''Divorce His, Divorce Hers'' is a 1973 British/American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made fo ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

starring Elizabeth Taylor and

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

. The film examines the conflicted emotions felt by a couple whose 18-year marriage has frayed beyond repair. The first half of the film (''Divorce His'') details the story from the husband's perspective, and the second half (''Divorce Hers'') takes the wife's perspective. It is the final film to star both Burton and Taylor together. The film, which was directed by

Waris Hussein Waris Hussein (''né'' Habibullah; born 9 December 1938) is a British-Indian television and film director. At the beginning of his career he was employed by the BBC as its youngest drama director. He directed early episodes of ''Doctor Who'', inc ...

, from a script by John Hopkins, was originally presented in a two-part broadcast on U.S. television on February 6–7, 1973 (appearing on the Tuesday and Wednesday editions of the ''

ABC Movie of the Week ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

''), although it was theatrically released in France in 1974. The critic Clive James wrote after the television screening in Britain (June 24 and 25,1973): "After movies as monumentally lousy as ''

Bluebeard "Bluebeard" (french: Barbe bleue, ) is a French folktale, the most famous surviving version of which was written by Charles Perrault and first published by Barbin in Paris in 1697 in '' Histoires ou contes du temps passé''. The tale tells the s ...

'' and ''

Hammersmith is Out ''Hammersmith Is Out'' is a 1972 American comedy-drama film based on the legend of Faust. It is directed by Peter Ustinov, who starred in the film alongside Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Beau Bridges, Leon Ames, and George Raft. Plot Billy B ...

'' it was good to see Burton chipping some of the rust off his technique."Clive James ''

Visions Before Midnight ''Visions Before Midnight'' is a selection of the television criticism written by Clive James during his first four years (1972–1976) as ''The Observers weekly television critic. The selection begins with a piece on the 1972 Summer Olympics ...

'' p.52

Cast

: Martin Reynolds * Elizabeth Taylor: Jane Reynolds * Carrie Nye: Diana Proctor * Barry Foster: Donald Trenton, Martin's Partner *

Gabriele Ferzetti Gabriele Ferzetti (born Pasquale Ferzetti; 17 March 1925 – 2 December 2015) was an Italian actor with more than 160 credits across film, television, and stage. His career was at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s. Ferzetti's first leading role ...

: Turi Livicci *

Ronald Radd Ronald Radd (22 January 1929 – 23 April 1976) was a British television actor. He is perhaps best remembered for originating the role of Hunter in the television thriller series '' Callan''. In 1971, he was nominated for a Tony Award for ''Ab ...

: Angus McIntyre *

Thomas Baptiste Thomas Baptiste (17 March 1929 – 6 December 2018) was a Guyanese-born British actor and opera singer. Biography Baptiste was born in British Guiana (now Guyana) as the son of a wealthy landowner. He moved to Britain in the late 1940s. His on ...

: Minister * Mark Colleano: Tommy Reynolds *

Rosalyn Landor Rosalyn Landor (born 7 October 1958) is an English film, television and stage actress and audio book narrator. Early life Landor was born in Hampstead, London, the daughter of English actor and radio presenter Neil Landor and of an Irish mother. ...

: Peggy Reynolds *

Daniela Surina Daniela Surina (born 20 September 1942) is an Italian singer, actress and television personality. Life and career Born in Trieste, Surina started her professional career in 1965, making her film debut in the comedy film '' Soldati e caporali' ...

: Franca *

Rudolph Walker Rudolph Malcolm Walker (born 28 September 1939) is a Trinidadian-British actor, known for his sitcom roles as Bill Reynolds in '' Love Thy Neighbour'' (1972–76) and Constable Frank Gladstone in '' The Thin Blue Line'' (1995–96). Since 2001 ...

: Kaduna *

Eva Griffith Eva Griffith, also credited as Eva Griffiths (born ), is a British actress, and a historian of the English Renaissance theatre. She began her career as child actress. Early life Eva Griffith was born in Knightsbridge, London, the daughter of W ...

: Judith Reynolds

References

External links

* * 1973 television films 1973 films 1973 drama films Films directed by Waris Hussein Films with screenplays by John Hopkins Films scored by Stanley Myers ABC Movie of the Week American drama television films 1970s American films 1970s English-language films English-language drama films {{US-tv-drama-film-stub