the first time. In the note, Burton jokes about marrying Olivia de Havilland instead of Elizabeth. De Havilland was Burton's co-star in My cousin Rachel and one of the leading ladies he presumably slept with. (It is reported that Julie Andrews, Burton's co-star in Camelot on Broadway, was his only leading lady he hadn't slept with.) In any case, here is Burton's note to George Cukor, whom he thought was "an infinitely wicked and lovable man as well as being, at his best, one of the very fine directors" (according to Melvyn Bragg's 1988 biography on Richard Burton).

Source: bonhams/ image reproduced with permission

Transcript: 

Dear George,

Do you realize that if you hadn't come to see "Montserrat" I would never have met and married Elizabeth? Do you think that is a good or bad thing? I might of course have married Olivia de Havilland!

Love

Richard.