X, Y and Zee

Director: Brian G. Hutton Brian G. Hutton

Overview

More commonly known as Zee & Co., this cautionary tale of extramarital discretions finds a threatened and desperate wife lashing out in order to salvage a faltering marriage. An upper-crust couple living the high-life in post-'60s London, Zee (Elizabeth Taylor) and Robert (Michael Caine) Blakely's love-hate relationship is beginning to leave Robert longing for something more. Setting his sites on unassuming country girl Stella (Susannah York), Zee soon catches on and quickly begins scheming to bring the newfound romance crashing to the ground.

Product Details

Release Date:	12/20/2010
UPC:	0043396373648
Original Release:	1972
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	ALLIED VAUGHN
Language:	English
Sales rank:	46,352

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Elizabeth Taylor	Zee Blakeley
Michael Caine	Robert Blakeley
Susannah York	Stella
Margaret Leighton	Gladys
John Standing	Gordon
Mary Larkin	Rita
Gino Melvazzi	Headwaiter
Michael Cashman	Gavin
Julian West	Oscar
Hilary West	Shaun
Stanley Myers	Composer

Technical Credits

Edna O'Brien

Brian G. Hutton	Director
Jay Kanter	Producer
Elliott Kastner	Executive Producer
Alan Ladd Jr.	Producer
Edna O'Brien	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Elizabeth Taylor is back in Virginia Woolf territory in X, Y and Zee, and if the results are ultimately not as memorable, Taylor at least gives her fans their money's worth with her all-out, often vulgar but totally committed performance. Edna O'Brien's screenplay -- which the writer claims was mauled in the filming and editing -- has much more than the requisite number of zingers in its excellently bitchy dialogue; at times, it also almost has something to say about the emptiness of contemporary life and the difficulties people have really relating to each other. But almost is far from enough; without going over the line and actually achieving what it's aiming for, Zee's screenplay comes across as much worse than it actually is, reducing many of its finest thoughts to platitudes and clichés. Still, it does give Taylor that salty, spicy dialogue that she flings about with complete abandon, creating a glorious show in the process. It's not great acting, but it's mesmerizing performing, and it makes the move worth watching. Michael Caine and Susannah York try very hard as the other two sides of the triangle, but they can't keep up with Taylor -- or with the incredible early-'70s settings and costumes, which are a treat all in themselves.