Editing Elizabeth Taylor (section)

===1952–1955: Continued success at MGM===
[[File:Elizabeth Taylor - 1952 portrait.jpg | thumb|left | upright | Portrait, 1952]]

Taylor next starred in the romantic comedy ''[[Love Is Better Than Ever]]'' (1952).<ref name=Walker />{{rp|124–125}} According to Alexander Walker, MGM cast her in the "B-picture" as a reprimand for divorcing Hilton in January 1951 after only eight months of marriage, which had caused a public scandal that reflected negatively on her.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|124–125}} After completing ''Love Is Better Than Ever'', Taylor was sent to Britain to take part in the historical epic ''[[Ivanhoe (1952 film)|Ivanhoe]]'' (1952), which was one of the most expensive projects in the studio's history.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|129–132}} She was not happy about the project, finding the story superficial and her role as Rebecca too small.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|129–132}} Regardless, ''Ivanhoe'' became one of MGM's biggest commercial successes, earning $11 million in worldwide rentals.{{sfn|Stubbs|2013|p=96}}
[[File:The Last Time I Saw Paris 1.jpg|thumb|[[Van Johnson]] and Taylor in the romantic drama ''[[The Last Time I Saw Paris]]'' (1954)]]

Taylor's last film made under her old contract with MGM was ''[[The Girl Who Had Everything]]'' (1953), a remake of the [[Pre-Code Hollywood|pre-code]] drama ''[[A Free Soul]]'' (1931).<ref name=Walker />{{rp|145}} Despite her grievances with the studio, Taylor signed a new seven-year contract with MGM in the summer of 1952.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|139–143}} Although she wanted more interesting roles, the decisive factor in continuing with the studio was her financial need; she had recently married British actor [[Michael Wilding]], and was pregnant with her first child.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|139–143}} In addition to granting her a weekly salary of $4,700 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|4700|1953}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars {{inflation/fn|US}}), MGM agreed to give the couple a loan for a house, and signed her husband for a three-year contract.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|141–143}} Due to her financial dependency, the studio now had even more control over her than previously.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|141–143}}
[[File:Elizabeth Taylor-1954.JPG|left|thumb|upright|Publicity photo, 1954]]

Taylor's first two films made under her new contract were released ten days apart in early 1954.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|153}} The first was ''[[Rhapsody (film)|Rhapsody]]'', a romantic film starring her as a woman caught in a love triangle with two musicians. The second was ''[[Elephant Walk]]'', a drama in which she played a British woman struggling to adapt to life on her husband's tea plantation in [[Ceylon]]. She had been loaned to [[Paramount Pictures]] for the film after its original star, [[Vivien Leigh]], fell ill.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|148–149}}

In the fall, Taylor starred in two more film releases. ''[[Beau Brummell (1954 film)|Beau Brummell]]'' was a [[Regency era]] period film, another project in which she was cast against her will.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|153–154}} Taylor disliked historical films in general, as their elaborate costumes and makeup required her to wake up earlier than usual to prepare. She later said that she gave one of the worst performances of her career in ''Beau Brummell''.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|153–154}} The second film was [[Richard Brooks]]' ''[[The Last Time I Saw Paris]]'', based on [[F. Scott Fitzgerald]]'s short story. Although she had wanted to be cast in ''[[The Barefoot Contessa]]'' (1954) instead, Taylor liked the film, and later stated that it "convinced me I wanted to be an actress instead of yawning my way through parts."<ref name=Walker />{{rp|153–157}}{{sfn|Daniel|2011|pp=80–81}} While ''The Last Time I Saw Paris'' was not as profitable as many other MGM films, it garnered positive reviews.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|153–157}}{{sfn|Daniel|2011|pp=80–81}} Taylor became pregnant again during the production, and had to agree to add another year to her contract to make up for the period spent on maternity leave.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|153–157}}