Description

At the time of filming for Suddenly, Last Summer in June 1959, Elizabeth Taylor was the most desirable actor in Hollywood. She played the role of Catherine Holly, a young woman institutionalized for a severe emotional disturbance that occurred when her cousin, Sebastian Venable, died under questionable circumstances while they were on Holiday in Europe. The film received mixed reviews at the box office, with Variety calling it “possibly the most bizarre film ever made by any major American company”.

Burt Glinn followed the cast and crew from Shepperton Studios in London to S’Agaro in Spain, photographing the then-25-year-old Taylor at work and behind the scenes. In spite of the tumultuous production, and mixed reviews, Taylor and Hepburn both received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress for their work on the film.

Magnum Editions 8×10″ and Contact Sheet pairings allow you to follow the photographer’s process, frame by frame, giving insight into the decisions taken to create the final iconic image, sold alongside the contact sheet as an 8×10″ print. This pairing features images of Elizabeth Taylor on set in 1959.

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