Universal Studios actuallysued him for the losses they incurred because of his troublesome behavior. Montgomery Clift's nephew, co-directing 'Making Montgomery Clift,' an eye-opening documentary about the great movie actor, excavates a treasure trove of family archives. But 1961 audiences were too close to the day-to-day deterioration of its stars to see the meditative genius of The Misfits. When The Heiresscame out, Clifts loyal fanatics came with their claws out and wrote vicious letters to Olivia de Havilland for rejecting Clifts character in the film. Elizabeth Taylor stuck by her friends, and Montgomery Clift undoubtedly claimed a special spot in her heart. There was a nonchalance to Clifts attitude in regards to women. "Monty," as his family called him, was the son of William Clift, a. Lancaster's . If you have a story that tracks along that line, that will feel true to people. On the morning of July 23, 1966, Montgomery Clift's housemate couldn't wake the actor. The Young Lions (film) - Wikipedia While filmingRaintree County, Clift attended a dinner party at Taylors housebut sadly, he didnt make it home in one piece. It was reported that Taylor even tried to help him find a partner. Fellow actor Kevin McCarthy was driving ahead of Clift when the horror show went down. Clift couldnt get through longer scenes, having to split them up into two or three chunks. As he lay wounded in the arms of his dear friend, Clift began choking and pointing to his throat. For over 30 years, scripts have floated around Hollywood promising to tell the story of Montgomery Clift, one of the most innovative and handsome actors in history. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Beautiful man. . Montgomery Clift - Turner Classic Movies Montgomery Clift's Disastrous Car Wreck Changed His Career Forever Teach, I loved the way how he played in A Place in the Sun. The subject matter, which involved him assisting in the cover-up of a dead mans apparent homosexuality, must have sparked mixed emotions. Actor Montgomery Clift, 45, three times nominated for Academy Awards, died early Saturday of a heart attack in his plush East Side townhouse. ", However, it became more eminent that his single status bordered on his sexuality as time went on. Montgomery Edward "Monty" Clift (October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966) was an American movie, television, radio, and stage actor who is known for his roles in From Here to Eternity, A Place in the Sun, The Misfits, Red River, and in Judgement at Nuremberg.He was nominated four times for an Academy Award.His great-great-grandfather was politician Francis Preston Blair. Whisked away to the morgue, Clifts body underwent an autopsy that shed some light on his sudden demise. Hollywood repeatedly came courting, but he put off offers for nearly a decade, even turning down roles in classic films like East of Eden and the co-lead in Sunset Boulevard. Some sources have the crash occurring when Clift was leaving the event, while others state he was on his way there. His injuries included a broken nose and jaw, a fractured sinus, and deep cuts across his face that called for extensive plastic surgery. Montgomery Clift, in full Edward Montgomery Clift, (born October 17, 1920, Omaha, Neb., U.S.died July 23, 1966, New York, N.Y.), American motion-picture actor noted for the emotional depth and sense of vulnerability he brought to his roles. Of course, when it came to his appearance, this gorgeous star really didnt give a hoot. While his brother claimed that Clift was bisexual, writer Truman Capotes unpublished work alludes to Clifts gayness quite explicitly. But the producer, Sam Spiegel, decided to go forward, no matter the risk. Clift and Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor first became acquainted when they played counterparts on George Stevens's "A Place in the Sun." Montgomery Clift - IMDb Montgomery Clift spent a miserly 10 dollars a month on what his friends referred to as a beat up apartment. Fearful for her friends image, she threatened the press: If they even dared to take one photo of her friend, she would personally ensure the end of their careers. He wasnt the only one who challenged such norms at the time. ), Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowell, Dean Martin, Kevin McCarthy, Marilyn Monroe, Jennifer Jones, Libby Holman, Thornton Wilder, Salka Viertel, Stewart Granger, Jack Larson, Oscar Levant, Pilar Levi, Giuseppe Perrone, Fred Zinnemann, Frank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Abigail Tommye Adams. In a new documentary, myths and assumptions about the Oscar-nominated heartthrob who struggled with his sexuality are replaced with the little-known truth. Grasping at straws, the media decided to do what little they could to sensationalize the actors non-existent, One of Clifts closest friends was a woman named Myra Letts, and for the ruthless gossip columns, it wasnt a huge leap from friend to girlfriend. Clift didnt entertain this for a second and shot the sordid speculations down immediately, saying that there was zero intimacy between them: those romantic rumors are embarrassing to both of us.. Of course, Clift took one of his greatest secrets to his grave. You couldn't help but come. Taylor, at last free from her long-standing contract with MGM, next