Boom! 1968
"Together they devour life"
In Joseph Losey's atmospheric 1968 thriller *Boom!*, Elizabeth Taylor delivers a haunting performance as Flora "Sissy" Goforth, a reclusive millionaire ensconced in a lavish Mediterranean mansion as her health declines.
Director: Joseph Losey
Cast
Elizabeth Taylor
Flora 'Sissy' Goforth
Richard Burton
Chris Flanders
Noël Coward
The Witch of Capri
Joanna Shimkus
Miss Black
Michael Dunn
Rudi
Romolo Valli
Doctor Luilo
Fernando Piazza
Etti
Veronica Wells
Simonetta
Howard Taylor
Journalist
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Boom! (1968) about?
*Boom!* follows Flora "Sissy" Goforth, a dying heiress who surrounds herself with nurses and servants in her Mediterranean villa. When the enigmatic poet Chris Flanders arrives, charming his way into her life, Sissy must decide whether he's her salvation or the fulfillment of her darkest prophecy.
Who directed Boom!?
Boom! was directed by Joseph Losey, a filmmaker known for his stylish and often psychologically complex narratives.
Who stars in Boom!?
The film stars Elizabeth Taylor as Flora "Sissy" Goforth, Richard Burton as Chris Flanders, with Noël Coward, Joanna Shimkus, and Michael Dunn rounding out the cast.
Is Boom! (1968) worth watching?
While *Boom!* isn't Losey's most celebrated work, it's a fascinating curio for fans of 1960s gothic thrillers. Taylor and Burton's chemistry crackles, and the Mediterranean setting adds a lush, almost surreal backdrop to the drama. If you enjoy eccentric character studies with a touch of the macabre, it's worth a look.
How long is Boom!?
Boom! runs for 113 minutes.
🎥 Trailer
About Boom! (1968) — A decadent Mediterranean thriller of love, death, and Elizabeth Taylor's fiery performance
In Joseph Losey's atmospheric 1968 thriller *Boom!*, Elizabeth Taylor delivers a haunting performance as Flora "Sissy" Goforth, a reclusive millionaire ensconced in a lavish Mediterranean mansion as her health declines. The opulent setting becomes a gilded cage when enigmatic poet Chris Flanders (Richard Burton) arrives, charming his way into her inner circle. Sissy, warned of his reputation as a modern-day harbinger of death, embraces him anyway—sparking a psychological duel between life's final breaths and the seductive allure of the unknown.
Dripping with gothic tension and decadent visuals, *Boom!* weaves themes of mortality, desire, and the fragility of wealth into a story where every shadow could hide a knife. With Noël Coward as her cynical confidant, Taylor's fiery intensity clashes against the Mediterranean's sun-drenched lethargy, creating a cinematic experience that's as intoxicating as it is unsettling.
