Podcast Summary

Podcast: New Books Network – "New Books in Film"
Host: Dan Moran
Guest: Matthew Kennedy
Episode: On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide (Oxford UP, 2024)
Date: January 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode features a lively, insightful conversation between host Dan Moran and author Matthew Kennedy about Kennedy's new book, On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide. The discussion ranges from Elizabeth Taylor’s unparalleled movie stardom and her nuanced craft as an actor, to the changing culture of Hollywood and Kennedy’s personal connection to Taylor’s films. Kennedy’s approach, both as author and cinephile, shines throughout, mixing critical analysis with unabashed enthusiasm as he and Moran delve into Taylor’s greatest performances, her impact as a studio-era celebrity, and some of her lesser-known cinematic ventures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Made Elizabeth Taylor Unique?

• First Encounter with Taylor’s Magic
  Matthew Kennedy recounts his early, primal captivation with Elizabeth Taylor’s screen presence in The Taming of the Shrew:

  “She filled [the screen] and then some... I realized many years later that what I was seeing was true and genuine movie star power.” (03:18)

• The conversation explores how Taylor possessed an indefinable mystique—what Kennedy calls “an ethereal quality”—that made her more than just beautiful, but a true “movie star,” epitomizing the Hollywood ideal.

Fun, Accessible, and Down-to-Earth

• Despite her immense fame, Taylor was repeatedly described as “fun” and “generous,” making those on set feel at ease (08:01).
• Kennedy elaborates:

  “She knew that she had a power over people... She didn’t necessarily like that... so she created techniques and approaches on the set that made people at ease despite... the blinding magnitude of her celebrity.” (09:09)

The Last Studio-Manufactured Star

• Taylor is described as the last of “the great and mighty studio-invented” stars, crafted over 18 years at MGM:

  “They told her who to date, what movies to make... Eventually she rebelled against that.” (11:31)

• Kennedy and Moran discuss how the splintering of culture and changes in media distribution mean this type of all-consuming stardom is unlikely to return.
• Kennedy draws a distinction between Taylor’s era and today’s fragmented celebrity landscape:

  “Taylor Swift is a major celebrity. I don’t know that she engages as broad a cross-section of modern life as Elizabeth Taylor did. I don’t know that anybody ever will again.” (13:01)

The Book’s Structure: “An Opinionated Guide”

• Kennedy's book is part of a new Oxford University Press series inviting authors to assess major artists through "opinionated guides."
• Matthew Kennedy’s approach involves individual essays on each of Taylor’s 56 films, focusing not just on the films themselves but on Taylor’s performances and what she brought to each role:

  “It’s actually: what do I think her performance brings to the film?... The focus is really... what she brings to the film. Everything else is secondary.” (16:16)

• The conversational, engaging structure encourages readers to “flip through” and challenge the author’s takes:

  “I kind of expect there’s going to be a conversation going on because... I fully expect that people are going to read this and go, ‘He really liked that performance?’ or, ‘I thought that was a great movie and he’s just kind of lukewarm...’” (19:45)

Elizabeth Taylor’s Collaborators & Work Ethos

• On directors she respected versus those she enjoyed, Kennedy singles out George Stevens (regarded, but “tyrannical”) and Mike Nichols (an ideal, creative collaborator on Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) as especially influential (21:49).
• Taylor’s adaptability and ability to shine were consistent, even under challenging conditions or with difficult directors.

Deep Dives into Key Films

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

• Kennedy considers this Taylor’s second-best performance, lauding her “physicality” and convincing portrayal of frustration and desire:

  “Now, there goes a movie star. But there also goes Maggie the Cat… She’s in service to the character… and she’s still Elizabeth Taylor.” (26:19)

Giant

• For Kennedy, this role provided the "closest glimpse" of Taylor at her best off-camera and on:

  “She is the voice of reason and compassion and love for fellow humans throughout the entire film... I wish the world was full of Leslie Benedicts.” (30:16)

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

• Taylor transformed, playing a character far removed from her own life:

  “Nichols seemed to give her permission to basically be, for the first time in her career, a character actress... She lowered her voice, wore unflattering outfits, changed her walk, lowered her center of gravity...” (34:03)

• Moran adds: “It’s such a train wreck, but you can’t stop looking at it.” (38:26)

Cleopatra

• Kennedy abhors the received wisdom that Cleopatra was an irredeemable disaster:

  “We’re on the cutting edge... of a reassessment... Watch Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra... If you want to see what a movie star looks like.” (39:25)

• He describes Taylor’s regal stillness and the sheer opulence of the production as underrated, and notes—contrary to myth—the film ultimately made money (44:08).

