Absolutely stunning. He lived in a pampered bubbleuntil one day, it all came crashing down. Even the press seemed to unintentionally hit upon the one thing he wanted to keep hidden, with titles like Two Loves Has Monty and Monty Clift: Woman Hater or Free Soul?. 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. Although he may not have realized it, Clifts horrific accident sparked the beginning of the end, intensifying his preexisting ailments and sending him down a dark path from which he could never return. Taylor opened his mouth, put her hand down his throat, and pulled out the teeth. 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. Nothing could have prepared him for what he discovered. Months of surgeries, rebuilding, and physical therapy followed. Peace. Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor during the filming of A Place in the Sun. All Rights Reserved. But 1961 audiences were too close to the day-to-day deterioration of its stars to see the meditative genius of The Misfits. Still, his second venture was perhaps even more of an impressive feat. Clifts recuperation took months, and when he finally returned to set, there was more trouble afoot. Because of the accident, the studio worried about the success of Raintree County. Montgomery Clift Born: 1920-10-17, Omaha, Nebraska, USA Education: NA Ethnicity: Caucasian Death Date:-0001-11-30 Addition Websites. 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. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, Hollywood, 1950. 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. Benign to most but, in hindsight, highly suggestive. The duo eventually got to know each other better, and according to Taylor, they liked each other. Help us build our profile of Montgomery Clift! Directors Robert Anderson Clift Hillary Demmon Writers Robert Anderson Clift Hillary Demmon Stars Sometimes it's hard to keep up with the latest celebrity news, but don't worry we have you covered. "Indiscretion of an American Wife" is currently available to stream on Fubo TV. Show more . In his words, I learned that most writers dont need interviews to write about me. Observers also point out that Clift had sexual relationships with women. He was the son of Ethel "Sunny" Anderson (Fogg; 1888-1988) and William Brooks Clift (1886-1964). 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. In truth, his face wasnt truly disfigured. But when his nephew dives into the family archives, a much more complicated picture emerges. The surgeries led to the use of strong painkillers. Hailed as one of Hollywood's first true Method actors, Edward Montgomery Clift was born October 17, 1920, in Omaha, Nebraska. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? After his accident, Clift had an arduous road to recovery. She once lovingly described how she was in awe of the star actor's perfect facial features. It wasnt until years after his tragic passing that Clifts darkest secret finally came out. There are a few versions that detail the aftermath of Clifts accident, but one has all the drama of a motion picture itself. There were questions about the woman in his life and why he was single. Montgomery Clift is American by birth. But while his siblings enrolled in prestigious schools, Montgomery Clift went hurtling in a completely different direction. Biographies of Clift posit that he drank because he couldnt be his true self, because homosexuality was the shame he had to shelter within. (He never won an Academy Award, although most movie aficionados feel he deserved at least one, for his unforgettable turn as the tortured Robert E. Lee Prewitt in From Here to Eternity.). The unhinged character he played in the film hit too close to home and psychologically drained him. A bulls horn scarred his nose and his attempt to tame a horse gave him intense rope burnnot to mention all the other scrapes he earned along the way. And yet, the mystery persists. Jack Larson, famous for playing Jimmy Olsen in the hit 1950s TV series Adventures of Superman, recalled how Clift gave him a full mouth kiss the first time they casually met. But even the troubled blonde bombshell recognized that her co-star was in dire straits. Free Postage. She developed an intense decade-plus obsession over the young actor, even financing an experimental play, "Mexican Mural" for him. (1950), (originally written specifically for him; the story perhaps hitting a little too close to home) and High Noon (1952).His long apprenticeship on stage made him a thoroughly accomplished actor, notable for the intensity with which he researched and approached his roles. Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), Columbia Pictures, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Larger Than Life Facts About Milton Berle, The King Of TV, Vulgar Facts About Lenny Bruce, Stand-Up Comedys Virtuous Villain, Daring Facts About Gina Lollobrigida, Golden Hollywoods Last Survivor, Stunning Facts About Yvonne De Carlo, The Technicolor Queen. However, his worry began to mount when the actor didnt respond to his insistent knocking. . A Place In The Sun (1951) & From Here To Eternity (1953). Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. However, Clift's sexuality was not much of a secret within the movie industry. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun. . His own mother, in a voice recording played in Making Montgomery Clift, said, "Monty was a . 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. 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. 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! Sensitive. The next morning, James returned to Clifts room to rouse him but found the door locked. He worked on a summer production where his talents blossomed and it opened an auspicious doorone that would seal his fate forever. 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. The Clift picture didn't pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. For example, in 1956 Taylor likely saved Clifts life when, after he crashed his car leaving a party at her home, she raced to the wreck and literally pulled from his mouth broken teeth on which he had begun to choke. Their. Contemporaries like James Dean and Marlon Brando also did. Lorenzo came into the picture when Monty was at his lowest. Many Hollywood stars have committed versions of the long suicide. You see, Clift wasnt just a pretty face, he also had a bunch of quirks that made him incredibly singular in comparison to other leading men. 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. Just look at the fan magazine titles: Making Love the Clift Way, Two Loves Has Monty, Montgomery Clifts Tragic Love Story, Is It True What They Say About Monty? Who Is Monty Kidding? Hes Travelin Light, The Lurid Love Life of Montgomery Clift, and, perhaps most flagrantly, Monty Clift: Woman Hater or Free Soul?. And even more shocking? But if you look at his own words, his testimonies about what acting did to him, youll see the culprit. He spent a great deal of time and money on psychiatry.In 1956, during filming of Raintree County (1957), he ran his Chevrolet into a tree after leaving a party at Elizabeth Taylor's; it was she who saved him from choking by pulling out two teeth lodged in his throat. Show details This made him an A-list actor and a multi-award-winning star. 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 pieces of the puzzle dont quite fit. While he never excelled at school, his extraordinary abilities as an actor. He had a close friendship with a woman named Myra Letts, whom the gossip columnists tried arduously to frame as a love interest. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. 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. 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. He called it as he saw it, describing himself as an ordinary, second-class wolf.. The entire scene was extremely unsettling as Clift still wore his eyeglasses, and had his hands rigidly clenched. [6] His mother was Ethel Fogg "Sunny" Clift ( ne Anderson; 1888-1988). Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. The documentary was released at the Los Angeles Film Festival and . He believed that the media often, and easily, twisted the truth until it disappeared entirely: I learned that most writers dont need interviews to write about me. In a new documentary, myths and assumptions about the Oscar-nominated heartthrob who struggled with his sexuality are replaced with the little-known truth. One infamous fact about Montgomery Clift is that he only owned one suit. However, he became more comfortable with her and eventually found it easy to open up about his sexuality. And the cherry on top? He was one of Hollywoods most desirable leading men, but mystery shrouded his entire private life. Some of the greatest celebrities of the day came out to mourn Clift at his funeral, including Lauren Bacall and Frank Sinatra. During the peak period of his career, the actor and some Hollywood friends were returning from a party held at Taylor's home. A portrait of Elizabeth Taylor And Montgomery Clift from the film "A Place In The Sun", 1951 | Photo: Getty Images. It has a good rating on IMDb: 6.2 stars out of 10. Montgomery Clift as the confused, likable, rather stupid social climber; Shelley Winters as the dowdy working girl; Elizabeth Taylor as the dazzling rich girl. Some sources have the crash occurring when Clift was leaving the event, while others state he was on his way there. 