Contact sheets from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpole's shoot on a Paramount lot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. But this wasnt the actors first time at the rodeo. "Indiscretion of an American Wife" romance and drama movie produced in Italy and USA and released in 1953. With Clift on board, Suddenly, Last Summer morphed into a verifiable mess. He worked on a summer production where his talents blossomed and it opened an auspicious doorone that would seal his fate forever. A young naive woman falls for a handsome young man who her emotionally abusive father suspects is a fortune hunter. The actress had read many articles about Clift's acting prowess and thought she would not be the perfect match. According to two A-list biographers, the late star was gay. They went to London to see Laurence Olivier together, ate together, sat in front of the fire together, Clift said. / Montys face is broken on a wheel. In the face of such criticism, Clift went ahead and confused the gossip columns even more. Yet, according to a new documentary, titled Making Montgomery Clift, the stars substance abuse had nothing at all to do with his sexuality. Oh dear. 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. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Indiscrecin de una esposa (1953) - IMDb 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. Apparently, Burt Lancaster's From Here to Eternity co-star Montgomery Clift intimidated himso much so that in their first scene together you can see Lancaster shaking. Upon closer inspection, Clifts career reveals notable clues as to who he genuinely was and the private struggles he faced. So the fan magazines got creative: the August 1949 cover of Movieland, for example, featured a grinning, suited, respectable-looking Clift paired with the tantalizing headline Making Love the Clift Way. But when readers looked inside the magazine, all they found was a two-page spread of stills from The Heiress, featuring Clift in various stages of flirtation with Olivia de Havilland, extrapolating that Clifts kissing style was soft yet possessively brutal; pleading, but demanding all. In one tape made by his father in the 1960s, we hear the stars mother tell him, with untroubled candor, that Monty was a homosexual early. 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. But for Clift, there was just no escape, and it was only going to get worse. Realizing that Clift was in mortal danger, McCarthy raced to the scene of the accident. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. Courtesy Everett Collection Elizabeth was more visible than the publicity-shy Monty. Firstly, he didnt even like Hollywood, preferring to stay in New York as much as he could. 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). Scandals of Classic Hollywood: The Long Suicide of Montgomery Clift That, combined with his spiraling alcohol addiction, wrung the youth right out of the handsome actor. The most beautiful young man Ive ever seen. When James offered to join him, the belligerent shot him down immediately, crying, Absolutely not.Sadly, this was Montgomery Clifts final interaction. His interests lay elsewhere. His decline was never explicitly evoked, but with his visage in Raintree County, it was there for all to see. Contact sheet from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpoles shoot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. Cesar Romero | 20 Gay Hollywood Legends | Purple Clover Indiscretion of an American Wife (1954) - Turner Classic Movies 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. He called it as he saw it, describing himself as an ordinary, second-class wolf.. He surely wasnt a suave Prince Charming, and yet, on-screen, he was a downright masterpiece. Montgomery Clift didnt need much to keep himself happy and entertained. 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. The old Hollywood system was breaking apart and he was a major part of that., The first role Clift took, opposite John Wayne in Red River in 1948, offered a stark contrast in masculine presentations. There was a nonchalance to Clifts attitude in regards to women. Absolutely stunning. Taylor immediately stuck her delicate, little hand down his throat and removed the obstruction. Edward Montgomery Clift (; October 17, 1920 July 23, 1966) was an American actor. Author Christopher Isherwood tracked Clifts decline in his journals, and by August 1955, he was drinking himself out of a career; on the set of Raintree, the crew had designated words to communicate how drunk Clift was: bad was Georgia, very bad was Florida, and worst of all was Zanzibar. Watch 'Indiscretion of an American Wife' Online Streaming (Full Movie He became so known for his tousled appearance that theLos Angeles Times dubbed him the Rumpled Movie Idol. With his ancient, ramshackle car, and a circle of friends outsidethe realm of Hollywood, he certainly didnt fit the mold. But before the film could be released, Clift passed away, wholly without fanfare, at the age of 45, succumbing to years of drug and alcohol abuse. 