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The equal opportunity destroyer

Old 08-27-2019, 10:26 AM
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The equal opportunity destroyer

I saw a movie about the marriage(s) of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Not a great movie but a severe condemnation of alcohol. It destroyed their marriage and ripped apart their humanity and lives.

All the money and diamonds in the world could not save them from this scourge. If the movie is to be believed they were deeply unhappy. Burton died as he lived...a drunk. Taylor died alone and very overweight. Famous and talented alcoholics are still just that: alcoholics.

They had all the “fun” money could buy, yet it did not much look like fun. It looked like agony.

This is a good movie for showing alcohol for what it is. Not glamorous but really deadly.
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Old 08-27-2019, 10:37 AM
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So sad and so true, that it wrecks entire lives and families. Equal Opportunity Destroyer.

What's the name of the film?
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Old 08-27-2019, 10:56 AM
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She also did ALOT of drugs.

I read somewhere that she was initially responsible for getting Michael Jackson hooked with her shady doctors.

But it sems everyone was doing it back then. I was fortunately too young (and scared)
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Old 08-27-2019, 11:09 AM
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The film is called “Liz&Dick”. Just one of these made for TV movies. Not great but for sure puts the alcoholism in perspective.
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Old 08-27-2019, 05:29 PM
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This disease is not prejudice. Period.....
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Old 08-27-2019, 05:35 PM
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I want to see this movie!
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Old 08-27-2019, 05:48 PM
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Me too, missy.

It’s not just alcohol, either. It’s testimony to how happiness falls shot for all of us, even in the most successful circumstances. I’ve been trying to figure this out but it is all as elusive as the meaning of life itself.
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Old 08-28-2019, 04:02 AM
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There were extracts of the diary of Burton I read somewhere a while ago. It was utterly depressing. Just before and after their marriage, he was constantly worried about his alcohol intake and how it could impact his love for Elizabeth Taylor. But the entries went something like: 'Monday: Booze; Tuesday:Booze; Wednesday: Booze, etc.

And at some point it was the other way around. He totally disgusted about how ET was drinking. It is really depressing because it is so easy to identify with.
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Old 08-28-2019, 10:44 AM
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Originally Posted by BackandScared View Post
There were extracts of the diary of Burton I read somewhere a while ago. It was utterly depressing. Just before and after their marriage, he was constantly worried about his alcohol intake and how it could impact his love for Elizabeth Taylor. But the entries went something like: 'Monday: Booze; Tuesday:Booze; Wednesday: Booze, etc.

And at some point it was the other way around. He totally disgusted about how ET was drinking. It is really depressing because it is so easy to identify with.
Here's some bits I found:

'31 August 1969 - Sunday morning: Yesterday was another terrible day. I behaved in a way to make a banshee look kind good and sweet. Insulting Elizabeth, drunk, periodically excusing myself rather shabbily and then starting the rough treatment all over again. Sometimes I am so much my father’s son that I give myself occasional creeps.'

'14 March 1983 [in rehearsal]: ET still drinking. Wine only she says. Couldn’t even read the lines properly. This is going to be a long long seven months. ET beginning to bore, which I would not have thought possible all those years ago. How terrible a thing time is.'

I don't really know their story at all but I could probably have a fair go at filling in some of the blanks.
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Old 08-28-2019, 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Callas View Post
Burton died as he lived...a drunk.
Don't disagree with anything you write here really, but just a small point of fact: If you read his diaries, Burton was certainly abstinent for significant periods in his life after nearly dying in 1974. (He died in 1984.)

From my understanding having read Melvyn Bragg's biography, he actually died sober (though the definition seems a bit skewed, from what I remember.) I don't think there is any doubt the damage from the drink killed him though.
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