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. Years before, Clift had battled dysentery, which introduced him to the sinister side effects of pain management. Bosworth, Patricia (1978) Montgomery Clift: A Biography. Her romantic interest in him evolved into an intense friendship after he revealed her that he was gay (some sources say he was bisexual). While filmingRaintree County, Clift attended a dinner party at Taylors housebut sadly, he didnt make it home in one piece. [13][14] The Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression of the 1930s ruined Clift's father financially; Bill was forced to downsize and move to Chicago to take a new job while Sunny continued traveling with the children. He is best remembered for his roles in Howard Hawks's Red River (1948), George Stevens's A Place in the Sun (1951), Fred Zinnemann's From Here to Eternity (1953), Stanley Kramer's Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), and John Huston's The Misfits (1961). Montgomery Clift. One of the few men on this list is actor Montgomery Clift. Suddenly, the Clift family was completely broke and had no choice to move to New York. Clift died in 1966. Montgomery Clift spent a miserly 10 dollars a month on what his friends referred to as a beat up apartment. And Jerry said that he just couldn't get it out of his head. Robert Clift is the son of Montgomery's older brother, Brooks, making him the youngest nephew of the Hollywood icon. Secaucus, NJ: Citadel Press. After completing John Huston's Freud: The Secret Passion (1962), Universal Studios sued him for his frequent absences that caused the film to go over budget. An adopted child, his mother Sunny maintained that Clifts true maternal great-grandfathers were the US postmaster-general Montgomery Blair as well as Union commander Robert Anderson, a part of her lineage that was clarified to her (when she came of age) by Dr. Edward Montgomery, the family doctor who delivered her. He pointed out that she just let the director determine her every move. Clifts damaged appearance in his post-crash films becomes a consistent reference to his tragic physical decline, influencing characterization and shifting his image towards cult status. Luckily, over time, they clawed their way back to financial security. Montgomery Clift: why is he forgotten? : r/movies - Reddit War . He tended to funnel most of his energy into intense rehearsals with acting coach Mira Rostova who accompanied him on set. Paramount Pictures ended up offering him the best of any incoming studio offer (which he accepted): a three-film deal (down from the typical seven-year contract) that came with the freedom to turn down any script and any director, as well as the ability for either himself or the studio to terminate the agreement at any time. After a break, Clift committed himself to three more films, all of which premiered during 1953: I Confess to be directed by Alfred Hitchcock; Vittorio De Sica's Terminal Station; and Fred Zinnemann's From Here to Eternity which earned Clift his third Academy Award nomination (his second of two nominations for films directed by Zinnemann). The song "Montgomery Clift" by British band Random Hold concerns the legend that Clift enjoyed hanging from the window ledges of tall buildings. that benefits the victims. New York and London: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. At the time of the premiere, Monroe had been admitted to a psychiatric ward and required a day pass just to attend. Clifts recuperation took months, and when he finally returned to set, there was more trouble afoot. In a past interview, the star's friend, Kevin McCarthy, explained that Clift drove very high before the accident. Meeting veteran stage and screen actor Kevin McCarthy in a Hollywood restaurant was a thrilling experience. Hollywood Stars. is also about him. He was linked to actresses Libby Holman[64][65] and Phyllis Thaxter. London: BFI. "[17] Clift spent a short time at the Dalton School in Manhattan but struggled with traditional schooling. Over two decades of friendship they made, separately and together, some of the era's defining movies-including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Misfits, Suddenly, Last Summer, and Cleopatra. He suffered a concussion, broken jaw, broken nose, fractured sinuses, fractured cheekbones, and several facial lacerations which required plastic surgery. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. 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. While driving, he fell asleep at the wheel and the consequences were utterly gruesome. 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 was the son of Ethel "Sunny" Anderson (Fogg; 1888-1988) and William Brooks Clift (1886-1964). . Strikingly beautiful and exceptionally talented, Montgomery Clift was at the peak of his fame in 1956 when a devastating car crash nearly destroyed his face. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. [49][50] On a taped phone call, Clift said that he played the character in a way that "holds onto himself, in spite of himself" with dignity.[51]. Making Montgomery Clift also challenges many of the assumptions around Clift's decline. Anon. 2023 Cond Nast. It wasn't long before he made his way to New York City. This biography of Montgomery Clift provides detailed information about his childhood, life, acting career, achievements and timeline. Born on October 17, 1920, Edward Montgomery Clift was born into a family with lofty ideals. El joven que cambi para siempre el estereotipo del aejo galn con sus . In remembering Clift, McCarthy said, his face was torn awaya bloody pulp. