Elizabeth Taylor Film Retrospective Kicks Off at Palm Springs Cultural Center’s Camelot Theatre

A celebration of one of Hollywood’s most iconic stars is coming to Palm Springs. Film historian Matthew Kennedy is curating a 15-month retrospective dedicated to the legendary Elizabeth Taylor at the Camelot Theatre inside the Palm Springs Cultural Center.

The series will feature 15 films spanning Taylor’s remarkable career, beginning Saturday with National Velvet, the 1944 classic that launched her into stardom at just 12 years old. The retrospective will run through June 2027, giving audiences a rare chance to experience her work on the big screen.

Kennedy, who has written extensively about Taylor’s career, will introduce each screening, offering insight into her performances and the evolution of her career. He says the series aims to remind audiences not only of Taylor’s larger-than-life celebrity, but also of her extraordinary talent as an actress.

The lineup includes some of her most celebrated roles, such as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Suddenly Last Summer. The series will also feature the epic Cleopatra, shown in its full four-hour glory, as well as lesser-known films like Reflections in a Golden Eye, which has gained renewed appreciation in recent years.

Kennedy says Taylor’s natural presence on screen was evident from a young age, describing her performance in National Velvet as proof she was destined for stardom.

The retrospective offers both longtime fans and new audiences a deeper look at a Hollywood legend whose impact continues to resonate decades later.

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