When you think of Elizabeth Taylor, your brain probably goes straight to Cleopatra or maybe her shouting matches with Richard Burton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? You think of the diamonds. You think of the eight marriages. You rarely think of a gritty, claustrophobic British thriller where she spends half the time staring out a window in a rainy London townhouse. But Elizabeth Taylor Night Watch is one of those weird, cult-status anomalies in her filmography that deserves a second look, especially if you’re tired of the polished Hollywood glamour that usually defined her brand.
Released in 1973, it was a pivot. A sharp one.
The early 70s were a strange time for Taylor. She wasn't the box-office queen she’d been a decade prior. The "New Hollywood" era was kicking in, and the old-school studio stars were scrambling to stay relevant. Taylor chose a psychological thriller based on a play by Lucille Fletcher—the same woman who wrote the legendary Sorry, Wrong Number. It was supposed to be her big suspense moment. Instead, it became a fascinating, slightly campy, and genuinely tense footnote in cinema history.
Why Night Watch Was a Total Departure for Liz
Most people expect Taylor to be the center of a sweeping epic. In Night Watch, she’s Ellen Wheeler, a woman recovering from a nervous breakdown who thinks she sees a murder through the window of the abandoned house next door. It’s very Rear Window, but with more gin and 1970s wallpaper.
Honestly, the movie is a bit of a slow burn. It’s claustrophobic. The cinematography by Billy Williams—who did Women in Love—is moody and dark. Taylor isn’t wearing the Krupp diamond here. She’s playing someone fragile, paranoid, and potentially hallucinating. This wasn't the "larger than life" Liz; this was "unraveling" Liz. Critics at the time were mixed, but if you watch it now, her performance is actually pretty nuanced before it goes full-tilt into the melodrama of the third act.
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The Burton Factor (Or Lack Thereof)
By 1973, the "Burt-Tay" era was reaching its chaotic conclusion. They had just done Hammersmith Is Out and Divorce His, Divorce Hers. Fans were used to seeing them together. Night Watch swapped Richard Burton for Laurence Harvey. Harvey was a heavyweight in his own right (The Manchurian Candidate), but he was actually quite ill during filming. He died of stomach cancer just months after the movie was released.
There’s a strange, weary energy between Taylor and Harvey in this film. Some people say it’s lack of chemistry. I’d argue it’s actually perfect for the plot. They play a couple whose marriage is hanging by a thread, and that real-world exhaustion leaks onto the screen. It makes the "gaslighting" elements of the story feel much more grounded than your standard Hollywood thriller.
The Plot Twist Everyone Saw (But Still Loves)
The movie hinges on a "did she or didn't she" hook. Ellen (Taylor) sees a body with its throat slit in the house across the way. The police show up. No body. No blood. Just an empty room and some old furniture. Her husband, John, and her best friend, Sarah (played by Billie Whitelaw), start exchanging "she’s lost it again" looks.
Is she crazy?
Is she being set up?
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If you’ve seen more than three thrillers in your life, you can probably guess where it’s going. But the ending of Night Watch is notoriously grisly for a Taylor film. It moves from a psychological drama into something approaching a slasher movie in the final ten minutes. It’s weirdly satisfying to see an icon of the Golden Age get her hands dirty in a genre that was usually reserved for younger, "scream queen" types.
Production Details and Trivia
- Location: While set in London, much of the interior work happened at Shepperton Studios.
- The Director: Brian G. Hutton directed this. He was the guy behind Where Eagles Dare and Kelly's Heroes. Moving from massive war epics to a three-person play in a house was a huge shift in scale.
- The Look: Taylor’s wardrobe was designed by Valentino, which is hilarious because she's supposed to be a woman in the middle of a mental collapse, yet she looks impeccable in every frame.
Why It Didn't Become a Classic
Timing is everything. 1973 was the year of The Exorcist. Audiences wanted visceral, supernatural horror or gritty, realist dramas like The Sting. Night Watch felt a bit "theatrical" and old-fashioned despite its twist. It was a bridge between the old-school suspense of Hitchcock and the new-school violence of the 70s, and it didn't quite land on either side firmly enough to satisfy the critics.
Also, let's be real: People wanted Elizabeth Taylor to be a goddess. Seeing her scream at a window for 90 minutes was a hard sell for the general public who wanted the glamour of The V.I.P.s.
The Legacy of Elizabeth Taylor's Night Watch Today
If you’re a cinema buff, this is a "must-watch" for the technical aspects alone. The way Hutton uses shadows and the way Taylor uses her voice—which had deepened and become more gravelly by this point—is fascinating. It’s a masterclass in how an actor can command a space even when the script is a bit thin.
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It’s also a great example of the "Hysterical Woman" trope that was so prevalent in 70s cinema. Looking back through a modern lens, you can see the themes of domestic isolation and the dismissal of female intuition that make it more than just a simple "scary movie."
How to Watch It Now
Finding a high-quality stream can be a pain. It’s often buried in the "thriller" sections of TCM or available for rent on Prime Video. There was a decent Blu-ray release by Warner Archive a few years back that cleaned up the graininess, which is the way to go if you want to see those famous violet eyes in HD.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into this specific era of Taylor's career or want to track down Night Watch memorabilia, here’s how to do it right:
- Prioritize the Warner Archive Blu-ray: Don't settle for the old DVD transfers. The cinematography in this film relies heavily on dark tones and shadows; cheap digital versions turn the climax into a muddy mess where you can't tell what's happening.
- Contextualize the Era: To really "get" this movie, watch it as a double feature with Suddenly, Last Summer (1959). It shows the evolution of Taylor's "distressed woman" archetype over 15 years.
- Check Auction Houses for Paperwork: Original 1973 lobby cards for Night Watch are surprisingly affordable compared to her 60s films. They often feature the striking image of Taylor looking through the window, which has become an iconic piece of 70s suspense art.
- Read the Play: If the movie feels too slow, find a copy of Lucille Fletcher’s original stage play. It’s a tight, one-set thriller that explains some of the character motivations that the film glosses over in favor of Valentino dresses.
Night Watch remains a testament to Elizabeth Taylor’s willingness to take risks. She didn't have to do a low-budget-feeling British thriller. She did it because she wanted to act, to scream, and to subvert the image of the untouchable movie star. It’s flawed, it’s messy, and it’s quintessentially 70s.
Whether you’re a die-hard Liz fan or just a fan of "gaslighting" cinema, this film is a piece of history that proves even the biggest stars in the world sometimes just wanted to play in the dark.