Trivia / The V.I.P.s

• Actor-Inspired Element: Most of the jewelry worn by Elizabeth Taylor in this movie is from her personal collection. The diamond and emerald brooch is cited as her first "If it's Tuesday, I love you" gift from Richard Burton. The diamond tiara worn during the opening credits dinner party scene was a gift from third husband Mike Todd.
• Hostility on the Set: The plentiful alcohol consumed on the set by almost everyone—led by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor—led to regular harangues by Burton against director Anthony Asquith, about the one person on the film who stayed sober (because he was in recovery).
• Uncredited Role: Frank Williams as the assistant to the airport director.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Christopher Plummer was originally signed to appear and was having his costumes fitted when he learned he would be paid more money if he took the role of Commodus in The Fall of the Roman Empire. Luckily for him, the producers had yet to put his salary into escrow so he was able to jump ship and head off to Spain for the Samuel Bronston epic.
  • Anthony Asquith intended for Sophia Loren to play Frances Andros, remembering the box-office success of their previous collaboration, The Millionairess. However, Elizabeth Taylor, scared by the appeal Loren had for Burton, persuaded Asquith to hire her instead; "Let Sophia stay in Rome", she told him.
  • Vincente Minnelli was MGM's first choice as director.
• Write What You Know: The movie was a thinly disguised account of screenwriter Terence Rattigan's real-life friend Vivien Leigh and her attempt to leave her husband Laurence Olivier for Australian actor Peter Finch. Leigh and Finch made it to London's Heathrow Airport, but their plane was delayed by incoming fog, giving Olivier time to confront the two and bring Leigh home. She abandoned the plan after several hours of fog delay.

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