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. And the cherry on top? Taylor actually extracted his teeth that had lodged into his throat so he could breath. At the age of 25, Clift made the leap to Hollywoodbut he was a rebel right from the get-go. Montgomery Clifts sexuality finally emerged with the help of two biographers, and before long, the public turned him into a gay icon. [72] Clift and Robbins camouflaged their relationship by dating women. 4 (April): 589 and 847. When he resumed filming on "Raintree County," he was a different man, one left in chronic pain because of the accident. The social-media famous cat could not attend in person, but a handful of guests found ways to honor her with their looks. . 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. Rate. Escena de la pelcula francesa El desertor (1966), ltima interpretacin de Monty Clif. After leaving a party organized by co-star Elizabeth Taylor in May 1956, Clift raced along a steep road before crashing. Almost all the exterior scenes were shot on location in Kentucky after the accident. Though Clift would survive, the accident necessitated plastic surgery on his face, which permanently changed his appearance. [36], On the evening of May 12, 1956, while filming Raintree County, Clift was involved in a serious car crash after leaving a dinner party hosted by Elizabeth Taylor and her husband, Michael Wilding. Cohan, Steven (1997) Masked Men: Masculinity and the Movies in the Fifties. Horrified, James immediately called for help, but of course, it was already too late. Edward Montgomery Clift was born on October 17, 1920, in Omaha, Nebraska. [23] In 1949, as part of the promotional campaign for the film The Heiress, he played Heathcliff in the one-hour version of Wuthering Heights for Ford Theatre. Jan 30, 2016 - In 1956, Montgomery Clift checked into the Chateau Marmont to recuperate from a near-fatal automobile accident that occurred while he was in production on "Raintree County." The accident occurred as he was leaving a dinner party at the home of his co-star and close friend, Elizabeth Taylor, at the top of Tower Road in Beverly But that wasnt all. Movie Stars | Playground to the Stars | Page 2 | Montgomery clift a plaque reading MONTGOMERY CLIFT LIVED HERE 1960-1966, which Clift's mother . Some believe that Clifts romantic leanings were much less of a secret than originally thought. In Clifts eyes, de Havilland imparted nothing of herself into the role. Kramer, Stanley and Thomas M. Coffey (1997). But the drama didnt end there. On 12 May 1956, during production, Montgomery Clift's face was disfigured after a near-fatal car accident. Author Christopher Isherwood aptly illustrated Montgomery Clifts shocking transformation: Nearly all his good looks are goneHe has a ghastly, shattered expression. But remember, Clift was never one to dwell on his looks, and it must have been frustrating that everyone else cared so much. 7.7. That same year, he had a small but powerful role in "Judgment at Nuremberg," playing Polish man who testified during the Nazi trials about being sterilized, per the Los Angeles Times. 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. He had a small non-paying role. Sadly the star got involved in a car crash that ruined his face and impacted his life and career. After the car accident, Clift only took on a few more movie roles. The film's success at the box office brought numerous awards for screenwriting and directing, but none for Clift himself. Clift, however, was so unsteady and unstable while filming "Freud" (1962) that his movie studio brought a lawsuit against him (via Vanity Fair). Immediately following the end of the war in September 1945 (in what would be Clift's penultimate Broadway performance) he starred in the stage adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's short story You Touched Me. Even his diet was rather spartan: orange juice, steak, and eggs. All rights reserved. Montgomery Clift - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre His injuries included a broken nose and jaw, a fractured sinus, and deep cuts across his face that called for extensive plastic surgery. Many biographers have had fun writing up one of the most glamorous accident scenes in Hollywood history . Clift simply wasnt cut out for school, and unlike his siblings, turned his back on higher education. A four-time Academy Award nominee, he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men", according to The New York Times.[1][2]. The autopsy report cited the cause of death as a heart attack brought on by "occlusive coronary artery disease". is for general information purposes only. | [37] Clift had veered off one of the twisting hairpin turns and smashed into a telephone pole and the surrounding cliffside. Clift was also a Hollywood maverick of sorts, choosing to remain independent at a time when most actors were under contract to the movie studios, per Vanity Fair. 