X, Y & Zee | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

29% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 35% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings

A London architect's (Michael Caine) raging wife (Elizabeth Taylor) finally gets even with him for his affair with a widow (Susannah York).

Critics Reviews

View All (7) Critics Reviews
X, Y & Zee | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Penelope Houston Times (UK) Life in Edna O'Brien land has long been on the odd side, and in [X, Y & Zee] has arrived at a pretty pass, strongly suggestive of a boulevard comedy suffering from a rather severe rush of blood to the head. Jul 8, 2020 Full Review X, Y & Zee | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Variety Staff Variety Elizabeth Taylor and Susannah York both turn in performances that fully capture the excellently conceived characters of Edna O'Brien's original screenplay. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review X, Y & Zee | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Time Out One of those follies that everyone involved (especially writer Edna O'Brien) must look back on with cringing embarrassment. Feb 9, 2006 Full Review X, Y & Zee | Rotten Tomatoes (4) TV Guide Given free rein by the director, Taylor is clearly having fun with the part. The story alone isn't much, but, inflated by the Taylor hurricane, the movie works as an incredible portrait of a marriage on the rocks. Rated: 2.5/4 Dec 19, 2007 Full Review X, Y & Zee | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 2/5 Jul 21, 2005 Full Review X, Y & Zee | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Film4 Staff Film4 With lifeless direction and the acting talent all appearing to have off days, this frivolous nonsense makes for depressing viewing. May 24, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (9) audience reviews

Red T The acting is ok. Caine is probably the most decent and consistent thing in this but even he at times just isn't that interesting. Taylor is the main flaw that holds this back. It feels like she isn't even playing a character, and is just letting her ego run rampant and out of control in this in long tirades which I get is her character at the same time but she isn't likeable at all. Everyone else is just ok and none of the characters are that likeable. The cineamtography is ok enough also. The settings are nice enough but the camerawork is so basic and the characters don't have enough chemistry or tension ever that makes it worth it. It's clear Brian Hutton didn't know how to do dramas as well as action/war. the music is also just ok and so is the editing. The real flaw is the subpar pacing. This feels like every other scene it drags on longer than needed in long conversations that feel more like rambling than anything constructive. The music is very bizarre in this with weird rock music that I guess is ok enough but it is so weird. It doesn't get used a lot either and makes this have a very dry feeling most of the ime because the acting isn't strong enough on its own. The ending doesn't really make much sense, and the climax honestly should've been the first or second scene in the film. This really just meanders a long for the most part and doesn't feel like this should've been a major movie but a Lifetime/TV film plot instead. Unless your a super hardcore Caine fan skip this. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Love these actresses !! Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Audience Member One of those follies that everyone involved (especially writer Edna O'Brien) must look back on with cringing embarrassment. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Caine are an insufferable couple in this British mashup of "Carnal Knowledge" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?" Caine and Taylor are a couple in a broken marriage when attractive widow Susannah York enters the scene and brings underlying issues between the married couple to ahead. It's not an awful film and it does have a certain trashy appeal, but all of the characters are so unlikable that it's hard to really care what happens to any of them. Brian G. Hutton directed the film and looking at IMDB, apparently Richard O'Brien (Riff Raff from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show") had an uncredited role as a party guest. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Middling drama that doesn't really take advantage of its trio of stars. Liz is stuck in harridan mode again. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member good performances all around though the plot is the old love triangle Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews

X, Y & Zee

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Cast & Crew

Brian G. Hutton Director Elizabeth Taylor Zee Blakeley Michael Caine Robert Blakeley Susannah York Stella Margaret Leighton Gladys John Standing Gordon
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X, Y & Zee

X, Y & Zee (1972) X, Y & Zee (1972) X, Y & Zee (1972) X, Y & Zee (1972) X, Y & Zee (1972) X, Y & Zee (1972) View more photos

Synopsis A London architect's (Michael Caine) raging wife (Elizabeth Taylor) finally gets even with him for his affair with a widow (Susannah York).

Director
Brian G. Hutton

Producer
Jay Kanter, Alan Ladd Jr.

Screenwriter
Edna O'Brien

Distributor
Columbia Pictures

Production Co
Columbia Pictures Corporation

Rating
PG

Genre
Drama

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 21, 1972, Original

Release Date (DVD)
Apr 13, 2011

Runtime
1h 50m
X, Y & Zee | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)
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