The V.I.P.s

For the 1960s English band, see The V.I.P.'s.

The V.I.P.s
original film poster
Directed by	Anthony Asquith
Produced by	Anatole de Grunwald
Written by	Terence Rattigan
Starring	Richard Burton Elizabeth Taylor Louis Jourdan Maggie Smith Orson Welles Rod Taylor Elsa Martinelli Margaret Rutherford
Music by	Miklós Rózsa
Cinematography	Jack Hildyard
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date(s)	September 19, 1963 (United States)
Running time	119 minutes
Language	English

The V.I.P.s, also known as Hotel International, is a 1963 British drama film. It was directed by Anthony Asquith, produced by Anatole de Grunwald and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film was written by Terence Rattigan, with a music score by Miklós Rózsa.

It has an all-star cast including Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Louis Jourdan, Elsa Martinelli, Maggie Smith, Rod Taylor, Orson Welles and Margaret Rutherford, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.

Plot

The film is set within Terminal 2 of London Heathrow Airport during a fog. As flights are delayed, the VIPs (very important people) of the title play out the drama of their lives in a number of slightly interconnected stories. The delays have caused serious hardship for most of the characters and have plunged some of them into a deep personal or financial crisis.

The central story concerns famed actress Frances Andros trying to leave her husband, millionaire Paul Andros, and fly away with her lover Marc Champselle. Because of the fog, Andros has the opportunity to come to the airport to convince his wife not to leave him.

Film producer Max Buda needs to leave London, taking his newest protégée Gloria Gritti with him, by midnight if he is to avoid paying a hefty tax bill. The Duchess of Brighton, meanwhile, is on her way to Florida to take a job which will pay her enough money to save her historic home.

Les Mangrum, an Australian businessman, must get to New York City to prevent his business from being sold. His dutiful secretary, Miss Mead, is secretly in love with him. It being a matter of great urgency, she decides to approach Andros and ask him to advance the money which will save Mangrum's company.

Background and production

According to Rattigan, this is based on the true story of actress Vivien Leigh's attempt to leave her husband and actor Laurence Olivier and fly off with her lover, the actor Peter Finch, only to be delayed by a fog at Heathrow.

Asquith chose Sophia Loren for Andros's role, remembering the box-office success of the romantic comedy film The Millionairess (1960) he did with Loren in the main role. However, Taylor, scared by the appeal Loren had on Burton, persuaded Asquith to hire herself; "Let Sophia stay in Rome", she told him.

Stringer Davis, Rutherford's husband appears in a tiny role as Mr. Stringer, a sympathetic hotel waiter in a scene with her.

Raymond Austin, a stuntman and a friend of Burton's, appears in the film as Andros's driver.

Television personality David Frost portrays a reporter interviewing the VIPs at the airport.

This was the first time Australian actor Rod Taylor had ever played an Australian character on film.

Reaction

Critical reaction to the film was generally poor. It nevertheless did extremely well at the box office, helped by the enormous publicity attached to Burton's and Taylor's previous release, the dramatic epic film Cleopatra (1963). The team of Asquith, De Grunwald and Rattigan later produced another portmanteau film, the dramatic composite film The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964).

Cast

Elizabeth Taylor as Frances Andros Richard Burton as Paul Andros Louis Jourdan as Marc Champselle Elsa Martinelli as Gloria Gritti Margaret Rutherford as Duchess of Brighton Maggie Smith as Miss Mead Rod Taylor as Les Mangrum Orson Welles as Max Buda Linda Christian as Miriam Marshall Dennis Price as Commander Millbank Richard Wattis as Sanders Ronald Fraser as Joslin David Frost as Reporter Joan Benham as Miss Potter Michael Hordern as Airport Director Lance Percival as B.O.A.C. Officer Martin Miller as Dr. Schwutzbacher Peter Sallis as Doctor Stringer Davis as Hotel Waiter Clifton Jones as Jamaican Passenger Moyra Fraser as Air Hostess

Duncan Lewis as Hotel Receptionist Raymond Austin as Rolls Chauffeur Cal McCord as Visitor Virginia Bedard Jill Carson as Air Hostesses Ann Castle as Lady Reporter Rosemary Dorken Betty Trapp as Waitress Maggie McGrath as Waitress Lewis Fiander as Third Reporter (uncredited) John Blythe as Barman Richard Briers as Meteorological Official Richard Caldicot as Hotel Representative Reginald Beckwith as Head Waiter Terry Alexander as Captain Frank Williams as Assistant to Airport Director Clifford Mollison as Mr. River the Hotel Manager Gordon Sterne as Official Joyce Carey as Mrs. Damer Robert Coote as John Coburn Angus Lennie as Meteorological Man Peter Illing as Mr. Damer

See also

• 1963 in film
• British films of 1963
• List of drama films

References

External links

• The V.I.P.s at the Internet Movie Database