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. Her interests include the European Renaissance, popular culture, and Internet history. A way into the 70s, there was more clarification to his sexuality. Sal Mineo and Montgomery Clift had a relationship Montgomery Clift is rumored to have hooked up with Paul Newman Henry Willson and Montgomery Clift had a relationship Jack Larson and Montgomery Clift had a relationship William LeMassena and Montgomery Clift had a relationship Montgomery Clift and Libby Holman had a relationship Maurice Leonard and Montgomery Clift had a relationship Arnold Saint Subber and Montgomery Clift had a relationship Montgomery Clift had an encounter with Marlon Brando shared a link: https://www.allmovie.com/artist/montgomery-clift-p13682, I never used to like him until I saw 'The Heiress' he really was gorgeous, it's such a shame his life was unhappy. This year the young man . True or not, the resilience of the story is a testimony to what people wanted to believe about the bond between the two stars. Montgomery Clift had an encounter with Marlon Brando. While filming his next picture, Lonelyhearts (1958), Clift lashed out, proclaiming, I am notrepeat nota member of the Beat Generation. He was, in his words, nothing more than an ordinary, second-class wolf., These anecdotes, and dozens like them, would establish Clift, along with Brando, as the embodiment of 50s youth culture, rebelling against conformity and all that postwar Americans were supposed to embrace. You see, the entire healing process put Clift through the paces. I do not count myself as a member of the ripped-sweatshirt fraternity. He wasnt a young rebel, an old rebel, a tired rebel, or a rebellious rebelall he cared about was re-creating a slice of life on the screen. is the hero of a long, oppressively powerful movie called A Place in the Sun. Directed by George Stevens for Paramount, it gives three young actors [Shelley Winters brilliantly played the poor girl] the chance to give the most natural performances of their careers. Clift detested Waynes antiquated male constraints. ': 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. He insisted on maintaining his residence in New York, spending as little time in Hollywood as possible. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, Hollywood, 1950. It was reported that Taylor even tried to help him find a partner. In this exclusive excerpt from her forthcoming book, Anne Helen Petersen recounts the actors lonely life, ferocious talent, and tragic decline. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Here was someone who was vulnerable and sensitive - and who actually listened to women.. Taylor had married British actor Michael Wilding in 1952, but by 1956, their marriage was in decline. Instead, Clift enjoyed reading, filling his spare moments with Chekov and Aristotlediving into history, or learning about economics. . Of course, Clifts words had always been futile in the face of Hollywood. . Universal Studios actuallysued him for the losses they incurred because of his troublesome behavior. In remembering Clift, McCarthy said, his face was torn awaya bloody pulp. In fact, the attitudes he and his family held towards his relationships with men were strikingly modern. But even though his marred looks never made it to the headlines, for Clift, the horror was far from over. Curtis's relationship to the term nepo baby has evolved over the last few months. Not only did he rarely go out in public, but he also didnt date. The 'Red River star was then tagged a gay icon. Taylor and Clift: Photos From the Set of A Place in the Sun. His image was, more than anything else, confusingunmalleable to Hollywoods preexisting star categories. 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. Montgomery Blair (May 10, 1813 - July 27, 1883) was an American politician and lawyer from Maryland. . "Bobby was a very fine actor, but as you can imagine, he was no Montgomery Clift," she said. A seeming exception was one in his final years with a man named Lorenzo who had been hired to help him. The director, Joseph Mankiewicz, was appalled by this wavering professionalismbut when he tried to fire Clift, two angels intervened. Montgomery Clift, Nando Bruno. And even then, he didnt live a glamorous movie star existence. By the early 1950s he was exclusively homosexual, though he continued to hide his homosexuality and maintained a number of close friendships with theater women (heavily promoted by studio publicists).His film debut was Red River (1948) with John Wayne quickly followed by his early personal success The Search (1948) (Oscar nominations for this, A Place in the Sun (1951), From Here to Eternity (1953) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)). He also helped bring a more natural acting style to film. Lancaster's . But the facial reconstruction, heavy painkiller use, and rampant alcohol abuse made it look like hed aged a decade. Horrified, James immediately called for help, but of course, it was already too late.