The Seven Shocking Secrets Of Elizabeth Taylor's Raintree County: Tragedy, Triumph, And A Life-Altering Crash
Few Hollywood productions are as steeped in a mixture of lavish spectacle and genuine, life-altering tragedy as the 1957 epic, Raintree County. Released on , the film remains a fascinating, if problematic, artifact of the Hollywood Golden Age, primarily remembered not just for its ambitious scope and multiple Oscar nominations, but for a single, catastrophic night that forever changed the life of its leading man, Montgomery Clift, and cemented the legendary bond between him and his co-star, Elizabeth Taylor. This film was a pivotal moment for Taylor, marking her transition from a glamorous starlet into a serious, Oscar-nominated dramatic actress, even as her personal life—a crumbling marriage to Michael Wilding—was playing out in the background.
The movie, an adaptation of Ross Lockridge Jr.'s sprawling novel, was MGM’s attempt at a Civil War-era super-production, intended to rival the scale of classics like Gone With the Wind. It cast Elizabeth Taylor in the complex role of Susana Drake, a beautiful but mentally fragile Southern belle whose marriage to the abolitionist John Shawnessy, played by Clift, forms the emotional core of the nearly three-hour epic. The film’s legacy is inseparable from the shocking events that occurred off-camera, proving that sometimes, the real-life drama eclipses even the grandest cinematic vision.
Elizabeth Taylor: A Brief Biographical Profile During the Raintree County Era
In the mid-1950s, Elizabeth Taylor was at a crucial juncture in her career and personal life. She was a major box-office draw, but Raintree County was her first major role after giving birth to her second child and came during the dissolution of her second marriage. The immense pressure and drama surrounding the production mirrored the volatility of her character, Susana Drake.
- Full Name: Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor
- Born: February 27, 1932, in London, United Kingdom
- Died: March 23, 2011, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Parents: Francis Lenn Taylor and Sara Sothern (both Americans)
- Major Career Milestone (Post-Raintree): Became the first actress to officially negotiate a $1 million contract for a film (Cleopatra, 1963).
- Marriages at the Time: She was still married to her second husband, actor Michael Wilding, though the marriage was ending. She would soon marry producer Mike Todd.
- Raintree County Role: Susana Drake, a troubled Southern heiress.
- First Oscar Nomination: The film earned Elizabeth Taylor her very first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, setting a new trajectory for her career.
The Infamous May 12, 1956: The Car Crash That Rewrote Hollywood History
The most enduring and tragic piece of trivia associated with Raintree County is the near-fatal car accident involving its leading man, Montgomery Clift. This event did more than just delay the lavish MGM production; it physically and psychologically scarred one of Hollywood’s most sensitive and talented actors, changing the course of his remaining career.
The Dinner Party and the Deadly Drive
The accident occurred on the evening of May 12, 1956, while the film was shooting on location. Clift, who was a close friend of Taylor’s, was leaving a dinner party at her Beverly Hills home. Feeling tired and perhaps suffering from the effects of alcohol, he drove his 1955 Chevrolet off the road and smashed into a telephone pole. The impact was horrific, leaving him severely injured and trapped in the wreckage.
Elizabeth Taylor's Heroism: Hearing the crash, Taylor and her then-husband, Michael Wilding, rushed to the scene. Taylor reached Clift first, and in a moment of quick-thinking heroism, she reportedly put her fingers down his throat to clear his airway, preventing him from choking on his own teeth, which had been knocked loose. Her immediate action is widely credited with saving his life.
The injuries were devastating: a broken nose, a fractured jaw, and severe facial lacerations. Clift underwent extensive plastic surgery. The production was halted for nine weeks, but when he returned to set, the difference was stark. The second half of the film features a visibly altered Clift, whose face was now partially paralyzed and whose performance was often marked by pain and a noticeable stiffness. The tragic irony is that his character, John Shawnessy, was meant to be physically unchanged, creating a jarring continuity break that is still discussed by film critics today.
A Super-Production's Struggle: Technical Innovation and Critical Reception
Beyond the personal drama, Raintree County was an ambitious technical undertaking that contributed significantly to its 'event' status. The film was an epic historical melodrama, set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, focusing on the search for the mythical "raintree" of the title.
The Technical Spectacle and Scale
MGM spared no expense. The film was shot in the then-groundbreaking widescreen process of Ultra Panavision 70, a massive format that required special projection equipment and was intended to immerse audiences in the sweeping landscapes of Indiana and the antebellum South. It was one of the first major films to utilize this format, showcasing the film's huge scope, elaborate period costumes, and massive sets. The sheer scale of the production, directed by Edward Dmytryk, was meant to be a direct challenge to other historical epics of the era.
The Troubled Legacy of Susana Drake
Elizabeth Taylor's portrayal of Susana Drake is arguably the film's most compelling element. Her character is a complex, troubled Southern belle haunted by a secret past—a secret that drives her descent into madness. Taylor channeled the intensity of her personal life into the role, delivering a performance that was raw and emotionally volatile. This performance earned her the first of her five Academy Award nominations for Best Actress, a clear indication that she was now being taken seriously as a dramatic actress rather than merely a beautiful star.
- Key Entities in the Film: Montgomery Clift (John Shawnessy), Eva Marie Saint (Nell Gaither), Nigel Patrick (Prof. Jerusalem Webster Stiles), Lee Marvin (Flash Perkins), Agnes Moorehead (Ellen Shawnessy).
- Oscar Recognition: The film received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress (Taylor), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score.
Raintree County's Enduring Impact on Elizabeth Taylor's Career
While the film itself received mixed reviews—some critics found its nearly three-hour runtime "torturous," while others praised its ambition—its impact on Elizabeth Taylor's career was undeniable. It was the moment she proved her dramatic mettle and cemented her status as a serious, bankable star who could carry a massive production.
The bond forged with Montgomery Clift during the accident was another critical, enduring legacy. Taylor and Clift were already close friends, having starred together in A Place in the Sun. Her actions on that night solidified a deep, protective friendship that lasted until Clift's death in 1966. She became his staunch advocate, helping him navigate the physical and psychological toll of his injuries in the years that followed, demonstrating a loyalty rarely seen in the cutthroat world of Hollywood.
Raintree County ultimately stands as a cinematic crossroads. It is a grand, flawed epic that showcases the technical ambition of the late 1950s, but its true historical significance lies in the raw, human drama that unfolded off-screen. It was the film that gave Elizabeth Taylor her first Oscar nod and, more profoundly, the one where she saved the life of her dearest friend, forever intertwining her personal legend with the troubled narrative of a Civil War masterpiece.
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