ROD TAYLOR

     Rod Taylor was a ruggedly handsome Aussie who made some good movies in the 50's, 60's and 70's. He had been quietly retired for some time when Quentin Tarantino talked him into portraying Winston Churchill in the richly-imagined Inglorious Basterds (2009). Brad Pitt, Christopher Waltz and Diane Kruger star in Tarantino's bloody what-if fairy tale. Taylor manages the part of the legendary Winston with aplomb.
     Mr. Taylor's first appearance in an American film is in the interesting A Catered Affair (1956). Bette Davis is a social climbing housewife married to a cab driver (Ernest Borgnine). She wants a huge, expensive wedding for her daughter (Debbie Reynolds) and fiance (Rod Taylor). It's pretty obvious this isn't going to work- nobody but Mama wants such a big affair and it will just about bankrupt the family. It all turns out okay, but getting there is all the fun in this one.
     Separate Tables (1958) is one of my favorite little-known movies. A disparate group of people at a residential hotel in England daily enact little dramas among themselves. David Niven is heart-breakingly wonderful as a disgraced Army officer. Burt Lancaster, Rita Hayworth, Deborah Kerr and Wendy Hiller are some of the guests. Rod Taylor is also a guest. He agreed to the smallish part because he greatly admired this production. Niven and Hiller won Oscars for this very underrated and seldom seen film.
     Rod Taylor has the leading role in Alfred Hitchcock's terrifying The Birds (1963). This marked the first appearance of Hitchcock favorite Tippi Hedren, and also featured Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette and some very angry seagulls. When you see a bunch of birds swirling around, do you ever think "What if they attacked us"? This movie makes that awful premise come dreadfully true.
     Fate Is The Hunter (1964) is about an airliner crash that killed everyone but the pilot (yep, Rod Taylor) and one flight attendant. He is accused of drinking on the job and causing the crash. Investigations ensue. Outcome? My lips are sealed- you'll have to watch for yourself.
     The Time Machine (1960) is a sci-fi thriller based on H.G. Wells' far-sighted 1895 novel. Rod Taylor has the lead as George Wells, who builds a machine that can transport one forward or backward in time. At one point he selects the year 802,701 and lands in the middle of a civil war. Yvette Mimieux, Alan Young and Sebastian Cabot add to the story. There was a decent remake of this film in 2002.
     Rod Taylor may also be seen as a NASA engineer in The Glass Bottom Boat (1966), and as the manager of Hotel (1967).
     All of the movies in this column are available on DVD and for streaming. Factoring in lack of interest by littlies, all are for grown-ups.