The 1973 Elizabeth Taylor drama Ash Wednesday was troubled almost from its first days of production. Producer Dominick Dunne later recalled that the film repeatedly fell behind schedule and spiraled over budget, with Taylor sometimes arriving as much as three hours late. Dunne believed the star’s status made ordinary disciplinary measures pointless: attempting to force punctuality on one of Hollywood’s most powerful actresses, he suggested, would accomplish little beyond creating another confrontation on an already unstable production. The delays were especially damaging on a film built around Taylor’s transformation from a neglected middle-aged wife into a surgically rejuvenated woman, since the schedule had to accommodate elaborate makeup, wardrobe, and appearance-related preparation.
Preparing the daily feature…
AI concept artworkArchive Record · 1970s
Elizabeth Taylor’s Three-Hour Delays and the Cocaine-Fueled Chaos Behind Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday / 1970s
The 1973 Elizabeth Taylor drama Ash Wednesday was troubled almost from its first days of production. Producer Dominick Dunne later recalled that the film repeatedly fell behind schedule and spiraled over budget, with Taylor sometimes arriving as much as three hours late. Dunne believed the star’s status made ordinary disciplinary measures pointless: attempting to force punctuality on one of Hollywood’s most powerful actresses, he suggested, would accomplish little beyond creating another confrontation on an already unstable production. The delays were especially damaging on a film built around Taylor’s transformation from a neglected middle-aged wife into a surgically rejuvenated woman, since the schedule had to accommodate elaborate makeup, wardrobe, and appearance-related preparation.
The daily feature is taking an intermission. There’s still an entire archive to explore.