"Elephant Walk" has pretty scenery, nice Technicolor photography, opulent sets, a luscious Liz, but a tedious (non-) story and an uninspring romance. The entire film is almost fast-forward-worthy until the last 6 minutes, a spectacular elephant stampede where nature justifiably punishes human vanity and stupidity. ** out of 4.

This tepid melodrama concerns John Wiley, a rich tea planter (Peter Finch) who brings his new wife Ruth (Elizabeth Taylor) home to "Elephant Walk," his plantation in Ceylon. The palatial home was built (purposely) to block the wild elephants' path to water, and they have never forgiven the owners. Ruth finds the adjustment difficult as her loving, debonair groom turns into a drunken, boorish lout who cares more about entertaining his fellow planters than being with her. Enter the sensitive overseer (Dana Andrews) who takes a liking to Ruth and there's trouble in paradise.This 1954 movie has exactly the same plot as "The Naked Jungle" which was also released that year, only with elephants instead of army ants. It was only partially filmed on location and those scenes are easy to spot as the colors are intensely bright and vivid with natural light. It's too bad they cut corners and filmed half of the movie indoors in front of stock footage. Going back and forth between real outdoors and fake outdoors is distracting, to say the least. Taylor is lovely to look at, but she and her co-stars overact to the point of being silly; she's too loud, dressing in ridiculous gowns for the jungle, and generally acts like a one-dimensional shrew. There is no romantic chemistry at all between her and Finch or Andrews; both men are wooden caricatures and unconvincing ones at that.The best part of the movie is the finale which has hundreds of elephants storming the mansion, taking back their "walk." Mercifully, this signals the end of a long and overwrought movie which gives the viewer more opportunities to laugh than swoon.

Maybe I am just too young to appreciate this movie but seriously --- forget the elephants. Here comes Elizabeth Taylor (yes, she is surface gorgeous) into a family --- in a country she knows ZERO about. Well, let's say she knows how many "000,000,000.00" there are. Does anyone think she would have married some tea-picker on holiday in Shillingworth-on-The-Thames? NOOOOOOO!!! In typical colonial-fashion she enters into a country and family filled with traditions and decides she knows better. Yep! The locations are great - the story about beating back the forces of nature was also theme of "The Naked Jungle" but at least in the picture Eleanor Parker didn't start off trying to tell Charleston Heston how to re-arrange life to suit her. She knew she was bought and paid for --- whereas La Liz --- insists on playing herself in every role.I gave it a 5 because the locations are great and just seeing a polo game played on bicycles inside someone's house was great.And another thing, what is wrong with having your will read "let my friends live the room-service life until the money runs out?" It was his money and he made it long before Liz showed up to spend it or save it. GEEZ.

Corny but fun film of the 50's. Except for her first scene in the bookstore, Liz Taylor looks gorgeous, especially outfitted as she is. Every curve and then some shows. A bit talky at first, but gains momentum as picture goes on. Lush scenery, although some process shots look...well like process. Peter Finch is good as the head of the tea plantation and is a bit ruthless at times. Good guy Dana Andrews shows up as a good romantic interest when needed. Whom will Liz end up with? The elephant stampede at the end is well worth the price of admission. By the way, the DVD transfer is great. Worth a look just to see the 50's style filming..No sex, violence, foul language. OK for the whole family.