The V.I.P’s-1963
Director Anthony Asquith
Starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Louis Jourdan
Scott’s Review #1,263
Reviewed June 4, 2022
Grade: B+
The V.I.P.’s (1963) is a sweeping drama set against a foggy London airport. It’s a good film but hardly a masterpiece, as the trials and tribulations of the stranded passengers are explored and sometimes intersect in standard ways.
The film is formulaic and offers little surprise, but I enjoyed it and was entertained by the parade of stars shuffling through the vast airport.
Some stories are more interesting than others, and the film is in a soap opera style with glamorous and rich characters.
One wonders if The V.I.P. influenced the creation of the film Airport (1970) seven years later. The film is patterned after 1932’s Grand Hotel, both of which were distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Real-life couple and Hollywood A-listers Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton star and are the main draws of the film.
The all-star cast also features Louis Jourdan, Maggie Smith, Rod Taylor, Orson Welles, and the scene-stealing Margaret Rutherford.
Inclement weather has delayed a flight from London’s fabulous Heathrow Airport to New York City. A cross-section of elite passengers (V.I.P.s) impatiently wait to board the plane as they experience various life crises in the airport.
The main storyline revolves around Frances (Taylor), a gorgeous woman who is fleeing a loveless marriage to her millionaire husband, Paul (Richard Burton), and is in love with the dashing Marc Champselle (Jourdan).
Supporting stories feature a dotty duchess (Rutherford) who has fallen on hard times and a handsome businessman (Rod Taylor) trying to thwart a hostile takeover.
At the same time, his secretary (Smith) lusts after him, and Gloria (Elsa Martinelli), an aspiring actress, and her money-grubbing producer, Max (Welles).
Despite the heavy-sounding plots, the film is not overly severe and provides comical moments in small doses, which secures the pacing and offsets too much doom and gloom.
Liz and Richard have big, soapy moments, and writer Terence Rattigan was reportedly inspired to write the screenplay by a real-life situation.
Actress Vivien Leigh was planning to leave her husband Laurence Olivier for another man but was delayed at Heathrow Airport.
How scandalous!
Nonetheless, Taylor stoically gives an acceptable performance as a conflicted actress in love with a man other than her husband. The setup plays out as tired as it sounds, except for the juicy reality that Taylor and Burton were married, providing the only interest.
Taylor and Burton have terrific chemistry, though she also does with Jourdan. Still, there is something uncompelling and unsatisfying about the story.
Shockingly, they are all upstaged by Rutherford, who steals the entire film, resulting in her surprising Best Supporting Actress victory. She may have won because of the Academy’s tendency to sometimes award an older actor with the prize for a lifetime body of work.
Her riveting story is my favorite as she desperately seeks a way to save her historic home.
The actress hits a home run, providing much-needed comic relief and the liveliest of performances. Her peril offsets her cleverness, and her performance is filled with heart.
Many critics hastily insisted that Rutherford was the only reason to see The V.I.P.’s. Personally, the combination of an airport, peril, and big stars was more than enough to have me hooked.
The only addition that might have made the film better was an enormous fire or a hijacking crisis.
The V.I.P.’s (1963) will only appeal to fans of Taylor and Burton or those seeking something sudsy. Otherwise, the film is not too well remembered.
Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Supporting Actress-Margaret Rutherford (won)
