From the start, Clift was framed as a rebel and an individual. Nearly all his good looks are gone, Isherwood wrote. My mom never told me how her best friend died. Have I said something wrong? Login "Indiscretion of an American Wife" is currently available to stream on Fubo TV. Many of the myths surrounding Clift sprang from two biographies: a salacious one by Robert Laguardia and another flawed work by Patricia Bosworth, titled A Life. Clift appeared in The Misfits, a revisionist western best known as the final film of Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable. The unspoken truth was that Clift was gay. Montgomery Clift and Marlon Brando were in a . From here on out, however, he plunged even further into his addiction. When he wasnt reading or preparing for his next role, he took pleasure in visiting the local night court. He is most remembered for A Place In The Sun (1951) & From Here To Eternity (1953).. His zodiac sign is Libra. To help build their case, the film-makers had rare access to the actors archives, as well as to the familys story, courtesy of a special connection: the doc was co-directed by the stars nephew, Robert Clift, and his wife, Hillary Demmon. 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. Years before, Clift had battled dysentery, which introduced him to the sinister side effects of pain management. And even then, he didnt live a glamorous movie star existence. At the age of 25, Clift made the leap to Hollywoodbut he was a rebel right from the get-go. In fact, Hepburn was so offended by Mankiewicz that she did something outrageous. What a pity hes a Whether he liked it or not, they were out for a storyAnd the one they wanted above all? A seeming exception was one in his final years with a man named Lorenzo who had been hired to help him. His body was found by his live-in personal secretary/companion Lorenzo James, who found Clift lying nude on top of his bed, dead from what the autopsy called "occlusive coronary artery disease." The next year, Taylor used her status to wrangle an acting part for Clift; she demanded that he be a part ofSuddenly, Last Summer. Instead, Clift enjoyed reading, filling his spare moments with Chekov and Aristotlediving into history, or learning about economics. Tellingly, theyre always pitched under working titles like Beautiful Loser and' Tragic Beauty. Montgomery Clift had an encounter with Marlon Brando. They seem to have their stories all written out beforehand., Clifts private life was boringhe didnt date, he didnt flirt, he didnt hang out in public. . Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, Hollywood, 1950. Carlo Fiore and Marlon Brando were in . Once on stage, Clift truly came into his own. Elizabeth Taylor at Paramount Studios, 1950. He surely wasnt a suave Prince Charming, and yet, on-screen, he was a downright masterpiece. Director Joseph Mankiewicz tried to replace Clift, but Taylor and co-star Katharine Hepburn defended and supported him. Luckily, over time, they clawed their way back to financial security. Indeed, it was his apparent lack of romantic attachments that confounded the gossip press the most. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska on 1920-10-17. Before long, photographers began to descend on the gory scene. He pleaded with her to make changes to her book to correct the mischaracterizations. While filming his next picture, Lonelyhearts (1958), Clift lashed out, proclaiming, I am notrepeat nota member of the Beat Generation. I wanted to figure out why there was such a difference., A deep trove of never-before-revealed evidence makes that disparity bracingly clear. In order to get him the part, she had to offer up some kind of insurance, and this time, she put her own salary on the line. When he read the story that criticized his bare-bones wardrobe, the scandalized actor lashed out with a biting response. Until it sinks into a sentimental quagmire the end, the second movie excels first in being remarkably faithful to Dreisers tale of three pitiful youngsters and in telling the story with the same earnestness and breadth that have made the novel survive as a classic. Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor in A Place in the Sun. Their claims were deemed reliable because one of the biographers was certified by one of Clift's confidants. However, even with all the negative hubbub surrounding this shoot, it was nothing compared to the darkness of one of Clifts next projects. 