I recently watched the 3-part docuseries, “Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar” on Fox Nation and loved it. Produced by Kim Kardashian (who surprised me with the depth of research and her skill in presenting so much information on the superstar, some of it never seen before), the series held me riveted each night.
I suspect many of you grew up during Elizabeth Taylor’s heyday like I did and were as enraptured by her stunning beauty, long list of movies, and those leading men who could just about lead ME anywhere they wanted, again like I was. 🙂
I don’t know of any woman who had seven husbands with eight marriages, do you? Her son, Chris Wilding, interviewed at length during the shows, proclaimed Elizabeth as a good mother. I was a bit amazed by that. His childhood, along with that of his three siblings, couldn’t have been easy with the tabloids proclaiming her scandalous affairs and revolving door of husbands. She didn’t give her children a stable family life, in my opinion. But he did say he was sent away to boarding school (I’m not sure about the other three), so perhaps that was Elizabeth’s way of protecting him somewhat from the repercussions of her famous, super-star, self-centered life.
When I think of her, I always remember her diamonds, red lipstick, that mole on her right cheek, and her incredible beauty. Her acting talent isn’t on my list, but the movie moguls during the last half of the 20th century would disagree with me. Universal Studios contracted her when she was ten years old, and MGM shortly thereafter, grooming her to become a major child star. She went on to make 72 films and television projects between 1942 and 2001.
Since she acted in lots of classic Hollywood dramas (remember Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) and big historical productions like Cleopatra, out of those 72 films, only two were westerns. Interesting, since westerns were in their heyday during their time.
1. Giant (1956)
A Western drama set in Texas that spans 25 years. Rock Hudson is a wealthy cattle baron, and Elizabeth Taylor plays his wife. James Dean is a rebellious ranch hand who strikes oil and also becomes rich, and the rivalry between the two men spans the length of the film. Giant was James Dean’s last film before he died.
2. Poker Alice (1987)
Not the sprawling epic film of her previous western, this TV movie is more character-driven with Elizabeth portraying Alice Moffitt who is a traveling gambler in the Old West. George Hamilton plays her cousin. She wins a house during a poker game, and the house turns out to be a bordello. Doesn’t that sound fun? Throw in a bounty hunter cousin to George Hamilton who competes for Alice’s attention, and there’s plenty of romance and tension to keep the movie interesting.
Elizabeth Taylor died in 2011 of complications from congestive heart failure at the age of 79. At the time of her passing, she was surrounded by her children, but none of her seven husbands were at her side.
When you think of Elizabeth Taylor, what do you remember about her? Have you seen either of her western movies? Do you have a favorite?
Confession? I don’t know any real cowboys. I’ve read about them in the novels that my fellow western romance authors write; I’ve watched myriad TV westerns both new and old and rodeo videos galore. We had horses for fifteen years, so I’ve met lots of horsemen, some may even have thought of themselves as cowboys, some sure acted as if they thought they were. But a cattle drive in Montana is very different from riding the horse trails in a state park in the Midwest.
But as I learned more and more about cowboys, I discovered that “alpha” didn’t really define the cowboy heroes I was reading about and watching. The swaggering stereotypical cowboy I’d always imagined was so far off the mark that I was actually shocked … and delighted. That quiet strength, that determination that I’d written into my beta winemakers, veterinarians, carpenters, college professors, and chefs were also hallmarks of the cowboy persona. When I created bronc rider Del Foster and rodeo cutting champion Bo Kennedy, those qualities—gentleness, intelligence, supportiveness, loyalty, steadiness, awareness of their own emotions as well as others—were all things my cowboys could be … and are.
The Cowboy’s Comeback
First, being aggressive makes me think of a bully. When I think of a cowboy, I think of John Wayne in movies where his character stood up for those who needed a champion. Big Jake and The Cowboys come to mind as examples. He stands up for what’s right, does what needs to be done no matter what the personal cost, and he certainly isn’t a reckless driver. See me shaking my head over this one yet again. He may take a risk, but he’s not reckless or as Webster says, “acting without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action.”
A cowboy possesses what some today call old-fashioned manners and values. They’re willing to work hard and can be counted on to finish the job. The words “yes, ma’am” are part of their vocabulary, and more importantly, used. No matter what their age, they call their parents’ friends Mr. and Mrs. to show respect. When I wrote my first novel with a cowboy hero Big City Cowboy, (which happened to be the only idea of that type I had at the time), the inciting incident forced my hero to go to New York to model. However, I wanted a reason other than to save his ranch. I asked myself what a cowboy loved more than his ranch or his horse. The answer his mom popped into my head. For me, that’s the kind of values a cowboy possesses. He values hard work, family, his heritage, and respects women.
Army medic Katya Smith is unable to get past the experience of losing a fellow soldier. She can’t go back to her unit until she can keep from melting down, so she takes a job as a medic for the pro bull riding circuit in an effort to recover her mojo. She doesn’t expect to become attached to the sport or the riders, especially the king rider of them all, Cam Cahill. Cam is a two-time world champion, but those years have taken a toll. It is time to retire, but he can’t imagine himself off the circuit. Katya does wonderful things for his body, but he is not certain he is ready for the things she does for his heart. She has made it plain this is a temp job, but if he could get her to stay, he can see a whole new future. 
Judge Henry Garth owns “Shiloh,” the largest ranch in and around Medicine Bow, Wyoming. When feuding ranchers and Indians from “up north” want to meet to settle their differences, Garth offers Shiloh as a neutral venue. He has two house guests: Ben, a city-slicker newspaperman come to visit Garth’s daughter Betsy, and the Indian Affairs agent who’s supposed to settle the whole mess. Garth wants a peaceful solution to the Indian/rancher problem, but his plans go awry when a group of thugs takes over Shiloh. He finds himself a hostage in his own home along with Betsy, the journalist, the Indian agent and Randy, his singing cowboy. His other hands are all at the roundup.
Where will it all end? How will it all end, with every escape blocked?