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. Life once described them as soul mates, and added: That Clift was gay made little difference in the intensity and duration of the two stars adoration of one another. The pair first starred together in the 1951 film A Place in the Sun; Clifts early nickname for the actress was Bessie Mae. They also appeared together in Raintree County (1957) and Suddenly, Last Summer (1959). Clift gave a stronger performance in "The Misfits" (1961), a John Huston contemporary western that proved to be the last film for both his co-stars, Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. When it came to the lengthier scenes, the actor just couldnt deliver; they had to be divided into smaller cuts just so he could see them through. It all took a toll on him physically and mentally, and movie studios became wary of hiring 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. A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Clift got his start on Broadway as a teen and, after turning down film roles for nearly a decade, finally accepted a part in 1948's . Director: George Stevens | Stars: Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Shelley Winters, Anne Revere. In the early 1950s, Barney Balaban (president of Paramount Pictures) invited Clift on one of the Balaban family vacations to Nassau, Bahamas. Montgomery Clift made a name for himself in Hollywood with several awards and nominations. However, the filming of The Misfits had a shadow lurking over it. However, this changed after Clift's car accident that left his face in a terrible condition. [12] At age 7, aboard a European ship, a boy forced Clifts head underwater in the swimming pool for so long that a gland in his neck burst from his struggle to breathe; he had a long scar from the resulting infection and operation. 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. | Luckily, his isolated lifestyle gave him an advantage. [84] During the two and a half years that Clift stayed away from films, McDowall's career was nonexistent. The true story of Montgomery Clift, as told by his youngest nephew 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. This would not only show off his range but allow him to sidestep any dangers of typecasting. Montgomery Clift's House Goes on the Market - New York Magazine Charles Casillo, who wrote the book "Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship," said that Taylor and Clift had a tight friendship from the time they met when they starred together in 1951's A Place In The Sun to the actor's . His interests lay elsewhere. Of course, Clift took one of his greatest secrets to his grave. With unprecedented control over the projects he starred in, Clift agreed to do the romantic drama, The Heiress. He pleaded with her to get them out, and gently, she managed to relieve him of the teeth. After the car accident, it was evident that Clift would need to adjust to his new limitations. Instead, this postwar icon's career unglamorously petered out, the matinee idol and Method trailblazer losing his looks, suddenly, in a 1956 car accident and his reputation, more slowly, to the . He also won a nomination for Best Actor. Angel Of Death: Reframing Montgomery Clift At 100 - The Quietus 'Happy Days's' Anson Williams Divorced the Same Woman Twice after Almost Losing His Life in the Early 2000s, Marlo Thomas Spouse Was a Virgin before Marriage to Mom of His 5 Kids & a Lousy Lover Afterward, Why Is Chris Pratt Receiving Backlash? [62] In a taped telephone conversation with his brother, Clift's mother stated she had known Clift was homosexual early on. 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. Scandals of Classic Hollywood: The Long Suicide of Montgomery Clift To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. Filming was halted after Montgomery Clift's automobile accident on May 13, 1956 and did not resume until July 23, 1956. Clift was driving a Chevrolet Bel Air sedan when the accident occurred. 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"Elizabeth Taylor at the 11th Annual GLAAD Media Awards", "TCM Fest: West Side Story's Queer Origins and Other LGBTQ+ Highlights", "Montgomery Clift's Pedigreed Upper East Side Townhouse Could Be Yours", "A Star Is Born Is the Ultimate Hollywood Horror Story, and Lady Gaga Might Be Perfect Casting", "Clift Takes Role in Columbia Film: Will Portray Paul Morel in Adaptation of Lawrence's Novel, 'Sons and Lovers', "The 21st Academy Awards (1949) Nominees and Winners", Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, "The 24th Academy Awards (1952) Nominees and Winners", "The 26th Academy Awards (1954) Nominees and Winners", "The 34th Academy Awards (1962) Nominees and Winners", New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Montgomery Clift papers, Additions, 19291969, Montgomery Clift: better than Brando, more tragic than Dean, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Montgomery_Clift&oldid=1146618077. It was reported that Hutson was homophobic towards Clift after news of him being with a male reporter broke. A portrait of Montgomery Clift leaning on a fence with an intent expression before his accident on 01 January, 1950 | Photo: Getty Images. Whether he liked it or not, they were out for a storyAnd the one they wanted above all? One infamous fact about Montgomery Clift is that he only owned one suit. Montgomery Clift | 20 Gay Hollywood Legends | Purple Clover The next year, Taylor used her status to wrangle an acting part for Clift; she demanded that he be a part ofSuddenly, Last Summer. He represented the new wave of post-World War II actors who were handsome, intelligent, soft-spoken, introspective, and acted with intensity. While Cinema Visions Danced In My Head - Pinterest Hollywood Icons. 