[view couple] # 8 Carlo Fiore 12 28. 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. Who Is Montgomery Clift? - Facebook Montgomery Clift was an undeniably attractive man, and before long, hed cultivated a rather passionate female fan base. Marlon Brando girlfriend, wife list. I think he was 12 or 13., Its obviously a non-issue for her, co-director Demmon said. While his brother claimed that Clift was bisexual, writer Truman Capotes unpublished work alludes to Clifts gayness quite explicitly. An inside look at the actors secretive love life. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, Hollywood, 1950. Con Jennifer Jones, Montgomery Clift, Gino Cervi, Richard Beymer. Regardless of the veracity of this story, one thing remains true: theres not a single picture of Clifts broken face. True or not, the resilience of the story is a testimony to what people wanted to believe about the bond between the two stars. Over the next 10 years, he earned prominent roles in plays by Tennessee Williams and Thornton Wilder, opposite stars like Fredrick March and Tallulah Bankhead. 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. Instead, he bided his time, and thankfully, luck was on his side. Biographies of Clift posit that he drank because he couldnt be his true self, because homosexuality was the shame he had to shelter within. Production resumed on Raintree County, which the studio feared would fail following Clifts accident. Making Montgomery Clift (2018) - IMDb But when he climbed into the room, he discovered something absolutely gut-wrenching. She developed an intense decade-plus obsession over the young actor, even financing an experimental play, "Mexican Mural" for him. Liz Ronk edited this gallery for LIFE.com. Something was seriously wrong. 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 was set to play in Taylor's Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967), when he died in the early morning hours of July 23, 1966, at his home at age 45. She wouldnt die for another year and a half, but Misfits would be her last completed film. Luckily, although the public was out for blood, there was one woman on his side. 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. 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. Montgomery Clift 39 30. Director: William Wyler | Stars: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson, Miriam Hopkins Votes: 16,212 4. Taylor and Clift: Photos From the Set of A Place in the Sun. 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. The true story of Montgomery Clift, as told by his youngest nephew Making Montgomery Clift explodes the myths surrounding the Hollywood star and queer icon. Show more . A car crash in the prime of his career left him in constant pain, and he drank himself to an early death, creating an aesthetic of suffering that has guided the way we think about him today. Oh dear. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. 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?. Montgomery Clift is American by birth. Page 20230228-006 | e-Edition | rdrnews.com He still drank, but not as heavily. Of course, Clift didnt walk away unscathed either. Well, in 1955, he had a chance to reunite with his old friend and co-star, Elizabeth Taylor, in Raintree County. Oddly enough, when he died, the homocons on Gay Patriot praised him on . Charles Castillo, author of "Elizabeth & Monty: The Untold Story," shared that the actress tried to seduce Clift. 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. Watch 'Indiscretion of an American Wife' Online Streaming (Full Movie Ad Choices. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. . About a month afterThe Misfitswrapped, Gable suffered a heart attack and passed. Clift earned best-actor Oscar nominations for 1951s A Place in the Sun and 1953s From Here to Eternity; both times he lost to older actors (Humphrey Bogart and William Holden, respectively), and established his reputation, alongside Marlon Brando and James Dean, as a young outsider whose talent intimidated Hollywood. In fact, his doctors considered it amazing that the actor had even pulled through. 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)). Liz Taylor, Montgomery Clift: Rare Photos, 'A Place in the Sun,' 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. . His beat-up car was 10 years old, and his best friends were all outside of the movie business. Montgomery Blair. Edward Montgomery Clift was born on October 17, 1920, in Omaha, Nebraska. When he read the story that criticized his bare-bones wardrobe, the scandalized actor lashed out with a biting response. The film went on to win six Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Screenplay, and is now hailed as a (flawed) classic. 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. A still of Montgomery Clift. 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. From the start, Clift was framed as a rebel and an individual. 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. Montgomery Clift, Nando Bruno. Clift and Taylor would star again in another 1950s film, the Civil War-era drama, Raintree Countythe movie they were making when Clift almost died in the car wreck outside Taylors homeand would remain deeply attached to one another until Clifts death, at the too-young age of 45, in New York City in 1966. After all, his leading lady was none other than the beguiling Elizabeth Taylor, and together, these two stars were pure fire. . Luckily, over time, they clawed their way back to financial security. But that wasnt all. Indeed, it was his apparent lack of romantic attachments that confounded the gossip press the most. And even more shocking? He had a close friendship with a woman named Myra Letts, whom the gossip columnists tried arduously to frame as a love interest. Unlike many of his handsome contemporaries, he never had a blonde bombshell hanging off his arm. Merv was a sexual predator who once tried to sexually assault Danny Terrio, then threatened to ruin his career if he talked. However, one salient fact remains: Clifts ruined face never made it to the papersIn fact, not one photograph of that night exists. Lorenzo was one of the reasons.. Lancaster's first wife, June Ernst, was, like her mother before her, a renowned acrobat. Montgomery Clift made a name for himself in Hollywood with several awards and nominations. 