Our April 2024 issue takes a look behind some of the most iconic westerns, beginning with the ever-glamourous Elizabeth Taylor in the 1956 hit film, Giant.
Her name is synonymous with glamour. She is often remembered as one of the biggest movie stars of the 20th century, sharing (and often stealing) scenes with the likes of Paul Newman, Montgomery Clift, Lee Marvin, Rock Hudson, and James Dean. And yet, despite the formidable on-screen company she kept, we’d never considered the screen legend for the cover of our publication. Until now.
Elizabeth Taylor. An icon — yes. A western star — not exactly. But when writer David Hofstede turned in his feature article on favorite western romances, it dawned on us: What about Elizabeth Taylor in Giant? It was like daybreak. Of course — Elizabeth Taylor in Giant. With her costars Hudson and Dean, Taylor helped deliver an epic film adapted from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edna Ferber’s novel — a “sprawling tale,” as many described it, that continues to resonate with audiences today.
After it premiered in 1956, Giant earned 10 Academy Award nominations, including a second Best Director win for George Stevens. In her role as Leslie Benedict, the well-heeled Maryland-born wife of wealthy Texas rancher Jordan “Bick” Benedict Jr. (Hudson), Taylor leads viewers through this sweeping generational drama from her character’s perspective. “She is tender and yet stubborn,” said one review in Variety at the time, “a surprisingly clever performance that registers up and down the line.”
Taylor’s star power — and, dare we say, grit — in Giant more than registers all these years later. It was an astonishing role for the then-23-year-old, who would cinematically age 25 years over the course of the story, and the performance would become one of the most critically acclaimed of her career. It had staying power, and so do stills of her from the film and from the set. With her extraordinary beauty against the backdrop of dusty West Texas, those images continue to captivate to the point of breathlessness.
There’s plenty of substance, of course, under all the style, but what style. Martin Scorsese claims to have watched the film dozens of times. “As far as filmmaking goes,” Scorsese has been quoted, “Giant is an inspiring film. I don’t mean morally, but visually. It’s all visual.”
While we wouldn’t got so far as to say this edition of C&I is all visual, it is our annual Style issue, and there’s plenty of it in many forms: Liz’s unforgettable look on the cover, Western fashion, modern interior design, Indigenous runway looks, historic regalia, a musician’s vintage wardrobe, and the vibrant outfits of escaramuza charras.
British Vogue declared that “Elizabeth Taylor remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring style icons.” We couldn’t agree more. And we’d like to keep the conversation going. Who are your style icons? Who would you like to see on the cover? What are some of your favorite stylish and romantic westerns? Write to us at [email protected] to let us know.
Because sharing our stories about the West and our love for this singular place and state of mind will never go out of style.
This article appears in our April 2024 issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy Alamy