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. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Making Montgomery Clift (2018) - IMDb It was, however, much olderby the time Raintree County made its way to theaters, hed been off the screen for four and a half years. 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. His father, William Brooks "Bill" Clift (1886-1964), was the vice-president of Omaha National Trust Company. Making Montgomery Clift, which was co-directed by Clift's nephew Robert Clift (and Robert's wife Hillary. The two met under the big tent where they performed together. 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. It wasnt until years after his tragic passing that Clifts darkest secret finally came out. After his accident, Clift had an arduous road to recovery. And so he remains frozen in the popular imagination, circa From Here to Eternitythose high cheekbones, that set jaw, the firm stare: a magnificent, proud, tragically broken thing to behold. Taylor, on the other hand, felt intimidated when she was yet to meet him. You`ve being alwasy an inspiration for me. cocksucker. Then, sweetly, wide-eyed with little girl navet, she According to this version of the story, when photographers arrived, Taylor announced that she knew each and every one of them personally-- and if they took pictures of Clift, who was still very much alive, shed make sure they never worked in Hollywood again. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, Hollywood, 1950. Nobody wanted to deal with him anymore, and for four years, he couldnt land a single role. . 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. 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. From here on out, however, he plunged even further into his addiction. Their unique bond so evident in these pictures made on the Paramount lot during filming of A Place in the Sun, and never published in LIFE, was occasionally deepened even further by disasters visited upon them both through the years. Hes never sucked my cock.. Heres A Mystery: Why Did Arthur Conan Doyles Son Dress Up Like a Knight? She had always been there for him, and once said, Monty couldve been the biggest star in the world if he did more movies. But Taylors dedication to her friend went above and beyond. MONTY YOU WERE THE BEST!!! His first two films were smashing successesand for veryimpressive reasons. Clift had a fraternal twin sister, Roberta, and a brother, William Brooks Clift Jr, who had an illegitimate son with actress Kim Stanley. Luckily, his isolated lifestyle gave him an advantage. 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. His smashed face was rebuilt, he reconciled with his estranged father, but he continued bedeviled by dependency on drugs and his unrelenting guilt over his homosexuality.With his Hollywood career in an irreversible slide despite giving an occasional riveting performance, such as in Stanley Kramer's Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Monty returned to New York and tried to slowly develop a somewhat more sensible lifestyle in his brownstone row house on East 61st Street in Manhattan. Who Is Montgomery Clift? - Facebook .. But just as Clift dove into this exciting new chapter, an unforeseen tragedy changedeverything. One time when he was delivering his line on the set of "The Search," he mistakenly called a boy 'dear' and insisted that the director did a reshoot. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. The Clift picture didn't pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. American actor Montgomery Clift was spectacular on the big screen for his portrayal of sensitive male characters. He died in 1966 at the age of 45. Taylor had married British actor Michael Wilding in 1952, but by 1956, their marriage was in decline. Montgomery Clift was an undeniably attractive man, and before long, hed cultivated a rather passionate female fan base. and his wife, the former Ethel Fogg. Montgomery Clift | American actor | Britannica Marlon Brando: Portraits of a Charismatic Young Star, 1952, Marilyn, Arthur Miller and More: A Star Producers Spectacular Orbit. What happened next has since become the stuff of Hollywood legend. Montgomery Clift, Nando Bruno. In fact, Hepburn was so offended by Mankiewicz that she did something outrageous. . 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. Close friends, such as actor Kevin McCarthy and his wife, tried to get Clift to slow down and dry out, but their pleas . His father made a lot of money in banking but was quite poor during the depression. But for 12 years, he set Hollywood aflame. James found his patient sitting up in bed and watching his film, The Misfits, but Clift clearly didnt want to be disturbed. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. She made it known that it all boiled down to love. Montgomery Clift: The Untold Story of Hollywood's Misunderstood Star His leading lady, Olivia de Havilland, disappointed him in every wayand his criticisms were downright brutal. But even though his marred looks never made it to the headlines, for Clift, the horror was far from over. