A Place in the Heart

Her eight marriages have made headlines, as has her friendship with Michael Jackson. She’s tirelessly raised funds for the fight against AIDS. She’s battled substance abuse, life-threatening illnesses and currently is recuperating from surgery for a benign brain tumor.

Elizabeth Taylor, who turns 65 today, is much more than just a high-profile celebrity. Her film career has spanned five decades, and she’s one of the few actresses to have won two Oscars and the AFI Life Achievement Award.

Fans have the opportunity to celebrate her accomplishments as an actress by checking out some of her best-known films on video.

Though Taylor’s first film was the forgettable 1942 comedy “There’s One Born Every Minute,” everyone remembers her second movie, the classic 1943 tear-jerker “Lassie, Come Home” (MGM/UA, $15). Taylor, Roddy McDowall, Donald Crisp and Pal the pooch star in this family drama about a collie who endures great hardships while trying to get back to her original family.

At the age of 12, Taylor landed her first starring role in the inspiring 1945 drama “National Velvet” (MGM/UA, $20). Taylor more than holds her own with such pros as Mickey Rooney, Anne Revere (who won the Oscar) and Crisp as an English girl determined to enter her horse in the famed Grand National Race. Have a box of tissues handy.

Taylor got her first grown-up role at 17 in the so-so 1949 thriller “Conspirator” (MGM/UA, $20). She plays the young wife of a British army officer (Robert Taylor) who discovers her husband is working for the Commies.

She was perfectly cast as Spencer Tracy’s adoring daughter in the 1950 comedy “Father of the Bride” (MGM/UA, $15) and the fun 1951 sequel “Father’s Little Dividend” (Congress, $15). Both were directed by Vincente Minnelli.

Taylor is luminous in 1951’s “A Place in the Sun” (Paramount, $15), George Stevens’ Oscar-winning version of Theodore Dreiser’s “An American Tragedy.” Taylor plays a beautiful society debutante who falls in love with a handsome but ambitious laborer (Montgomery Clift).

Five years later, she teamed up with Stevens for the epic “Giant” (Warner, $25). Based on the novel by Edna Ferber, this juicy, old-fashioned saga chronicles two generations of a wealthy Texas family.

Taylor received her first Oscar nomination as the mentally unbalanced Southern wife of an Indiana teacher (Montgomery Clift) in the overlong 1957 Civil War drama “Raintree County” (MGM, $30).

She was an Oscar nominee the following year for her sensuous turn in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (MGM/UA, $20) as Maggie the cat, the frustrated wife of a former jock (Paul Newman).

Taylor was an Oscar contender again in 1959 for Tennessee Williams’ gothic tale “Suddenly, Last Summer” (Columbia/TriStar, $20). Katharine Hepburn plays the ruthless New Orleans matron who invites a brain surgeon (Montgomery Clift) to her mansion to convince him to perform a lobotomy on her niece (Taylor), who has suffered a breakdown under mysterious circumstances.

Taylor won an Academy Award for the 1960 potboiler “Butterfield 8” (MGM/UA. $20). She gives a credible performance as a prostitute who wants to lead a normal life.

After falling in love while making the lumbering 1963 dud “Cleopatra” (Fox, $30), Taylor and fifth spouse Richard Burton made several movies together. Their best vehicle is the biting 1966 drama “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (Warner, $20). A deglamorized Taylor won her second Oscar as the foul-mouthed, bitter and blowzy wife of a tortured professor (Burton) in the acclaimed version of Edward Albee’s hit play.

Taylor, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis and Kim Novak are seen to good advantage in the moderately entertaining 1980 thriller “The Mirror Crack’d” (Republic, $15). Angela Lansbury plays Agatha Christie’s sleuth Miss Marple who is on the trail of an actress’ murderer.

Taylor’s most recent screen appearance was in the silly 1994 comedy “The Flintstones” (Universal, $15). Her engaging comedic turn as Fred’s (John Goodman) nagging mother-in-law almost’s makes this trifle worth watching.