Close up: The other Queen Elizabeth

The big story Our economic predicament may have caused George Osborne to think he was guaranteed the lead role, but the bum-nosed harbinger of hardship was never going to compete with Elizabeth Taylor. News of the death of the " last great female star of the Hollywood studio system ", style icon and one half of " the Marriage of the Century " (and quite a few others, it had to be said ) emerged just as the chancellor was vainly trying to get the nation to focus on his budget. " An actress of such sexiness it was an incitement to riot ", the child star turned double Oscar-winning screen goddess Taylor bestrode the history of film from There's One Born Every Minute in 1942 to The Flintstones in 1994, to varying degrees of acclaim . She died of heart failure after a series of illnesses and over 79 years of glamour-gorged, scandal-streaked life . In other news • Dune remake looks doomed • The Magician's Nephew will be fourth Narnia film • Tribeca film festival set to go live online • James Franco ridicules Oscars writer over hosting criticism • Robert Pattinson eyes lead in Akira remake • Makers of Tupac Shakur biopic launch online auditions for central role • Cannes-watchers need to talk about Woody, Carla and Kevin • Joseph Gordon-Levitt reportedly set for role in The Dark Knight Rises • Oliver Stone eyes tale of California dope dealers • Malaysia's first film with gay lead characters breaks taboo • Jodie Foster reiterates her support for Mel Gibson • David O Russell linked with Russ Meyer biopic On the blog • Pirates of the Caribbean 4: boldly going where it has been before • A short history of French cinema • Elizabeth Taylor: the icon's icon • Elizabeth Taylor: how Guardian critics rated her films • Elizabeth Taylor: a career in clips • Forget Tribeca online: here's the virtual Flatpack festival • UK box office: Chalet Girl fails to scale the heights • Farewell to Peter Lennon, whose only film was worth a dozen by a lesser man • Limitless tops a mixed US box office • Submarine plumbs the depths of self-satisfaction • Reboots are all the rage - so which films would you like to see updated? • What if Star Wars had never existed? Multimedia • You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger: 'Woody Allen on half-speed, yet again' - video review • SXSW 2011: Morris dancing in the streets of Austin - video • Elizabeth Taylor: 'She was a full-throttle star' - video • Elizabeth Taylor: queen of style - in pictures • Elizabeth Taylor: A life in pictures • SXSW 2011: the best pictures from day eight Other site highlights • Reel history: The Bounty • Cyrille Falisse on film in France • Clip joint: Facial stroking • 'I know it's brilliant': Ben Wheatley and Michael Smiley on SXSW hit Kill List • When Hollywood stars were portrayed as gods • SXSW film: The pros and cons of geek domination Coming up online tomorrow • We have an exclusive clip from the new Vincent Gallo film, Essential Killing; video of cave fan Werner Herzog meeting Cambridge scientists; Danny Leigh will be offering The View and Andrew Pulver will be running the rule over The Eagle for Reel Review Coming up in the paper • In tomorrow's Film & Music, Matthew Sweet writes about Dirk Bogarde's troubled life in the movies, Agnès Poirier about the new wave of female French directors and David Thomson about Jerzy Skolimowski • Saturday's Guide has an interview with Ed Norton and a John Patterson piece considering how Philip K Dick is shaping our "future" • The Observer has an interview with Source Code star Vera Farmiga. Philip French writes about Elizabeth Taylor Still want more? Follow @guardianfilm on Twitter