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. 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 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. "Monty," as the performer was known to family and . Montgomery Clift may have been one of the most self-aware actors of his day, and he certainly knew the name of the game. It also stresses Clifts crucial role in changing the power balance between actors and studio chiefs in Hollywood, as well as the advancements he brought to film acting. In his first film, Red River, Clift had the chance to play opposite the western superstar John Wayne. Elizabeth Taylor at Paramount Studios, 1950. There were questions about the woman in his life and why he was single. But 1961 audiences were too close to the day-to-day deterioration of its stars to see the meditative genius of The Misfits. The unhinged character he played in the film hit too close to home and psychologically drained him. However, he became more comfortable with her and eventually found it easy to open up about his sexuality. 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. The Big Lift (1950) Approved | 120 min | Drama, War 6.4 Rate . We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. 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. ufff q hombre tan guapo y atractivo, y grn actor ademas, como me hubiese gustado conocerlo con unos ojos maravillosos. On the set of 1958sLonelyhearts,Clift had a message for those that tried to fit him into a box. 3.80. When the duo finally met in Stevens' office, it was pretty magical for Taylor. As his eyes drifted closed, Clift suddenly veered off the road and drove straight into a telephone pole. And when it came to riotous parties, well, he avoided nightlife like the plague. He wanted to be a free agent, and he did it successfully. Where were these so-called women? Well, at the very heart of it all, Montgomery Clift hid a dangerous secretone that wouldnt emerge untilyears later. While working in New York in the early 1940s, he met wealthy former Broadway star Libby Holman. He played the desperate, the drunken, and the deceived, and the trajectory of his life was as tragic as that in any of his films. But this was only the beginning. Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor during the filming of A Place in the Sun. Although Clift and Montgomery were only good friends, their coupling inA Place in the Sunhelped drive its popularity. After filming wrapped, she tracked him down and spat directly in his face. Luckily, over time, they clawed their way back to financial security. (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.). 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. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? Born Edward Montgomery Clift on Oct. 17, 1920 in Omaha, NE, he was the son of Ethel Fogg and William Brooks Clift, a successful Wall Street stockbroker. All Rights Reserved. And even then, he didnt live a glamorous movie star existence. She is completing her PhD in Toronto, Canada. Hitchcock's I CONFESS (DVD, 1953); M CLIFT, A BAXTER. Sealed, new Montgomery Clift Hid His Sexuality for Years but Elizabeth Taylor Knew His Secret & Revealed It after His Death By Olowokandi Fiyin Aug 14, 2021 04:00 P.M. Montgomery Clift made a name for himself in Hollywood with several awards and nominations. ), 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. He was one of Hollywoods most desirable leading men, but mystery shrouded his entire private life. Still, unlike other notable gay actors, any affairs Montgomery Clift had were secured behind a lock and key. It left him with chronic health issues for the rest of his life. For somewhat mysterious reasons, Robert Clifts father Brooks taped endless conversations with his famous brother, as well as with their mother and other figures relevant to the story. 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. Curtis's relationship to the term nepo baby has evolved over the last few months. Montgomery Clift is a member of the following lists: American film actors, Actors Studio alumni and Bisexual actors. July 22, 1966, was a sweltering day in New York City, and Montgomery Clift had been languishing in his townhouse on 61st Street. (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. Monroe and Taylor are shadowed by Montgomery. There were no wild outings for this reserved homebody. Hailed as one of Hollywood's first true Method actors, Edward Montgomery Clift was born October 17, 1920, in Omaha, Nebraska. Unlike many of his handsome contemporaries, he never had a blonde bombshell hanging off his arm. Once on stage, Clift truly came into his own. By the time they shared the screen together for the first time, in the classic murder-romance-melodrama, A Place in the Sun (1951), both were bona fide box-office draws: Taylor had been onscreen since she was 10, and Clift a soulful, introverted Method actor who