My Life with Cleopatra by Walter Wanger

Author:Walter Wanger [Wanger, Walter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-345-80406-8
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2013-06-04T04:00:00+00:00

BOOK IV

CLEOPATRA AND CAESAR

[1961–1962]

SEPTEMBER 25, 1961

Today, finally, after years of work and headaches, we shot the first scene of Cleopatra.

Since our starting date coincided with the 100th anniversary of Italian unification, Treves, who is an enthusiastic Italian-American as well as one of the minority leaders in the Fox fight, promoted a junket to Italy for eleven U. S. Congressmen. As a highlight of the junket he promised to bring them to Cinecitta with their wives.

I said they could come to the studio but not on the set. Liz was working in a revealing costume. I knew that like the rest of us she would be likely to have first-day nerves—we had been through so much for so long in getting the picture started.

Predictably, the band of Congressmen with wives showed up at the studio wanting photographs taken everywhere, most especially with Elizabeth. They were taken on a full tour, finally ending up at our Forum set across the street from the set where we were shooting. I went to the Forum and announced over the loudspeaker that because of the pressure of the first day of shooting Miss Taylor would not be available, but that we had a cocktail party planned for later.

Some of the Congressmen, however, got tired of waiting and angrily left the studio. When Elizabeth heard what happened, she invited the Congressmen and wives who remained to come to her dressing room where they had some drinks and pleasant conversation.

SEPTEMBER 26, 1961

I learn that our eager publicity department had given out in advance “Press Release No. 2,” which said, “On their tour of the Forum set, the group of Congressmen was accompanied by Elizabeth Taylor, who left her set for the specific purpose of greeting them.” No wonder there was a misunderstanding as the papers reported today, with poor Liz catching the blame.

SEPTEMBER 28, 1961

Elizabeth is truly Queen of Rome.

Shooting stopped at 5:30 today so Liz could go home to get dressed for an appearance tonight at the Sistine Theater. She is to be awarded the Maschera d’Argento (Silver Mask) for her performance in Suddenly Last Summer. A big honor, as the award is the Italian equivalent of an Oscar.

Liz was wearing a fabulous silver evening gown with a neckline that plunged to the waist. The mob went wild when they saw her enter the theater. When she went on stage, it took about forty uniformed and plain-clothes policemen to stop the paparazzi from rushing right up to the stage to take pictures of Liz. About sixty photographers eventually ran into the wings where they took turns standing on each other’s shoulders to get pictures.

After the award ceremonies the photographers literally fought with the police to get pictures, while a mob of 2,000 or more screaming Italians overwhelmed Liz and Eddie.

Eddie pushed Liz into a car that was parked at the curb and locked the door. When their own car came up, the police made a passageway for them to change to it.

Elizabeth’s impact on the public is incredible, which bodes well for our movie.

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