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. But while his siblings enrolled in prestigious schools, Montgomery Clift went hurtling in a completely different direction. Making Montgomery Clift is a 2018 American documentary film by directors Robert Anderson Clift and Hillary Demmon chronicling the life of the actor Montgomery Clift till his death in 1966. This would not only show off his range but allow him to sidestep any dangers of typecasting. Montgomery Clift Hid His Sexuality for Years but Elizabeth - AmoMama He was not worried [about being gay], Larson asserts in the film. 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. 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 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. Hollywood began to see him as hostile and messy and frugal, and Clift wasnt having it. Then again, nothing about Clifts life was expected. 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. A portrait of Elizabeth Taylor And Montgomery Clift from the film "A Place In The Sun", 1951 | Photo: Getty Images. Of course, as unusual as his lifestyle seemed, healso had a number of interesting routines. He surely wasnt a suave Prince Charming, and yet, on-screen, he was a downright masterpiece. Who is Montgomery Clift dating? His mother was born out of wedlock and spent much of her life and the family fortune finding her illustrious southern lineage and raising her children as aristocrats.At age 13, Monty appeared on Broadway ("Fly Away Home"), and chose to remain in the New York theater for over ten years before finally succumbing to Hollywood. In truth, his face wasnt truly disfigured. Whether platonic or not, these two actors shared an undeniable bond that was undeniably strengthened by this one unfortunate event. He gained excellent theatrical notices and soon piqued the interests of numerous lovelorn actresses; their advances met with awkward conflict. Montgomery Clift was certainly one of a kind, and when he landed in Hollywood, it became extremely clear that he was going to do things his own way. This made him an A-list actor and a multi-award-winning star. Directors Robert Anderson Clift Hillary Demmon Writers Robert Anderson Clift Hillary Demmon Stars These are just among the many words which have been used to describe Montgomery Clift, the enigmatic heartthrob of the 1950s. His father, William Brooks "Bill" Clift (1886-1964), was the vice-president of Omaha National Trust Company. The film-makers interviewed Bosworth extensively for the movie, but they contrast her words with old taped conversations she had with the actors brother. 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. Taylor immediately stuck her delicate, little hand down his throat and removed the obstruction. Heres A Mystery: Why Did Arthur Conan Doyles Son Dress Up Like a Knight? said: Oh. Today, its impossible to know the specifics of Clifts sexuality: his brother, Brooks, would later claim that his brother was bisexual, while various writings from within Hollywood indicate that Clifts sexuality wasnt entirely a secret. Ex-lover Larson said in the film that Clift actually preferred his work after the accident to his performances before. Sensitive. Thats why his work doesnt feel dated, Demmon said. While filming his next picture, Lonelyhearts (1958), Clift lashed out, proclaiming, I am notrepeat nota member of the Beat Generation. He could watch the real grit of humanity play out before himthe court a stage for some of the most sensational high-profile cases. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hitchcock's I CONFESS (DVD, 1953); M CLIFT, A BAXTER. Clifts early foray into acting led him to a Broadway debut in 1935. Watch 'Indiscretion of an American Wife' Online Streaming (Full Movie But for 12 years, he set Hollywood aflame. She noted that they needed to live a life of equality while being able to get married and adopt kids. Tellingly, theyre always pitched under working titles like Beautiful Loser and' Tragic Beauty. A bout five years ago, filmmaking duo Robert Clift and Hillary Demmon Clift decided to make a documentary about Robert's long-dead uncle. Making Montgomery Clift - Wikipedia Will she ride the term to Oscar gold? I mean, he is a Whether he liked it or not, they were out for a storyAnd the one they wanted above all? at the best online prices at eBay! He pointed out that she just let the director determine her every move. Clift couldnt get through longer scenes, having to split them up into two or three chunks. During the peak period of his career, the actor and some Hollywood friends were returning from a party held at Taylor's home. Hes never sucked my cock.. Lorenzo came into the picture when Monty was at his lowest. More, it analyzes the new view of masculine beauty he helped introduce to the screen. John Wayne and Montgomery Clift in Red River. Clift was off the Hollywood scene for four years, within which his career declined. William Brooks Clift (Was A Vice-President Of Omaha National Trust Company. 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. It is a feature-length film with a runtime of 1h 3min. Elizabeth Taylor stuck by her friends, and Montgomery Clift undoubtedly claimed a special spot in her heart. All his life, it was misery," said McCarthy. 