Butterfield 8

Released Nov 4, 1960

1 hr. 49 min.

Drama

List

47%

19 Reviews

Tomatometer

56%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

A Manhattan call girl (Elizabeth Taylor) has a tragic affair with a rich married man (Laurence Harvey).

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Red T

It's ok enough. The amin issue is the pacing which isn't good overall especially in the first half. Scenes that should take 2 minutes go on for 5-6, Certain plot lines aren't developed enough and are forgotten about because how long other scenes go on for like Taylor & her Mom, Her Mom and her best friend, Harvey's backstory with his wife, and we don't get further detial until he start of the second half which feels really off. The editing is ok enough but this jumps around constantly esepecially in the first half and even when it stays focused on Taylor it never feels like a cohesive flow. It does get more interesting in the second half though and more focused. The cinematography is unforunately just average as well. Mainly because a lot of scenes just don't really contribute to much, have basic camerawork, or are just kind of lifeless despite some memorable lavish set peices and a couple good shots here and there. The acting is just ok either with no one really having much chemistry, charm, or humor. There is some good dialouge here and there but that's it. The music is boring, generic, and forgettable as well and can be underused at times giving this a very dry feeling at times. I felt nothing when she died at the end or Harvey leaving to better himself. It was more interesting than heartbreaking or riveting. I credit that to the nothing special acting and the dry dragged out tone this has on top of a messy first half that makes the second have to overcorrect and throws off the pacing and everything else. Honestly, I can't really recommend this to anyone. Just skip it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/05/23

Full Review

CodyZamboni

Elizabeth Taylor deserved the Oscar for her tragic performance, in a tale of sad, self destructive people. To Taylor's credit, given all her character's faults , throughout the movie, she still retained my sympathetic rooting interest, for her, to hopefully, find happiness.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/28/23

Full Review

Russ

I'd give this Four Stars for Liz's performance. I heard she had to take the part under her contract but didn't want it. Despite that she's absolutely the best thing about the film and not just for her looks. I have to deduct a star for the rest of this unconvincing melodrama. The problem is the script and the awful performance of Laurence Harvey, who's completely miscast; even the accent is wrong for the character. How the worldy Gloria would have fallen hard for this guy is not credible as nothing about his treatment of her justifies it. I was hoping this would have had a happy ending in Boston but the screenwriters had other ideas.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/11/23

Full Review

D M

Liz Taylor would not be a star today for sure.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

11/12/22

Full Review

Audience Member

BUtterfield 8 is a lavish melodrama thanks to some subtle moments in the film like the costume designs and cinematography. What made Butterfield 8 a very astounding film was the incredible acting from the magnificent Elizabeth Taylor. Butterfield 8 is a fascinating film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

steve d

I never thought Elizabeth Taylor was much of an actress but she is at leas competent here, nothing else works.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Daniel Mann

Director

Elizabeth Taylor

Gloria Wandrous

Laurence Harvey

Weston Liggett

Eddie Fisher

Steve Carpenter

Dina Merrill

Emily Liggett

Mildred Dunnock

Mrs. Wandrous

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TIME Magazine

A sleek and libidinous lingerie meller.

Mar 23, 2011

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

It's just about as awful as you'd expect, despite the presence of two first-class screenwriter.

Mar 23, 2011

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Under director Daniel Mann's guidance it is an extremely sexy and intimate film, but the intimacy is only skin deep, the sex only a dominating behavior pattern.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Peter Freedman

Radio Times

Elizabeth Taylor's Oscar-winning performance as an up-market whore with a heart is the chief, if not only, interest of this otherwise weak and dated drama.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 9, 2020

Full Review

TV Guide

Glossy trash with the star at full throttle, it's the quintessental La Liz movie.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 23, 2011

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

When viewed today it's a work of considerable dreck, it's badly dated and unappealing.

Rated: C

May 29, 2008

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Synopsis

A Manhattan call girl (Elizabeth Taylor) has a tragic affair with a rich married man (Laurence Harvey).

Director: Daniel Mann
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Afton-Linebrook
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 4, 1960, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009

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