influenced countless others who came after him had already garnered the first of his four career Oscar nominations. Fellow actor Kevin McCarthy was driving ahead of Clift when the horror show went down. Lancaster's . Taylor, caught up in filming with Richard Burton in Paris, sent flowers to the funeral. She once lovingly described how she was in awe of the star actor's perfect facial features. Whisked away to the morgue, Clifts body underwent an autopsy that shed some light on his sudden demise. Contact sheet from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpoles shoot on a Paramount lot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. Their. Months of surgeries, rebuilding, and physical therapy followed. Contact sheets from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpoles shoot on a Paramount lot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. Con Jennifer Jones, Montgomery Clift, Gino Cervi, Richard Beymer. Ad Choices. 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. In truth, his face wasnt truly disfigured. Who is Montgomery Clift dating? Montgomery Clift girlfriend, wife 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. Montgomery Clift had the most earnest of faces: big, pleading eyes, a set jaw, and the sort of immaculate side part we havent seen since. Can he still feel?). Whether he liked it or not, they were out for a storyAnd the one they wanted above all? Montgomery Clift was an undeniably attractive man, and before long, he'd cultivated a rather passionate female fan base. The next year, Taylor used her status to wrangle an acting part for Clift; she demanded that he be a part ofSuddenly, Last Summer. While filmingRaintree County, Clift attended a dinner party at Taylors housebut sadly, he didnt make it home in one piece. He pleaded with her to make changes to her book to correct the mischaracterizations. But something of the old talent remainedor at least enough to earn Clift a nomination for best-supporting actor, playing, in the words of film critic David Thomson, a victim irretrievably damaged by suffering. Plans for Clift to play the lead in the film adaptation of Carson McCullerss The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter fell through, in large part due to his uninsurability on set, and promises of a fourth collaboration with Taylor, this time with producer Ray Stark, never came to pass. He also won a nomination for Best Actor. Clift's last 10 years prior to his death from his 1956 car accident were called the "longest suicide in history" by famed acting teacher Robert Lewis. Montgomery Clift had an encounter with Marlon Brando. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. In this exclusive excerpt from her forthcoming book, Anne. The Searchturned out to be a huge hit for Clift. 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. Have I said something wrong? Next came "The Nutty Professor" as Lewis' student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. He knew that people would flock to the cinema just to see his damaged face. The entire experience had a cursed tinge to it, and before long, it left disaster in its wake. Many Hollywood stars have committed versions of the long suicide. When he wasnt reading or preparing for his next role, he took pleasure in visiting the local night court. Montgomery Clift Born: 1920-10-17, Omaha, Nebraska, USA Education: NA Ethnicity: Caucasian Death Date:-0001-11-30 Addition Websites. "Monty," as his family called him, was the son of William Clift, a. In Montgomery Clift: A Biography, author Patricia Bosworth describes Monty's father Bill as passive, good-natured, and very dependent on his charismatic wife, Sunny. Observers also point out that Clift had sexual relationships with women. Sensitive. Montgomery Blair (May 10, 1813 - July 27, 1883) was an American politician and lawyer from Maryland. Montgomery Clift - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 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." Liz Ronk edited this gallery for LIFE.com. His beat-up car was 10 years old, and his best friends were all outside of the movie business. Following The Misfits, Clifts disintegration continued. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. William Brooks Clift (Was A Vice-President Of Omaha National Trust Company. 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. This would not only show off his range but allow him to sidestep any dangers of typecasting. He had a holistic view.. I thought he was dead. He immediately returned to Taylors house to notify the party of the bloody disaster. He could barely remember his lines and often didnt show up to set. The pieces of the puzzle dont quite fit. They took a risk on the troubled actorand it endedbadly. Free Postage. 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. About The film-makers interviewed Bosworth extensively for the movie, but they contrast her words with old taped conversations she had with the actors brother. Montgomery Clift's Disastrous Car Wreck Changed His Career Forever