used her power as the biggest star in Hollywood to insist that Clift be cast in her new project, Suddenly, Last Summer (1959). In truth, his face wasnt truly disfigured. Clift was there, as were actors Kevin McCarthy and Rock Hudson, and Hudson's wife, Phyllis Gates, per Vanity Fair. The accident changed his appearance, and many biographers assumed Clift felt ruined by it and, so, drank more. When The Heiress came out, Clift's loyal fanatics came with their claws out and wrote vicious letters to Olivia de Havilland for rejecting Clift's character in the film. Okay, if were being totally honest, Montgomery Clifts reserved lifestyle didnt exactly excite the press; it actually kind of stumped them. We want our readers to trust us. While she sounds apologetic, the changes were never made. Other testimonies to Clifts gayness abound: early in his film career, he had purportedly been warned that being gay would ruin him; he was so conscious of being seen as feminine or fey in any way that when he ad-libbed a line in The Search, calling a boy dear, he insisted that director Fred Zinnemann reshoot the take. Or, as Bosley Crowther, taking the populist slant in The New York Times, explained, the characters were amusing, but they were also shallow and inconsequential, and that is the dang-busted trouble with this film.. Some believe that Clifts romantic leanings were much less of a secret than originally thought. Montgomery Clift Filmography - IMDb Indiscretion of an American Wife 1953, 1h 3min - Romance , Drama Jennifer Jones is the American housewife on vacation in Italy who must choose between returning home to her husband and family in Philadelphia or her romance with an Italian academic played by Montgomery Clift. She made it known that it all boiled down to love. Not only are you not allowed to be smart, but you were not allowed to be funny in the 90s, the actor said of her career. Merv Griffin's Sexual Relations with Rock Hudson, Marlon - Queerty American actor Montgomery Clift was spectacular on the big screen for his portrayal of sensitive male characters. Clift once said, The closer we come to the negative, to death, the more we blossom. He took himself to that precipice, but he fell straight in. Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor during the filming of A Place in the Sun. Of course, Clift didnt walk away unscathed either. All Rights Reserved. During her appearance at the GLAAD Media Awards, Taylor openly spoke about her late friends sexuality while she addressed the rights of gay people. / Cut the applause and dim the light. A four-time Academy Award nominee, The New York Times said he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men". Instead, he bided his time, and thankfully, luck was on his side. In remembering Clift, McCarthy said, his face was torn awaya bloody pulp. In his first film, Red River, Clift had the chance to play opposite the western superstar John Wayne. They were even called the most beautiful couple in Hollywood. As hard as the press tried, they couldnt seem to breathe life into this nonexistent romance. / Is he alive? Montgomery Blair. If Paramount wanted him, theyd have to give him what he wanteda power differential that would go on to structure the star-studio relationship for the next 40 years. Montgomery Clift: The Untold Story of Hollywood's Misunderstood Star 'Making Montgomery Clift' Review - The Hollywood Reporter Montgomery Clift: the untold story of Hollywood's misunderstood star What a pity hes a But the facial reconstruction, heavy painkiller use, and rampant alcohol abuse made it look like hed aged a decade. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? Follow her on Twitter @lizabethronk. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. However, even with all the negative hubbub surrounding this shoot, it was nothing compared to the darkness of one of Clifts next projects. But that wasnt all. Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark historyor the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. Guided by the key biographies of Clift, they reliably parrot a narrative which paints the actor as a startlingly attractive and prodigiously gifted man who, according to one notably overheated tabloid TV show became a drug-addicted alcoholic living in a self-imposed hell because he had a secret he couldnt live with. While working in New York in the early 1940s, he met wealthy former Broadway star Libby Holman. William Brooks Clift (Was A Vice-President Of Omaha National Trust Company. Taylor, caught up in filming with Richard Burton in Paris, sent flowers to the funeral. What happened next is somewhat fuzzy: one version has Hudson pulling Clift from the car and Taylor cradling him in her arms, at which point Clift started choking and motioning to his throat, where, it soon became clear, two of his teeth had lodged themselves after coming loose during the accident. He was, at least in the press, something approaching asexualthe title of a Motion Picture article, authored by Clift, declared simply, I Like It Lonely!. Randy Chrisley Is Todd Chrisley's Brother Who Was Diagnosed with Cancer in 2014, Johnny Depp's Weight Gain & Changes in Appearance over the Years, 'Whos the Boss? Guided by the key biographies of Clift, they reliably parrot a narrative which paints the actor as