A Place in the Sun

• Taylor’s breakthrough as a credible adult performer:

  “She was only 17... I would have guessed maybe 23, in the way she conducts herself, but also the demands of the character... It’s a very significant film in her career that helped people stand up and take notice.” (45:10)

Discovery: The Driver’s Seat (1974)

• A little-known, deeply unsettling psychological thriller that Kennedy found “really, really unsettling” when revisited in a restored print:

  “If you surrender to it and watch it late at night, I guarantee it will have a disturbing effect... I’m not here to say it’s a great movie... but the combination of Vittorio Storaro and Elizabeth Taylor... is a sight to behold.” (52:00)

Later Career and Decline

• Kennedy is candid about the “decline” in Taylor’s later roles, which he attributes to industry ageism, career momentum, and the fallout of her personal life:

  “She chose to remain a star while, as you know, to quote Norma Desmond, the pictures got small... But I found tremendous riches in seeing some of these later films...” (53:50)

Elizabeth Taylor on Stage and Her Enduring Legacy

• Taylor’s stage outings, particularly The Little Foxes (1981), are highlighted as evidence of her dedication to craft and ability to be a team player, not just a star (57:52).
• Her philanthropic work, notably the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, remains active and her family is engaged in maintaining her legacy (62:38).

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “I think arguably nobody in maybe in the history of movies has ever epitomized or personified the notion of the movie star more than Elizabeth Taylor.” – Matthew Kennedy (05:14)
• “She was always fun.” – Matthew Kennedy, on Taylor’s spirit (08:01)
• “She was the last of the great and mighty studio-invented stars.” – Matthew Kennedy (11:31)
• “Taylor Swift is a major celebrity. I don’t know that she engages as broad a cross-section of modern life as Elizabeth Taylor did... I don’t know that anybody ever will again.” – Matthew Kennedy (13:01)
• “She was fun. She made sure she did not turn this into a vanity project... she came to it as best as she could as an ensemble member.” – Matthew Kennedy, on Taylor’s stage career (59:14)
• “If you want to see what a movie star looks like, watch Elizabeth Taylor and Cleopatra.” – Matthew Kennedy (43:17)
• “She never phoned it in. She always delivered.” – Matthew Kennedy, on late-career Taylor (57:09)
• “She’s not simply being remembered as an actress and a celebrity, but also as a great philanthropist.” – Matthew Kennedy (63:16)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:18] – Kennedy’s first experience of Taylor on screen
• [08:01] – Taylor’s reputation for being “fun” and easy-going
• [11:31] – Studio system and the machinery behind Taylor’s stardom
• [16:16] – Structure and philosophy behind the “Opinionated Guide”
• [21:49] – Discussion of Taylor’s relationships with directors
• [26:19] – Kennedy’s opinion on Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
• [30:16] – Praise for Taylor’s role in Giant
• [34:03] – Why Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a summit performance
• [39:25] – Reassessing Cleopatra
• [45:10] – A Place in the Sun and Taylor’s transition to adult roles
• [52:00] – Rediscovery of The Driver’s Seat
• [53:50] – Analysis of Taylor’s later career and decline
• [57:52] – Taylor’s stage work post-Hollywood
• [62:38] – Taylor’s philanthropic legacy and her family’s ongoing efforts

Tone, Style, & Final Impressions

The episode blends Kennedy’s critical expertise with his personal passion for classic Hollywood, resulting in a conversation that’s both analytical and deeply enthusiastic. Both Moran and Kennedy maintain a tone of admiration and curiosity, encouraging listeners to revisit or discover Taylor’s performances with fresh eyes, and to appreciate both the artistry and the myth of one of cinema’s most iconic stars.

Recommended For:

Anyone interested in:

• Elizabeth Taylor’s films and legacy
• Classic Hollywood history and celebrity culture
• The craft of film acting
• Fresh, opinionated takes on well-known and obscure movies

Relevant Links:

• On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide (Oxford UP)
• Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation
• House of Taylor