I think he was 12 or 13., Its obviously a non-issue for her, co-director Demmon said. That, combined with his spiraling alcohol addiction, wrung the youth right out of the handsome actor. In the rife, overstuffed annals of Hollywood, few real-life love stories can match that of Liz Taylor and Montgomery Clift. His decline was never explicitly evoked, but with his visage in Raintree County, it was there for all to see. Hes so beautiful, murmured Miss Parker. Tellingly, theyre always pitched under working titles like Beautiful Loser and' Tragic Beauty. (The director himself never met his famous uncle, having been born eight years after his death). Whatever relationships Clift may have had, he was circumspect. Making Montgomery Clift, which was co-directed by Clift's nephew Robert Clift (and Robert's wife Hillary. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. 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. You see, the entire healing process put Clift through the paces. My mom never told me how her best friend died. Clifts sexuality, like those other 50s idols Rock Hudson and Tab Hunter, was carefully concealed from the public. 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. He insisted on maintaining his residence in New York, spending as little time in Hollywood as possible. While filmingThe Search,he asked the director to reshoot a scene for one baffling reason: He called a boy dear. But that wasnt all. Thanks for your time! Contact sheet from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpoles shoot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. The film-makers interviewed Bosworth extensively for the movie, but they contrast her words with old taped conversations she had with the actors brother. It wasnt until years after his tragic passing that Clifts darkest secret finally came out. 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. Montgomery Clift's nephew, co-directing 'Making Montgomery Clift,' an eye-opening documentary about the great movie actor, excavates a treasure trove of family archives. RIP GEORGOUS MONTY. 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. Upon closer inspection, Clifts career reveals notable clues as to who he genuinely was and the private struggles he faced. Little did he know, he was always destined for something more. He died in 1966 at the age of 45. 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. Picture 1 of 12 . 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. "Indiscretion of an American Wife" is currently available to stream on Fubo TV. The Clift picture didn't pan out either, at least with her promised co-star. Thats not what people would expect from a mother in that period.. Nothing could have prepared him for what he discovered. Montgomery Clift spent a miserly 10 dollars a month on what his friends referred to as a beat up apartment. His own mother, in a voice recording played in Making Montgomery Clift, said, "Monty was a . But even as Clift consistently took the road less traveled, he still had some biting things to say about the media, especially its desire to pin down his image. Unlike many other actors, he didnt jump straight into a contract. 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. 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 was born in Omaha, Nebraska on 1920-10-17. And yet, the mystery persists. Production resumed on Raintree County, which the studio feared would fail following Clifts accident. There were questions about the woman in his life and why he was single. Many Hollywood stars have committed versions of the long suicide. While working in New York in the early 1940s, he met wealthy former Broadway star Libby Holman. The movie, which plays at the LGBTQ movie festival NewFest in New York, refutes scores of oft-repeated assumptions about Clifts life, from his motivations as an actor, to his relationship with his mother to the characterization of his later years. There were no wild outings for this reserved homebody. To Clift, however, he considered his humble home terrific.. Over the next decade, the burgeoning actor dug his heels in and made a name for himself on the stage. Thats why his work doesnt feel dated, Demmon said. About a month afterThe Misfitswrapped, Gable suffered a heart attack and passed. The truth didnt come out until the 70s. She would wield considerable influence over the early part of his film career, advising him in decisions to decline lead roles in Sunset Blvd. If you have a story that tracks along that line, that will feel true to people. Montgomery Clift girlfriend, wife list. At the time of the premiere, Monroe had been admitted to a psychiatric ward and required a day pass just to attend. Clift detested Waynes antiquated male constraints. . I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. Directors Robert Anderson Clift Hillary Demmon Writers Robert Anderson Clift Hillary Demmon Stars But the drama didnt end there. 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! Lancaster's . Login to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. . Monroe and Taylor are shadowed by Montgomery. Soon, Montgomery Clift became almost impossible to work with. . Clift, of course, knew better. It wasnt until years after his tragic passing that Clifts darkest secret finally came out. 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. He was a great talent but the male counterpart to Monroe, lonely, sad, and pitiful. . While filming his next picture, Lonelyhearts (1958), Clift lashed out, proclaiming, I am notrepeat nota member of the Beat Generation. He advanced a collaborative approach with his directors, working over scripts and making suggestions for edits. Itd be his only film with Brando, even though the two barely shared the screen. We want our readers to trust us. Taylor and Clift: Photos From the Set of A Place in the Sun. In his words, I learned that most writers dont need interviews to write about me. Her interests include the European Renaissance, popular culture, and Internet history. And thus began what Robert Lewis, Clifts teacher at the Actors Studio, called the longest suicide in Hollywood history. Even before Raintree, the decline had been visible. 