a startlingly attractive and prodigiously gifted man who, according to one notably overheated tabloid TV show became a drug-addicted alcoholic living in a self-imposed hell because he had a secret he couldnt live with. On the set of 1958sLonelyhearts,Clift had a message for those that tried to fit him into a box. Who Is Montgomery Clift? - Facebook The script wasnt necessarily that special, but it would give him a chance to re-unite with Elizabeth Taylor, and that, it seemed, was enough to pull him out of semi-retirement. But this was only the beginning. It has a good rating on IMDb: 6.2 stars out of 10. Were not trying to give a definitive version of who Monty was, added Clift. Thats not what people would expect from a mother in that period.. Apparently, one of Clifts tooths had pierced his tongue, causing him to choke. . But Clifts rebuttal was firm, emphasizing that they were neither in love nor engagedtheyd known each other for 10 years, she helped him with his work, and those romantic rumors are embarrassing to both of us. He was also close with stage actress Libby Holman, 16 years his senior, who had become a notorious feature in the gossip columns following the suspicious death of her wealthy husband, rumors of lesbianism, and her general practice of dating younger men. Throughout filming, members of the crew came up with code words to alert everyone about the lead actors level of intoxication. Following The Misfits, Clifts disintegration continued. ': What Happened to the Stars of the Iconic Series through the Years, Debbie Reynolds Called Elizabeth Taylor's Phone Yet Her Own Husband Eddie Fisher Picked Up, Rock Hudson & Jim Nabors Never Spoke Again after They Were Reportedly Seen Getting Married, Elizabeth Taylor Proposed to an Actor 20 Years Her Senior & Replaced Him with 25-Year Older Man. Making Montgomery Clift (2018) - IMDb Furtive Facts About Burt Lancaster, Hollywood's - Factinate Montgomery Clift may have been one of the most self-aware actors of his day, and he certainly knew the name of the game. said: Oh. . ), William Brooks Clift, Jr. (19191986) (Aged 66 Or 67) (Who Had An Illegitimate Son With Actress Kim Stanley And Was Later Married To Political Reporter Eleanor Clift. d-d-darling, I r-r-really wouldnt know. He surely wasnt a suave Prince Charming, and yet, on-screen, he was a downright masterpiece. When he first arrived in Hollywood, he didnt sign a contract, waiting until after the success of his first two films to negotiate a three-picture deal with Paramount that allowed him total discretion over projects. Marlon Brando: Portraits of a Charismatic Young Star, 1952, Marilyn, Arthur Miller and More: A Star Producers Spectacular Orbit. The surgeries led to the use of strong painkillers. Adopted at the age of one, his mother was told by a well-intentioned doctor years later that she was the offspring of Southern aristocrats, so she chose to raise her own children accordingly. Montgomery Clift had passed due to a heart attack, but many assumed that his addictions and various health problems contributed to his early death. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. Whether morally repulsive or philosophically compelling, The Misfits bombed, only to be recuperated, years later, as a masterpiece of the revisionist genre. Clifts lifestyle had the press slotting him in with non-conformists of the dayright alongside hotshots like Marlon Brandobut the actor didnt respond well to being labeled and defined. Clift cared nothing for appearances: the Los Angeles Times called him the Rumpled Movie Idol; he infamously owned only one suit. In its May 28, 1951, issue, meanwhile, LIFE magazine wrote of A Place in the Sun: It is easy for an ambitious young man to get himself involved simultaneously with a simple-hearted girl who lives in a cheap boarding house and an extravagant rich girl who gives gay parties. Elizabeth Taylor at Paramount Studios, 1950. She would wield considerable influence over the early part of his film career, advising him in decisions to decline lead roles in Sunset Blvd. But the documentary notes Clift made as many movies after the accident as before, and that those projects included some of his most acclaimed performances. After all, his leading lady was none other than the beguiling Elizabeth Taylor, and together, these two stars were pure fire. In fact, after the lovers have been separated for good and the young man is in the death house [Clifts character murders Winters after getting her pregnant], the face of the girl comes floating in via double exposure to give him a last unsubstantial peck before he goes out to be executed. He was the son of Ethel "Sunny" Anderson (Fogg; 1888-1988) and William Brooks Clift (1886-1964). Some of the greatest celebrities of the day came out to mourn Clift at his funeral, including Lauren Bacall and Frank Sinatra. Clift appeared in The Misfits, a revisionist western best known as the final film of Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift goofed around during a break in filming A Place in the Sun. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hitchcock's I CONFESS (DVD, 1953); M CLIFT, A BAXTER. Hes never sucked my cock.. Free shipping for many products! While he never excelled at school, his extraordinary abilities as an actor showed early. And then there was the physical toll. Lorenzo came into the picture when Monty was at his lowest. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. All his life, it was misery," said McCarthy. "Indiscretion of an American Wife" is currently available to stream on Fubo TV. Directors Robert Anderson Clift Hillary Demmon Writers Robert Anderson Clift Hillary Demmon Stars At the age of 25, Clift made the leap to Hollywoodbut he was a rebel right from the get-go. In 1929, the Wall Street Crash hit Clifts father like a ton of bricks, and his mothers dreams disappeared in an instant. He also detested the man. Montgomery Clift (1920-1966) is one of the most tragic figures in Hollywood history. A wild exclusive excerpt from the new book, Oscars 2023: Yes, Some Awards Movies Flopped, but Art Matters, How in the F--k Does Anyone Live Here?: Bret Easton Ellis on Life, Art, and What the Hell Happened to Manhattan, Todd Field on 2 Decades of Oscar Campaigns, From, I didnt realize the deadly minefield of a campaign season, the Oscar nominee says in a career-spanning interview. Indiscretion of an American Wife (1954) - Turner Classic Movies The pieces of the puzzle dont quite fit. The two met under the big tent where they performed together. Another confidant said his personal life didnt bother him. Even his diet was rather spartan: orange juice, steak, and eggs. Montgomery Clift, Nando Bruno. But right as filming began, he realized that hed made a terrible mistake. His perpetual question to himself, as he once scribbled in his journal, was, How to remain thin-skinned, vulnerable, and still alive? For Clift, the task proved impossible. You see, when Clift sat down to read through the script for The Search,he was less than enthused with the writing. Born in 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, Clift was raised like an aristocrat, with a private tutor and frequent trips to Europe. Travel back in time with treasured photos and stories, sent right to your inbox. Lessons from the Lives of Celebrities: Actor, Montgomery (Monty) Clift Hitchcock's I CONFESS (DVD, 1953); M CLIFT, A BAXTER. Sealed, new Taped interviews with his brother reveal that the actor felt those roles werent quite right for him and he didnt want to make the wrong first impression. Next came "The Nutty Professor" as Lewis' student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. During the filming of Raintree County, Clift and Taylor seemed to have rekindled their is-it-or-isnt-it relationship; according to one of Clifts biographers, Some days he would threaten to stop seeing Elizabeth Taylorthen, the thought would make him burst into tears. Other apocryphal legend has Taylor sending Clift piles of love letters, which he then read aloud to his male companion at the time. That Clift was gay made little difference in the intensity and duration of the two stars adoration of one another: here, after all, were two talented, passionate artists who met at a young age (she was in her teens; he was in his late twenties) and immediately discovered that they were, for lack of a better phrase, soul mates. Contact sheet from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpoles shoot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. For us, it seemed there was this big difference between what people thought about Monty in the public sphere and what people that knew him would say, said Clift. The director, John Huston, supposedly brought in Clift because he thought hed have a soothing effect on Monroe, who was deeply embroiled in her own addictions, with her own personal demons. Taylor and Clift: Photos From the Set of A Place in the Sun. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. Were always looking for your input! Indiscretion of An American Wife - amazon.com He got him going again. When interviewed, the "From Here to Eternity" actor would wave it off, noting that he would be with a woman when he finds the right person. A seeming exception was one in his final years with a man named Lorenzo who had been hired to help him. Absolutely stunning. The next morning, James returned to Clifts room to rouse him but found the door locked. at the best online prices at eBay! John Wayne and Montgomery Clift in Red River. To Clift, however, he considered his humble home terrific.. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. But even the troubled blonde bombshell recognized that her co-star was in dire straits. But after an initial flurry of coverage, he retreated from public view entirely. 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The 42 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time, The 25 Best Shows on Netflix to Watch Right Now, Titled Refueling at Albuquerque, New Mexico, in Clifts handwriting. Firstly, he didnt even like Hollywood, preferring to stay in New York as much as he could. At Factinate, were dedicated to getting things right. In The Young Lions (1958), released just two years after the accident, the pain and resentment seem almost visible. Whether he liked it or not, they were out for a storyAnd the one they wanted above all? Thanks for your help! Montgomery Clift as Noah Ackerman Dean Martin as Michael Whiteacre Hope Lange as Hope Plowman Barbara Rush as Margaret Freemantle May Britt as Gretchen Hardenberg Maximilian Schell as Captain Hardenberg Dora Doll as