London Slog: Cleopatra | The Plot Thickens (S6 E1) | TCM

Episode 1 – London Slog

20th Century Fox pays Elizabeth Taylor a record-breaking salary to play Cleopatra, then tries to save money by filming the movie in England. That turns out to be a disastrous decision. The weather doesn’t agree with Liz, who suffers one health problem after another, delaying production for months. Fox then faces the question: pull the plug on this movie… or fire the director and find someone new to save the picture?

00:00 – 20 Movies, 19 Posters
09:44 – Elizabeth Taylor's Payday
14:59 – The Producer’s Dilemma
20:54 – Director Needed
27:13 – Trouble at Pinewood
31:00 – Liz Takes Ill
37:40 – Shut It Down
40:33 – Joe to the Rescue

His studio was collapsing. His budget was skyrocketing. And his two stars were making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Those were just some of the headaches facing Joseph L. Mankiewicz, the writer and director of one of the most expensive and infamous movies ever made: Cleopatra. With Mankiewicz calling the shots and the luminous Elizabeth Taylor in the title role, Cleopatra should have been a smash. Instead, it was a shoot plagued by medical emergencies, climate disasters, nervous breakdowns, and egos as big as pyramids... not to mention Taylor's scandalous love affair with Richard Burton. It fell to Mankiewicz to somehow wrest an epic out of chaos. Writing at night and directing during the day, he struggled to stay one step ahead of financial disaster and his own failing health. This season on The Plot Thickens, Ben Mankiewicz digs through his own family stories to understand how it turned out so badly for his Oscar-winning uncle.

The Plot Thickens is the official podcast from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) about movies and the people who make them. Season one premiered in May 2020, diving into the life and work of Oscar®-nominated director, writer, and actor Peter Bogdanovich. Season two, “The Devil’s Candy,” launched in June 2021 and chronicled the tumultuous production of the 1990 film The Bonfire of the Vanities. Season three uncovered fresh insights into the life and times of the iconic Lucille Ball and debuted in October 2021. Season four explored the life and work of trailblazing actor Pam Grier in fall 2022.

The podcast has garnered more than nine million downloads and several industry awards: it was named a Webby Honoree in 2021 and 2022 and a Webby Nominee in 2023; won best branded podcast from the 2021 Adweek Podcast Awards; and was nominated for best entertainment podcast at the Ambie Awards two years in a row. It has been featured on “best-of” lists from The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, and Vanity Fair.

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Previous seasons are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents classic films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting “where then meets now.” TCM features the insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart and Eddie Muller, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. With more than two decades as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through popular events such as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood and the TCM Classic Cruise. Fans can also enjoy a classic movie experience on the TCM hub on Max.

London Slog: Cleopatra | The Plot Thickens (S6 E1) | TCM
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