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. Fed up with the script, Clift desperately wanted to change her lines, saying, She isnt giving me enough to respond [to]. Of course, poor de Havilland soon had more than just her prickly love interest to contend with. He was lonely, yet with the help of his refusal to live in Los Angeles or participate in caf society, he was able to keep his private life private. In the bathroom, James found Clift in his bathtub, undressed and obviously deceased. While filmingThe Search,he asked the director to reshoot a scene for one baffling reason: He called a boy dear. But that wasnt all. Montgomery's ancestry was English, as well as more distant Scottish, Dutch, German and French. Universal Studios actuallysued him for the losses they incurred because of his troublesome behavior. Clifts teacher, Robert Lewis, called his gradual decline the longest suicide in Hollywood history. Although he had problems before filmingRaintree County, Clifts drinking was more pronounced than ever. Can he still feel?). He was one of Hollywoods most desirable leading men, but mystery shrouded his entire private life. or 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. At Factinate, were dedicated to getting things right. After Eternity he dropped out of Hollywood for several years, and signed a three-year contract with MGM in 1955 to make Raintree County, which re-united him with his Place in the Sun co-star Elizabeth Taylor. He lived in a pampered bubbleuntil one day, it all came crashing down. He called it as he saw it, describing himself as an ordinary, second-class wolf.. Clift wasn't one to hide a feeling, which made him a great actor and also a terrible straight man. Another confidant said his personal life didnt bother him. 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. 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. Montgomery Clift was in relationships with Sal Mineo, Paul Newman, Henry Willson, Jack Larson, William LeMassena, Libby Holman, Maurice Leonard and Arnold Saint Subber. Montgomery Clift was in 8 on-screen matchups, including Anne Baxter in I Confess (1953), Elizabeth Taylor in A Place in the Sun (1951), Dolores Hart in Lonelyhearts (1958), Donna Reed in From Here to Eternity (1953) and Jennifer Jones in Indiscretion of an American Wife (1953). According to two A-list biographers, the late star was gay. Clift was able to appear in more Hollywood movies after he recuperated from the accident, but he was deeply affected by the decline in his career. He didnt want the studios to dictate the kinds of roles he would play, his nephew said. The entire experience had a cursed tinge to it, and before long, it left disaster in its wake. But the facial reconstruction, heavy painkiller use, and rampant alcohol abuse made it look like hed aged a decade. He wasnt the only one who challenged such norms at the time. Clift was unperturbed by his apparent lack of a love life: he told the press that he would get married when he met a girl he wanted to marry; in the meantime, he was playing the field. When another columnist asked him if he had any hobbies, he replied, Yes, women. But as the years passed, it became more and more clear that Clift wasnt just picky. Montgomery Blair (May 10, 1813 - July 27, 1883) was an American politician and lawyer from Maryland. After filming wrapped, she tracked him down and spat directly in his face. It wasnt until years after his tragic passing that Clifts darkest secret finally came out. His interests lay elsewhere. And then there was the physical toll. Here was someone who was vulnerable and sensitive - and who actually listened to women.. (The director himself never met his famous uncle, having been born eight years after his death). Curtis's relationship to the term nepo baby has evolved over the last few months. During her appearance at the GLAAD Media Awards, Taylor openly spoke about her late friends sexuality while she addressed the rights of gay people. Clifts recuperation took months, and when he finally returned to set, there was more trouble afoot. Whatever the case may be, Montgomery Clifts life was unbelievably impressive and distressing. Clift's childhood was unconventional. Welcome to Who Is Montgomery Clift?, a page dedicated to showcasing actors & movie makers of the Golden Age of Hollywood. All his life, it was misery," said McCarthy. Biographies of Clift posit that he drank because he couldnt be his true self, because homosexuality was the shame he had to shelter within. .. According to Clifts doctors, it was amazing that he was even alive. He gained excellent theatrical notices and soon piqued the interests of numerous lovelorn actresses; their advances met with awkward conflict. I mean, he is a Montgomery Clift (1920-1966) is one of the most tragic figures in Hollywood history. 