Simone Lee Van Cleef as First Sergeant Rickett Liliane Montevecchi as Franoise Parley Baer as Sergeant Brandt In 1966, Clifts stalwart friend, Elizabeth Taylor, came to his aid once again and managed to get him a part in Reflections in a Golden Eye. For Clift, The Heiress was a mess from top to bottom, and he even walked out on the films premiere, disgusted with his own performance. A year and a half away from her own tragic end, Marilyn Monroe described Clift as the only person I know who is in even worse shape than I am. Together, this cast truly reflected a band of withering misfits. As to why Bosworth drew on the gay-self-hate narrative, and why that view took hold, the directors blame the homophobia of the time the book was written, in the 1970s. Born in 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, Clift was raised like an aristocrat, with a private tutor and frequent trips to Europe. Montgomery Clift | 20 Gay Hollywood Legends | Purple Clover "I love men in bed, but I really love women," Montgomery Clift is quoted as saying in a 1978 biography. Who is Marlon Brando dating? Marlon Brando girlfriend, wife Determined to keep his gayness under wraps, Clift made sure that his masculine facade shone onscreen. While filmingThe Search,he asked the director to reshoot a scene for one baffling reason: He called a boy dear. But that wasnt all. He was one of Hollywoods most desirable leading men, but mystery shrouded his entire private life. Montgomery Clift | American actor | Britannica Born on October 17, 1920, Edward Montgomery Clift was born into a family with lofty ideals. His leading lady, Olivia de Havilland, disappointed him in every wayand his criticisms were downright brutal. Edward Montgomery Clift (nicknamed 'Monty' his entire life) was born on October 17, 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta (1920-2014) and eighteen months after his brother Brooks Clift. He summoned a doctor, but it was already too late. In the rife, overstuffed annals of Hollywood, few real-life love stories can match that of Liz Taylor and Montgomery Clift. With Clift on board, Suddenly, Last Summer morphed into a verifiable mess. And thus began what Robert Lewis, Clifts teacher at the Actors Studio, called the longest suicide in Hollywood history. Even before Raintree, the decline had been visible. Nothing could have prepared him for what he discovered. Show details Whatever the case may be, Montgomery Clifts life was unbelievably impressive and distressing. Elizabeth Taylor Tried to Seduce Montgomery Clift - Peoplemag MONTY YOU WERE THE BEST!!! Contact sheets from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpole's shoot on a Paramount lot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. I am not one of Americas Angry Young Men. A young naive woman falls for a handsome young man who her emotionally abusive father suspects is a fortune hunter. However, Clift's life was shrouded by a dark secret that became public after his passing, by actress Elizabeth Taylor. I thought he was dead. He immediately returned to Taylors house to notify the party of the bloody disaster. It was ironic his relationship with the bisexual middle-aged Holman would be the principal (and likely the last) heterosexual relationship of his life and only cause him further anguish over his sexuality. Clift's reputation in the 1960s was coloured by the brutal comment of Robert Lewis, Clift's teacher at the Actors Studio, who called his late . Montgomery Clift was in relationships with Sal Mineo, Paul Newman, Henry Willson, Jack Larson, William LeMassena, Libby Holman, Maurice Leonard and Arnold Saint Subber. made. Edward Montgomery Clift was born on October 17, 1920, in Omaha, Nebraska. Allegedly, hed been forewarned that the truth would destroy his career, and as a result, the actor became increasingly wary of appearing feminine in any way. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. Montgomery Clift made a name for himself in Hollywood with several awards and nominations. In fact, Hepburn was so offended by Mankiewicz that she did something outrageous. He served in the Lincoln administration cabinet as Postmaster-General from 1861 to 1864, during the Civil War. A four-time Oscar nominee who died at 45, Montgomery Clift was a bright young talent, a tabloid fixture, and a posthumous gay icon. There were no wild outings for this reserved homebody. He could barely remember his lines and often didnt show up to set. The true story of Montgomery Clift, as told by his youngest nephew Hollywood began to see him as hostile and messy and frugal, and Clift wasnt having it. Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor in A Place in the Sun. Above all, Clift was perpetually curious. By 1950, he was troubled with allergies and colitis (the U.S. Army had rejected him for military service in World War II for chronic diarrhea) and, along with pill problems, he was alcoholic. Quite fittingly, he once said, The closer we come to the negative, todeath, the more we blossom. Even after his passing, his forever friend, Elizabeth Taylor, never forgot him. Looking back, the film had a legacy of darkness surrounding it: Gable died of a heart attack less than a month after filming; Monroe was only able to attend the films premiere with a pass from her stay at a psychiatric ward.