42 Dark Facts About Montgomery Clift, The Original Hollywood Heartthrob Clift. But the press will always be the press, and no amount of Montgomery Clifts ire could change that. Scandals of Classic Hollywood: The Long Suicide of Montgomery Clift Despite the studio's concerns over profits, Clift correctly predicted the film would do well, if only because moviegoers would flock to see the difference in his facial appearance before and after the crash.[42]. "Monty," as the performer was known to family and . In 1957 however, he suffered from a terrible car accident and was pulled from the wreck by his friend Eizabeth Taylor.His jawbone and front teeth were smashed, which later affected . He surely wasnt a suave Prince Charming, and yet, on-screen, he was a downright masterpiece. Clift's naturalistic performance led to director Fred Zinnemann's being asked, "Where did you find a soldier who can act so well?" 2023 Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Montgomery Clift, la gueule d'ange meurtrie de Hollywood - Tlrama With his next two films, The Misfits (1961) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Clift pivoted to somewhat smaller supporting or cameo roles that required less overall screen time while still delivering demanding performances. Clift (portrayed by Gavin Adams) was a major supporting character in the 2020 feature film As Long As Im Famous, which explored his intimate relationship with a young Sidney Lumet during the summer of 1948. [citation needed], Following a 15-minute funeral at St. James' Church on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, which was attended by 150 guests, including Lauren Bacall, Frank Sinatra, and Nancy Walker, Clift was buried in the Friends Quaker Cemetery, Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Montgomery Clift, Queer Star - Elisabetta Girelli - Google Books He called it as he saw it, describing himself as an ordinary, second-class wolf.. Every actor was in the midst of fighting their own demons. His body was discovered by his assistant. James Naremore's description of Clift's 'ravaged face' in Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) aptly expresses the decline in the star's appearance following the accident. [71], Clift was deeply and intensely involved with Broadway choreographer Jerome Robbins; very few associates were aware of how intimate and emotionally charged the relationship between the pair was. Whlen Sie aus erstklassigen Inhalten zum Thema Montgomery Clift in hchster Qualitt. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. ", Montgomery Clift at London Airport from New York to make the new film "Suddenly, Last Summer" on 13 May, 1959 | Photo: Getty Images. Filming was shut down until mid-July for Cliff to recover and undergo plastic surgery to reconstruct his face. | It wasnt until years after his tragic passing that Clifts darkest secret finally came out. Actress Marilyn Monroe even warned him never to work with Hutson, whom she described as a "sadist. [57] In preparation for the shooting of this film, Clift accepted the role of James Bower in the French Cold War thriller The Defector, which was filmed in West Germany from February to April 1966. In 1966, Clift finished filming his last project, "The Defector," and returned to his New York City apartment. (1958) Cinema: The New Pictures, Time [online], 6 January. Maxwell, Elsa (1949) Talk, Dark and Different, Photoplay, Vol. Si Hollywood (y l mismo) hubiese permitido a Montgomery Clift ser l mismo, su (breve) vida habra sido diferente. Naremore, James (1988) Acting in the Cinema. Actor Montgomery Clift, 45, three times nominated for Academy Awards, died early Saturday of a heart attack in his plush East Side townhouse. The condition (among other things) lowers blood pressure; it could have caused Clift to appear drunk or drugged when he was sober. 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. Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship if only because audiences would want to compare his face from before and after the accident. Monty's post-accident career has been called "the longest suicide in Hollywood history." In 1966, ten years after his car accident, Montgomery Clift died alone in his New York apartment while watching "The Misfits" on TV. [78], Robbins is said to have conceived the basic plot of West Side Story after Clift shared the idea with him, according to actor Russ Tamblyn. The following summer in 1949, Clift shot The Big Lift in Berlin: intended to be more of a semi-documentary, pro-America wartime film and less of an acting vehicle,[35] but still a welcome opportunity to portray a U.S. soldier. George (Montgomery Clift) is an upwardly scrambling young man, embarrassed by his origins, dipping a toe in wealth's pool. Of course, Clifts words had always been futile in the face of Hollywood. The character has a tattoo of Mr. Clift and Elizabeth Taylor on his shaved head. Anon. [3] He also executed a rare move by not signing a contract after arriving in Hollywood, only doing so after his first two films were a success. Montgomery Clift - Anarchopedia I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. His parents were Quakers and met as students at Cornell University, marrying in 1914. 3. Concerned and unable to break the door down, James ran down to the back garden and climbed up a ladder to enter through the second-floor bedroom window. Elizabeth Taylor Was 'Completely Broken' After Death Of Her 'Soulmate He worked on a summer production where his talents blossomed and it opened an auspicious doorone that would seal his fate forever.