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. Hollywood began to see him as hostile and messy and frugal, and Clift wasnt having it. However, the filming of The Misfits had a shadow lurking over it. Moreover? I thought he was dead. He immediately returned to Taylors house to notify the party of the bloody disaster. It hardly helped lend nuance to that reading that Clift was a well-known and long-time abuser of pain killers and alcohol, actions which likely sped his death from a heart attack at 45 in 1966. [6] His mother was Ethel Fogg "Sunny" Clift ( ne Anderson; 1888-1988). Indiscretion Of An American Wife -- (Movie Clip) Open, Rome High-wattage credits in unusual combination, from David O. Selznick's short feature Indiscretion Of An American Wife, 1954, starring Jennifer Jones and Montgomery Clift, directed by Vittorio De Sica, dialogue by Truman Capote. It turned into John Cassavetes' "Too Late Blues," with Bobby Darrin. Determined to make it better, he made some key changesand they made allthe difference. Sealed, new. A four-time Oscar nominee who died at 45, Montgomery Clift was a bright young talent, a tabloid fixture, and a posthumous gay icon. Its impossible for us to know what happenedor if the two even had a relationship that went beyond the platonicbut it was returning from a party at Taylors house, mid-filming for Raintree County, that he smashed his car into a telephone pole. 3.80. Free Postage. The film went on to win six Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Screenplay, and is now hailed as a (flawed) classic. Montgomery Clift's full name is Edward Montgomery Clift and his nickname is Montgomery Clift. Benign to most but, in hindsight, highly suggestive. Elizabeth Taylor stuck by her friends, and Montgomery Clift undoubtedly claimed a special spot in her heart. But the drama didn't end there. But, in general, his relationships with men had more to do with sex than with a deep emotional connection. 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. He got him going again. In his first film, Red River, Clift had the chance to play opposite the western superstar John Wayne. A documented conversation between two stars, Tallulah Bankhead and Dorothy Parker, during a dinner party also showed that there was knowledge among stars that Clift was gay. Whether platonic or not, these two actors shared an undeniable bond that was undeniably strengthened by this one unfortunate event. The Big Lift (1950) Approved | 120 min | Drama, War 6.4 Rate She noted that they needed to live a life of equality while being able to get married and adopt kids. While his brother claimed that Clift was bisexual, writer Truman Capotes unpublished work alludes to Clifts gayness quite explicitly. Allegedly, the director brought Clift on board, thinking hed be a soothing effect for Monroe. 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. Dazzling Facts About Elizabeth Taylor, The Queen Of Hollywood, Stabbed In The Back: These Real-Life Betrayals Are Straight Up Brutal, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Plot Twist: These Surprise Endings Made Our Jaws Hit The Floor, These Ultra-Spoiled Brats Made Our Eyes Roll Into Our Heads. But the troubled star. There are a few versions that detail the aftermath of Clifts accident, but one has all the drama of a motion picture itself. In fact, his doctors considered it amazing that the actor had even pulled through. Montgomery Clift Born: 1920-10-17, Omaha, Nebraska, USA Education: NA Ethnicity: Caucasian Death Date:-0001-11-30 Addition Websites. 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? However, his worry began to mount when the actor didnt respond to his insistent knocking. Clift's brother would later come out to say that the actor was bisexual. Hes never sucked my cock.. "Monty," as his family called him, was the son of William Clift, a. 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. 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. But just as Clift dove into this exciting new chapter, an unforeseen tragedy changedeverything. While they may not make old-timers forget the Greta Garbo-John Gilbert embraces of the 20s, Miss Taylor and Mr. Clift lose no chance to show why they are considered two of the hottest juveniles in Hollywood. He was the son of Ethel "Sunny" Anderson (Fogg; 1888-1988) and William Brooks Clift (1886-1964). When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. 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. 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. Thats not what people would expect from a mother in that period.. He summoned a doctor, but it was already too late. But when his nephew dives into the family archives, a much more complicated picture emerges. Director: William Wyler | Stars: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson, Miriam Hopkins Votes: 16,212 4. Liz Ronk edited this gallery for LIFE.com. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Search _ 1948 DVD Montgomery Clift Aline MacMahon Wendell Corey V Rare at the best online prices at eBay!
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