BUTTERFIELD 8

US, 1960, 109 minutes, Colour.
Elizabeth Taylor, Laurence Harvey, Eddie Fisher, Dinah Merrill, Mildred Dunnock, Betty Field, Jeffrey Lynn, Kay Medford.
Directed by Daniel Mann.

Butterfield 8 is a phone number for Gloria Wandrous, a callgirl. However, this is 1960, the beginning of an era when matters became much more frank but, at this time, were still reticent.

The film was based on a novel by John O’ Hara, very popular in the 1950s with film versions of his Ten North Frederick, From the Terrace, By Love Possessed as well as his writing the book of Pal Joey. The film was adapted by Charles Schnee who had a long career of writing melodramas and many other genre films including The Bad and the Beautiful and Two Weeks in Another Town.

The film is more famous for Elizabeth Taylor winning an Oscar for best actress of 1960. This was a sympathy vote as Elizabeth Taylor was ill and many thought she might not recover. She was to win a more worthwhile Oscar six years later for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. The win in Butterfield 8 prevented a number of significant actresses from getting their Oscar including Deborah Kerr for The Sundowners.

Laurence Harvey was often a sulky spoilt presence in films – and so is ideal casting for the affluent lawyer who takes up with the callgirl. Eddie Fisher (married to Elizabeth Taylor at the time) plays her best friend, a musician. The strong character in the supporting cast is Mildred Dunnock as Gloria’s mother – with a famous scene of confrontation where she slaps her daughter who retorts that she should have slapped her earlier.

The film evokes some of the atmosphere of the 1950s, uses the more reticent style to cover up the seamier side of life.

The film was directed by Daniel Mann who had a long career from the early 50s to the late 1980s. He directed three Oscar-winning actresses in their performances: Shirley Booth in Come Back Little Sheba, Anna Magnani in The Rose Tattoo and Elizabeth Taylor here in Butterfield 8.

1. How enjoyable was this film? As a human drama, with its sleazy subject, its glamorous world and background? Why do audiences like such films?

2. How real was the world of this film? Were the characters authentic? Was it a glossy paperback world? With paperback emotions? The picture of fantasy America that this film presented? Is it real in fact?

3. How important for the success of the film and its impact was Elizabeth Taylor? The focus of attention on her? Audience response to her in this role? Did she deserve an Oscar for this performance? How did Laurence Harvey's performance contrast with hers? Eddie Fisher? The strength of the supporting cast?

4. Was the film right to focus so much on Gloria? The special significance of the first 10 minutes or so? The wordless focus on Gloria? The revelation of her world and her character? The audience sympathy for Gloria, interest in her, condemnation of her? Expectations of Weston? Her writing 'no sale' on the mirror? Her taking of the coat? Her relationship to Steve and the pressures on him? Her disregard for Norma? Gloria's relationship with her mother? Her mother's glossing over the truth? Gloria's love for her mother? (The ironic comments of Fran?) How good a person was Gloria? How bad? How much was the evil on the surface, how real? The dramatic significance of her tantrums with Weston? Compelling and attracting him? The scenes of her working as a glamour model? The impact of love and change on her life? Happiness with Weston? The impact of her life and decisions? Her decision to go away? Hurting Weston, not hurting Steve, her relationship with her mother? How much was her leaving and escape? Was her death too melodramatic? Weston's epitaph about her being good ? was this justified? Was the film a portrait, a sketch, or a study of Gloria? How successful?

5. Weston as a contrast? Picturing him in the train, discussions about law and his career, being pushed by his wife and her family, the pressures by society? Why did he drink? His infidelity? The torment of his life as regards Gloria and Emily? Whom did he lore? Why was he so desperate for happiness? The effect of Gloria on his life? Emily's meeting him and his quarrel with Gloria? His pursuit of her and his decision? His responsibility for her death? The impact of the finale and Weston's future?

6. How sympathetic a character was Emily? On contrast to Gloria? The quality of her love for Weston and her hold on him, her giving him his freedom? The significance of her discussion with her mother? Emily's strengths?

7. The importance of the character of Mrs Wandrous? The unreal world in which she lived, her love for Gloria, her blaming herself for her evil, the support of Fran? An insight into mother-daughter relationships? Influence?

8. The Importance of the true story of Gloria's sluggishness? Was it appropriate and appropriately explained?

9. The significance of Steve in the film? An anchor of normality? His adoration of Gloria? Did he love her? the quality of his relationship kith Norma? Norma's discovery of the truth?

10. How glamorous a world was this? The values of good and evil in such a world, callousness and hurting of others? Responsibility?

11. Was this a good film,? An entertaining one, a penetrating one in terms of good and evil?