Divorce

Liz Taylor and Richard Burton star as an estranged couple whose lives have taken divergent paths following an acrimonious divorce several years earlier. The TV movie explores the impact of the separation from each other's perspective, Burton, a wealthy businessman in Rome sewing up a deal on behalf of his African company, Liz, juggling the care of their three children, each exhibiting different impacts of the separation. A great deal of postulating and ruminating is done about the travails of marriage, and time spent discussing 'what went wrong', people making, taking and declining phone calls, and a seemingly inordinate amount of time spent showing Burton in transit, clutching briefcase, looking concerned (or ambivalent, it's difficult to tell) in and out of Rome airport.

It's classic soap opera, and at over two hours, an epic one at that – mercifully, being shown in two parts allows for a much needed intermission, where you can decide whether you really want to return for more. Carrie Nye plays a promiscuous dalliance of Burton with whom he has a brief affair, while Gabriele Ferzetti is Liz's momentary Latin beau. Barry Foster has a prominent supporting role as Burton's associate and frustrated confidante, while some audiences might recognise ubiquitous West Indian actor Rudolph Walker (of "Love Thy Neighbour") in a small role as a businessman.

Given the locations (Rome/Munich), it's a shame there aren't more exterior shots, but then, this is a TV movie and much less a postcard than a long and sometimes tawdry account of the impact of divorce on all concerned. Nice music, but possibly more of interest to those who enjoy the Taylor/Burton collaborations; other audiences my find things a bit slow-moving and talky.

`Divorce His; Divorce Hers' would be a much better film if it were trimmed from three to two hours. In this effort, T.V. producers attempt to milk the then world shaking coup of nabbing the Burton's for a two-night event (Their first Movie made for television). But the cow ran dry at two hours. The story of a crumbling marriage is told first from the husband's point of view and then in the second half is told from the wife's. Much of the same ground is covered twice and much more interestingly in the second half.

Jane and Martin Reynolds live La Dolce Vita in Rome in the early 70's and after 18 years come to the slow and painful end of their marriage. Rome looks wonderful in the location shots in the Borghese Gardens, along the Via Condotti at night, and Piazza Navona. And attendant with the glamour of Rome the aura of the Burtons is well served in making the Reynolds seem impossibly rich. Notice that Elizabeth wears her Krupp diamond and the famous La Peregrina Peal necklace. No successful business tycoon of Burton's character's income could have afforded such lux baubles for his wife. Still in the early 70's the Liz and Dick glamour machine must be well oiled and the public at the time expected it. Some degree of disbelief would be suspend in anticipation of the Burtons because we somehow felt that what we were seeing less a drama than a simi-documentary about Elizabeth and Richard. And perhaps in some ways those films were just that. Richard Burton's performance is somewhat stiff and cool with flashes of Welsh temper to pepper his scenes. But, over all, he seems rather distant and not too interested in the proceedings. But on the other hand Elizabeth's excellent training in film acting over the years by the masters at M.G.M. comes to her aid in creating a warm fully developed and wonderful lady in Jane. She shines in particular in her scenes with the children and in her scene with Carrie Nye when she learns of Miss Nye's relationship with her husband. She is missed when she is not on hand to bring a little life to Mr. Burton's scenes. Miss Taylor shimmers in her own inimitable way and once again shows new comers and old pro's what real screen acting is about. The film is by no means great but not nearly as bad as some reviewers would lead you to believe. `Divorce His: Divorce Hers' is worth seeing for Elizabeth's solid work.

How well I remember from my youth all the media coverage of Elizabeth Taylor and her love life. First her affair with Eddie Fisher and the breaking up of that marriage and then the page one stories for days from the set of Cleopatra where she and Richard Burton were an item. She shed Fisher and married Burton and Liz and Dick married, twice in fact, and did several joint projects. Sad to say this made for television film about a couple's dwindling affection for each other was one of the least of their projects, maybe THE least.

Divorce His - Divorce Hers examines a marriage that has not stood the test of time. Both Burton and Taylor have gone their separate ways have taken on lovers, still is their a chance they could reunite. The viewer will conclude by the end that we don't really care.

Given all the marriages by both parties in real life they could have played these parts in their sleep. In fact I'm reasonably sure that Burton and Taylor were sleepwalking part of the film.

God knows that both individually and jointly Liz and Dick gave us some great performances. But in this strictly star vehicle it all seems by rote.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (as Jane and Martin Reynolds) star in a two-part TV movie, showing their characters' marriage crumbling into divorce. Mr. Burton's "Divorce His" aired February 6, 1973. Ms. Taylor's "Divorce Hers" aired February 7, 1973. Carrie Nye (as Diana Proctor) and Gabriele Ferzetti (as Turi Livicci) play the "other woman" and "other man". The children outperform their illustrious elders.

This sure sounded like a good idea -- divorce told from the differing husband/wife points of view; with notorious divorcées, and terrific performers, Taylor and Burton in the lead roles. The result is startlingly dull. There are few reasons to care whether the couple divorces, or not. The differing perspectives are slight, and uninteresting. And, don't expect any boozy "Virginia Woolf"-type arguments.

Although it's highly irrelevant, or should be, it must be said that Taylor looks very beautiful in many scenes. Since the effort to display her beauty is so obvious; I will mention she was, in my opinion, most alluring in the scene when she was in bed, in the blue nightgown, talking on the telephone.

** Divorce His (2/6/73) Waris Hussein ~ Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Carrie Nye

** Divorce Hers (2/7/73) Waris Hussein ~ Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Gabriele Ferzetti

The glut of DVDs flooding the market is giving us a chance to wallow in some ripe old tosh and I love it!. This pongs like an ignored armpit. Poor old Waris Hussein, its not his fault. Would you fancy telling Dick and Liz that they can't act or even dare whisper that they should at least try to look at the script before the camera rolls ? Everyone around them seems to be red faced. Barry Foster can scarcely hide his shame - fresh from Frenzy and then THIS?. Rudolph Walker puts in an appearance and makes you realise that Eastenders ain't all that bad and that at least you could understand Jack Smethurst whilst he was being all controversial as Rudi's Loving Neighbour. Let's hope that some more enterprising DVD companies release more choice cuts such as this. Bring out your dead! Seriously, if you get a thrill out of high class trash get this one before it goes back into hiding for another 30 years.