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. Clift wasn't one to hide a feeling, which made him a great actor and also a terrible straight man. Allegedly, the director brought Clift on board, thinking hed be a soothing effect for Monroe. The Clift picture didn't pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. Nope. He didnt want the studios to dictate the kinds of roles he would play, his nephew said. Clift, however, lived a two-faceted life concerning his sexuality. Montgomery Clift's full name is Edward Montgomery Clift and his nickname is Montgomery Clift. A young naive woman falls for a handsome young man who her emotionally abusive father suspects is a fortune hunter. The unspoken truth was that Clift was gay. While he never excelled at school, his extraordinary abilities as an actor showed early. The true story of Montgomery Clift, as told by his youngest nephew 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. 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 the bathroom, James found Clift in his bathtub, undressed and obviously deceased. 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. 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 But the troubled star. Sensitive, mysterious, brooding, and suspiciously single. In the face of such criticism, Clift went ahead and confused the gossip columns even more. His interests lay elsewhere. Documentary Biography Classic film star and queer icon Montgomery Clift's legacy has long been a story of tragedy and self-destruction. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. And even then, he didnt live a glamorous movie star existence. Contact sheet from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpoles shoot on a Paramount lot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. However, Clift soon realized that you cant always have your cake and eat it too. Elizabeth Taylor at Paramount Studios, 1950. It was a huge wager: since everyone knew how much booze and pills Clift was on, he was virtually uninsurable on set. They seem to have their stories all written out beforehand.. That secret that Clift was gay during an impossible era (the 1930s through the 60s) led many interpreters to conclude that the actor must have led a life riddled with fear and shame. But even Monroe reported that Clift was the only person I know who is in even worse shape than I am. The pictures from the set are as poignant as they are heartbreaking: its as if all three were meditating on their respective declines, and theres a sad, peaceful resignation at the difference between what their bodies could do and how people wanted to remember them. Montgomery Clift may have been one of the most self-aware actors of his day, and he certainly knew the name of the game. We want our readers to trust us. Unlike many other actors, he didnt jump straight into a contract. American actor Montgomery Clift was spectacular on the big screen for his portrayal of sensitive male characters. 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. His image was, more than anything else, confusingunmalleable to Hollywoods preexisting star categories. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. 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. With unprecedented control over the projects he starred in, Clift agreed to do the romantic drama, The Heiress. Unlike Rock Hudson, whose affairs were very nearly exposed to the entire nation by Confidential, Clift never made the pages of the scandal rags. Indiscrecin de una esposa: Dirigido por Vittorio De Sica. Clift simply wasnt cut out for school, and unlike his siblings, turned his back on higher education. 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. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. 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. But the drama didn't end there. 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. An interviewer once asked him what his hobbies were, Clift replied, "women. 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 mother wanted all of her children to be raised as distinguished aristocrats, and as such, little Clift and his siblings received an elite upbringing: private tutors, extensive travel, and language lessons. Montgomery Clift as the confused, likable, rather stupid social climber; Shelley Winters as the dowdy working girl; Elizabeth Taylor as the dazzling rich girl. I do not count myself as a member of the ripped-sweatshirt fraternity.. Part of honoring someone is being open to that person not being just one, reductive thing., Making Montgomery Clift is showing at NewFest with a release date yet to be announced, Tab Hunter: how Hollywood's boy next door became a gay icon, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. 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. Montgomery Clift was an undeniably attractive man, and before long, he'd cultivated a rather passionate female fan base. He was such a mess on the set of Freud (1962) that Universal sued him. 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. Montgomery Clift was in relationships with Sal Mineo, Paul Newman, Henry Willson, Jack Larson, William LeMassena, Libby Holman, Maurice Leonard and Arnold Saint Subber. Peter Stackpole The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock. The entire experience had a cursed tinge to it, and before long, it left disaster in its wake. It was unheard of, especially for a young star, but it was a sellers market. However, he became more comfortable with her and eventually found it easy to open up about his sexuality. 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. With Clift on board, Suddenly, Last Summer morphed into a verifiable mess. 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. Some of the greatest celebrities of the day came out to mourn Clift at his funeral, including Lauren Bacall and Frank Sinatra.