In America, the word “icon” is often applied to a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of society and culture and worthy of honor or great respect. Many celebrities or movie stars are often described as icons. If you were judging them based solely on their public persona, you would approve of them as “representative symbols”. If you were to include details about their private lives as reported, they might not be considered “iconic”.
Not
On My List
Any list I make ignores the private lives of the celebrities. Have you ever made your own list of iconic female celebrities? Madonna, BeyoncΓ©, and Lady Gaga might be on your list. Not on my list. I’m old school. Many of the
glamorous movie stars from back in my day (“my day” meaning the 50s,
60s, and 70s) are no longer with us. A few years ago, at one of my blogs, I published my unofficial top ten list of female celebrities that in my humble opinion were “iconic”. My Top 10 List of Iconic Female Celebrities
If you review my list (referenced above) you will note that my favorite movie star, Elizabeth Taylor, is not on my list. That's because I think she is iconic; legendary, and deserves her own spotlight. So I published a separate blog post.
Call her “Elizabeth” or “Liz”. For those who wish to treat her as if she is almost royalty, call her Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE. (DBE = Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire). She is American, but she was born in England so the Brits love her too! Queen Elizabeth officially acknowledged her as a “Lady”.
My Favorite Elizabeth Taylor Films
Numerous documentaries have been aired on television or via the
Internet about Ms. Taylor’s life and film career and I have watched too many of them to count. In discussing her significant films, one of the documentaries failed to mention ALL of my favorite Taylor movies. I
have 3 favorite films and 2 out of the 3 movies on my faves list were not even mentioned. No matter. I’ll mention them now.
Below
are the three motion pictures which starred Elizabeth Taylor that
made a lasting impression on me, along with the memorable quotes.
They are classic or vintage movies now, and they are worthy of being
included in America’s cinematic history and legacy.
♦
National Velvet (1944)
This was the story of a young girl who believed in her dream. She loved her horse named “Pi” and she believed that she and Pi could compete in a horse race for professionals. She was an unqualified jockey with no experience or training, and Pi had not been tested. It didn’t matter. She knew in her heart that they could and would win!
“ …
by
knowing the Pi can win and telling him so!”
“Oh
mother! Were we the best that we could be?”
♦
Giant (1956)
This movie is a love story. A girl from the east married an oil millionaire from Texas. She had to make adjustments to her new lifestyle and married life had its difficulties. She loved her husband and he loved her back like vinegar on greens.
“Well, we Texans like a little bit of vinegar in our greens. It gives them flavor.”
{NOTE: This is what Jordan Benedict (played by Rock Hudson) said to his wife, Leslie Benedict (Elizabeth Taylor’s character). It’s the line
etched in my memory.}
♦
Cleopatra (1963)
The title is the name of the famous Egyptian queen who loved two powerful men, the Roman emperor Julius Caesar and a Roman politician and general, Mark Antony. These romantic liaisons were for love and for lust. She desired power. The rest of her story is history.
“How
DARE you and the rest of your barbarians set fire to my library? Play
conqueror all you want, Mighty Caesar! Rape, murder, pillage
thousands, even millions of human beings! But neither you nor any
other barbarian has the right to destroy one human thought!”
♦
In
Memory Of: Elizabeth Taylor (1932 -2011)
Is
Elizabeth Taylor on your list of favorite actresses and do you have a
favorite Liz Taylor film?
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(Original Source: RationalMind.club)
