“What a dump.”

The real-life, volcanic passion between screen legends Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton stoke the flames of director Mike Nichols’ debut feature Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, adapted from Edward Albee‘s play of the same name. An icon of American cinema, the film burns up the screen with brilliant dramatic performances and a script seething with scathing (if not sadistic) wit; its simple story of married couple George and Martha (Burton and Taylor) emotionally unraveling with their dinner guests (George Segal, Sandy Dennis) over a very alcohol-fueled conversation. Nominated for thirteen Oscars, the film won five, including Best Supporting Actress for Sandy Dennis and Best Actress for Taylor, who shines in a raw, frighteningly real performance that famously cast her legendary beauty to the side.