Butterfield 8 (1960)
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47% of critics liked it
(17 reviews) -
58% of users liked it
(3,953 ratings)
A woman who has long been short on feelings falls in love with a married man in this emotional drama. Gloria Wondrous (Elizabeth Taylor) is a model and party girl who lives for pleasure and is willing to take men for what she can get from them. Gloria bounces from man to man, but feels that she can… More A woman who has long been short on feelings falls in love with a married man in this emotional drama. Gloria Wondrous (Elizabeth Taylor) is a model and party girl who lives for pleasure and is willing to take men for what she can get from them. Gloria bounces from man to man, but feels that she can only truly confide in Steve Carpenter (Eddie Fisher), a longtime friend with whom she shares a close but strictly platonic relationship, though his fiancée (Susan Oliver) suspects otherwise. Gloria becomes involved with Weston Liggett (Laurence Harvey), a wealthy but emotionally cold man who is married to Emily (Dina Merrill). Weston shows Gloria precious little respect or kindness at first, but as they share a few bouts with the bottle, they discover that both are desperately lacking in self-confidence and have little happiness in their lives. As Gloria and Weston reveal more about themselves to one another, they fall in love, but Gloria isn't sure if she can commit to one man, while Weston has to decide if he can leave Emily behind. Based on the novel by John O'Hara, Butterfield 8 earned Elizabeth Taylor her first Academy Award (for Best Actress) after four unsuccessful nominations. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Daniel Mann
- Written By
- John O'Hara, Charles Schnee
- Genres
- Drama, Classics
- In Theaters
- Nov 4, 1960 Wide
- Studio
- MGM Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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, TIME Magazine
A sleek and libidinous lingerie meller.
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Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
It's just about as awful as you'd expect, despite the presence of two first-class screenwriter.
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Variety Staff, Variety
Under director Daniel Mann's guidance it is an extremely sexy and intimate film, but the intimacy is only skin deep, the sex only a dominating behavior pattern.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Once thought of as racy and adventurous in its treatment of sex, this turgid nonsense about a high-class whore with love in her heart has dated atrociously.
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Bosley Crowther, New York Times
The dialogue is rough. Let's say O'Harrowing. And the ending is absurd. But so is most of it for that matter. It's the living it up that gets you in this film.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Elizabeth Taylor
as Gloria Wondrous
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Laurence Harvey
as Weston Liggett
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Eddie Fisher
as Steve Carpenter
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Dina Merrill
as Emily Liggett
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Mildred Dunnock
as Mrs. Wondrous
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Betty Field
as Fanny Thumber
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Jeffrey Lynn
as Bingham Smith
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Kay Medford
as Happy
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Susan Oliver
as Norma
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Tom Aheame
as Bartender
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Dan Bergin
as Elevator Man
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Joseph Boley
as Messenger
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Rudy Bond
as Big Man
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Whitfield Connor
as Anderson
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Virginia Downing
as Clerk
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Philip Faversham
as Man
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Carmen Mathews
as Mrs. Jescott
- Sam Schwartz
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Richard X. Slattery
as State Trooper
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Leon B. Stevens
as Policeman
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Beau Tilden
as Chauffeur
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George Voskovec
as Dr. Tredman
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Helen Stevens
as Gossip
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John Armstrong
as Doorman
