I just remembering watching this movie in 1984,in that time gave 6/10 now in first time on DVD it refresh my mind on this fine picture,if was directed by the great Vincente Minnelli is worth to see itself,Taylor and Burton make a convincing performance in their roles,she as unmarried free woman with a son and he as Dr.Reverend who is school director,they get attracted each other ended up a dead end,he realize that your work is just a keeper of treasure's God when he raised funds to Church in fraudulent way making bad fiscal agreements to take the money,the conflicts existential driven him to start again in a new place alone...strong matters nowadays...Resume: First watch: 1984 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.5

O my goodness ! ! the scenery is AWESOME, BEAUTIFUL, i think i was holding my breath at times... also the passion between Elizabeth and Richard !!! was that acting or (wow) ! some of the lines Elizabeth said really can make one think about true love.,i wonder if they were married at the time when this was filmed., every time Richard looked at her , he looked like he was going to pass out with love., and the director (WOW) directors like Vincent is the reason IM IN LOVE with movies . BUT NOW here is the question ??? does anybody know whose house they used on that cliff in Big Surf to film that ???? did the house belong to MGM or was it a private owner ?

Laura (Elizabeth Taylor) is a free-spirited painter with a troubled son who gets sent to a religious school run by a strict cleric (Richard Burton). Laura dislikes authority figures and flaunts her "wicked ways," much to the consternation-and delight-of the good Reverend. Their affair is a foregone conclusion, played out against the crashing surf of Big Sur.The highlight of the movie is the dramatic location of Big Sur, which, in 1965, was considered the place to be for artists and beatniks. The lax morals of Laura and her friends (including Charles Bronson) were pretty shocking back then, and fans rushed to the theatre to see Liz and Dick heat up the screen. Unfortunately, the script is so dopey that the actors aren't believable and their emotions fall flat despite Liz's shrieking and silly British accent.The little subplot of healing an injured bird is sweet but becomes laughable when it nests in Taylor's hair during a torrid love scene.Bottom line: Beautiful music and scenery; corny dialogue and ham acting.

So let me go ahead and diverge from the main body of critics who pooh-poohed this mid-60's film entry!! To me, it's a thoroughly poignant and enjoyable romp through the Monterey CA life style during that time. Opening with Johnny Mandel's haunting "The Shadow of Your Smile" and the video setting of the Big Sur coastline, you are immediately transported to another place in time and space. All the usual moral and religious challenges/ambiguities that were taking place during those pivotal years get duly scrutinized and developed here. Liz & Richard do a masterful job in their respective roles as the free-spirited artist lady and the pompous, semi-self righteous minister/dean of a prestigious religious school. After their initial ideological combativeness, they begin to absorb and understand each others' seemingly contradictory viewpoints and proceed to fall in love, in a most tender & heartfelt manner. Not so good, however, for the minister, who is already married with 2 boys. The moral dilemma that ensues provides more than ample fodder for our scrutiny.Aside from the two aforementioned lead characters, the supporting cast including Eva Marie Saint, Robert Webber, James Edwards and Charles Bronson more than amply fulfill their thespian duties. Great directing by Vincent Minnelli and screen writing by an excellent team help in no small manner to propel the thrust of this film. My last and my most heartfelt kudos, however, are saved for the masterful work by Johnny Mandel on the sound track, in general, and on the awesomely bitter-sweet and gorgeous aforementioned theme song, specifically. Without that sophisticated and absorbing musical ambiance, the movie's impact would have been severely diminished!!