The Best Elizabeth Taylor Movies

Ranker Film
Updated August 11, 2023 5.6K votes 617 voters 30.7K views
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List of the best Elizabeth Taylor movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Elizabeth Taylor's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. You might also these sexy Elizabeth Taylor photos and Elizabeth Taylor's dating history. The order of these top Elizabeth Taylor movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Elizabeth Taylor movies will be at the top of the list. Elizabeth Taylor has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Elizabeth Taylor movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Elizabeth Taylor films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best Elizabeth Taylor role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Elizabeth Taylor performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

Elizabeth Taylor's filmography includes Cleopatra, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,  and BUtterfield 8. 

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Elizabeth Taylor movies?" and "What are the greatest Elizabeth Taylor roles of all time?"

Most divisive: Zee and Co.
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  • Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
    1

    Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

    Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives
    321 votes
    • Released: 1958
    • Directed by: Richard Brooks
    After Brick Pollitt (Paul Newman) injures himself while drunkenly revisiting his high school sports-star days, he and his tempestuous wife, Maggie (Elizabeth Taylor), visit his family's Mississippi plantation for the 65th birthday of his hot-tempered father, Big Daddy (Burl Ives). Cantankerous even with declining health, Big Daddy demands to know why Brick and Maggie haven't yet given him a grandchild, unlike Brick's brother Gooper (Jack Carson) and his fecund wife, Mae (Madeleine Sherwood).

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  • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
    2

    Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

    Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal
    311 votes
    • Released: 1966
    • Directed by: Mike Nichols
    History professor George (Richard Burton) and his boozy wife, Martha (Elizabeth Taylor), return late one Saturday night from a cocktail party at the home of the college president, Martha's father. Martha announces that she invited another couple, newly appointed instructor Nick (George Segal) and his timid wife, Honey (Sandy Dennis), over for a nightcap. When the younger couple arrive, the night erupts into a no-holds-barred torrent of marital angst and verbal tirades.

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  • Giant
    3

    Giant

    Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean
    268 votes
    • Released: 1956
    • Directed by: George Stevens
    Wealthy Texas rancher Bick Benedict (Rock Hudson) shakes things up at home when he returns from a trip to the East Coast with a love interest, the refined Leslie Lynnton (Elizabeth Taylor). Bick and Leslie get married, but she clashes with his sister, Luz (Mercedes McCambridge), and wins the admiration of the ambitious young Jett Rink (James Dean). Bick and Jett form a tense rivalry that continues to surface as the years pass and fortunes change in this sweeping drama.

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  • A Place in the Sun
    4

    A Place in the Sun

    Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Shelley Winters
    275 votes
    • Released: 1951
    • Directed by: George Stevens
    In this classic version of Theodore Dreiser's novel "An American Tragedy," George Eastman (Montgomery Clift), the nephew of a wealthy industrialist, is excluded from high society and given a blue-collar job at his uncle's factory. While ascending the ranks of the company, George becomes romantically involved with co-worker Alice Tripp (Shelley Winters). However, when he is introduced to socialite Angela Vickers (Elizabeth Taylor), he quickly falls for her, leading to a tragic love triangle.
  • Cleopatra
    5

    Cleopatra

    Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison
    257 votes
    • Released: 1963
    • Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
    Cleopatra, a sweeping historical drama, paints an epic tale of power and betrayal. Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor), the charismatic queen of Egypt, embarks on a tumultuous love affair with Roman general Mark Antony (Richard Burton). As their relationship unfolds amidst political intrigue, they face opposition from Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison) and the Roman Empire itself. This grand spectacle bagged four Academy Awards, including Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. With its lavish sets and stunning performances, Cleopatra remains a landmark in cinematic history. It's a sprawling saga that explores the intersection of passion, ambition, and destiny.

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  • Suddenly, Last Summer
    6

    Suddenly, Last Summer

    Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Katharine Hepburn
    266 votes
    • Released: 1959
    • Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
    In this adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play, young socialite Catherine Holly (Elizabeth Taylor) is traumatized and committed after witnessing her cousin's violent death on a trip to Europe. Her aunt, Violet Venable (Katharine Hepburn), wants to hide the events of her son's death and attempts to bribe young surgeon Dr. John Cukrowicz (Montgomery Clift) to perform a lobotomy on Catherine. But John vows to find out the truth about Catherine's state before taking any action.

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