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Elizabeth Taylor, Dana Andrews, Peter Finch, Abraham Sofaer, Abner Biberman ... see more see more... , Noel Drayton , Rosalind Ivan , Barry Bernard , Philip Tonge , Edward Ashley , Leo Britt , Delmar Costello , Victor Millan , Jack Raine , Rodd Redwing , Norma Varden , Charles Heard , Leslie Sketchley , Satini Puailoa , Carlos Rivero , Reginald Lal Singh

Elephant Walk was several weeks into production when the film's original leading lady, Vivien Leigh, was replaced by Elizabeth Taylor (you can still see Leigh in a few long shots). Based on a novel by... read more read more... Robert Standish, the film casts Taylor as Ruth Wiley, the new bride of solemn plantation owner John Wiley (Peter Finch). At first thrilled at the prospect of living in the wilds of Ceylon, Ruth rapidly becomes a beautiful bird in a gilded cage. When American overseer Dick Carver (Dana Andrews) arrives on the scene, Ruth falls in love. Before she can leave her husband, though, the region is devastated by cholera. Making things worse, the local elephants go on a rampage, destroying her husband's mansion, which his father had maliciously built in the middle of the pachyderm's ancient right of way. Fraught with sexual symbolism, Elephant Walk works on a high-gloss soap opera level. The climactic stampede, however, is disappointingly filmed on a studio interior set, robbing what should have been a rousing climax of much of its credibility. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

44% liked it

1,758 ratings

Critics

60% liked it

10 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 43 min.

Directed by: William Dieterle

Release Date: April 21, 1954

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DVD Release Date: July 12, 2005

Stats: 61 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (61)

  • flixsterman
    March 2, 2009
    flixsterman
    A wealthy tea tycoon sweeps small-town Elizabeth Taylor off her feet and carries her away to his remote jungle plantation in Ceylon. Once there, his young bride discovers that her husband's enormous mansion was built directly across an active elephant trail, bringing people and ... read morepachyderms into constant conflict.

    Elephant Walk is a product of the 1950's and it's under-tone of post-war prosperity attests to that fact. Taylor is beautiful and principled and virtuous, the picture-perfect bride. Her husband, Edward Ashley, is struggling with the lingering specter of his over-bearing, recently deceased father and his own heart-felt compassion for his wife. Add to that a handsome plantation manager in the form of Dana Andrews and you've got the makings of a melodramatic love triangle.

    The cinematography alone would make this film worth watching, but the sight of Elizabeth Taylor being pursued by a herd of rampaging elephants is the image that every classic movie fan will want to see. Elephant Walk isn't for everyone, but for those of you who can appreciate old-school Hollywood glamor and big budget studio productions it's highly recommended.
  • Glinda
    January 21, 2008
    Glinda
    Well, it was kind of the same story as Rebecca, except in Sri Lanka and a lot of mad elephants, and not as good. Yeah.

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Critic Reviews

March 23, 2011
TIME Magazine

Elephant Walk, though hardly a work of art, is an astonishingly neat feat of manufacture. Full Review

Variety Staff
July 22, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

Robert Standish's novel about life among the pekoe-planters rates a sprawling script and direction that lacks attention-holding pace from William Dieterle. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
March 25, 2006
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Unfortunately, the script that John Lee Mahin prepared from the Robert Standish book is lengthy and hackneyed in the build-up, and William Dieterle's direction does not provide anything more than gaud... Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
February 13, 2001
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

I was 11 when I saw William Dieterle's 1954 adaptation of the Robert Standish novel Elephant Walk... and I loved it, though I don't know what I'd think today. Full Review

Michael E. Grost
January 30, 2012
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television

Delirious mixture of romance and melodrama, with gorgeous location shooting. Full Review

March 23, 2011
TV Guide's Movie Guide

The lush Griggs cinematography and rich Waxman score enhance an otherwise lightweight movie. Full Review

Steve Crum
March 22, 2008
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Until the elephants actually stampede the palace, this Liz Taylor vehicle is pretty talky drama.

Dennis Schwartz
March 25, 2007
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Nothing more than a mundane soap opera melodrama. Full Review

David Nusair
August 3, 2005
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

...astonishingly bad... Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 31, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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