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. And even more shocking? Montgomery Clift made a name for himself in Hollywood with several awards and nominations. He surely wasnt a suave Prince Charming, and yet, on-screen, he was a downright masterpiece. 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. Realizing that Clift was in mortal danger, McCarthy raced to the scene of the accident. Clift's reputation in the 1960s was coloured by the brutal comment of Robert Lewis, Clift's teacher at the Actors Studio, who called his late . 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. A four-time Oscar nominee who died at 45, Montgomery Clift was a bright young talent, a tabloid fixture, and a posthumous gay icon. Sal Mineo and Montgomery Clift were in a rela Montgomery Clift and Paul Newman were rumored Henry Willson and Montgomery Clift were in a Jack Larson and Montgomery Clift were in a re William LeMassena and Montgomery Clift were i Montgomery Clift and Libby Holman were in a r Maurice Leonard and Montgomery Clift are sepa Arnold Saint Subber and Montgomery Clift were Montgomery Clift and Marlon Brando were in a Heart attack (brought on by "occlusive coronary artery disease"), Friends Quaker Cemetery, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York City, New York, USA. His interests lay elsewhere. 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. Along with Marlon Brando and James Dean, he helped delineate a new paradigm for American cinematic heroes. Christine Tran is a history buff(ette) and media scholar. Montgomery Clifts sexuality finally emerged with the help of two biographers, and before long, the public turned him into a gay icon. Born in 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, Clift was raised like an aristocrat, with a private tutor and frequent trips to Europe. 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. Oh dear. To help build their case, the film-makers had rare access to the actors archives. Firstly, he didnt even like Hollywood, preferring to stay in New York as much as he could. He may have been lonely but the distance he put between his public life and his work life helped keep his mysterious bachelorhood in check. Travel back in time with treasured photos and stories, sent right to your inbox. According to two A-list biographers, the late star was gay. In Clifts eyes, de Havilland imparted nothing of herself into the role. 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. The next year, Taylor used her status to wrangle an acting part for Clift; she demanded that he be a part ofSuddenly, Last Summer. I mean, he is a Moreover? The film went on to win six Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Screenplay, and is now hailed as a (flawed) classic. 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 was in relationships with Sal Mineo, Paul Newman, Henry Willson, Jack Larson, William LeMassena, Libby Holman, Maurice Leonard and Arnold Saint Subber. These are just among the many words which have been used to describe Montgomery Clift, the enigmatic heartthrob of the 1950s. 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. / Cut the applause and dim the light. Woodbury Blair was the son of Montgomery Blair, after whom his great-grandson received his middle name, and wife Mary Elizabeth Woodbury, daughter of Levi Woodbury (1789-1851), United States Supreme Court, and wife Elizabeth Wendell Clapp. Whatever the case may be, Montgomery Clifts life was unbelievably impressive and distressing. He naturally gravitated to the theater. Clift was there, as were actors Kevin McCarthy and Rock Hudson, and Hudson's wife, Phyllis Gates, per Vanity Fair. Contact sheets from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpole's shoot on a Paramount lot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. The director, Joseph Mankiewicz, was appalled by this wavering professionalismbut when he tried to fire Clift, two angels intervened. Unlike many of his handsome contemporaries, he never had a blonde bombshell hanging off his arm. When he came to visit storied fan-magazine author Elsa Maxwell at her home, she had her maid darn the elbow in his jacket. Montgomery Clift was in relationships with Sal Mineo, Paul Newman, Henry Willson, Jack Larson, William LeMassena, Libby Holman, Maurice Leonard and Arnold Saint Subber. The view then about queer people was that they would be inherently conflicted or tormented about their sexuality, said Demmon. A seeming exception was one in his final years with a man named Lorenzo who had been hired to help him. The unspoken truth was that Clift was gay. Years before, Clift had battled dysentery, which introduced him to the sinister side effects of pain management. From the start, Clift was framed as a rebel and an individual. With Clift on board, Suddenly, Last Summer morphed into a verifiable mess. 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. John Wayne and Montgomery Clift in Red River. Throughout filming, members of the crew came up with code words to alert everyone about the lead actors level of intoxication. 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. "Monty," as his family called him, was the son of William Clift, a. Universal Studios actuallysued him for the losses they incurred because of his troublesome behavior. Montgomery Clift (1920-1966) is one of the most tragic figures in Hollywood history. He was one of Hollywoods most desirable leading men, but mystery shrouded his entire private life. ufff q hombre tan guapo y atractivo, y grn actor ademas, como me hubiese gustado conocerlo con unos ojos maravillosos. A year and a half away from her own tragic end, Marilyn Monroe described Clift as the only person I know who is in even worse shape than I am. Together, this cast truly reflected a band of withering misfits. 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. 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. 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. Montgomery's ancestry was English, as well as more distant Scottish, Dutch, German and French. He was one of Hollywoods most desirable leading men, but mystery shrouded his entire private life. (1936), Ghostwriting Gloria Swanson: The Strange, Sexually Charged Genesis of a Legendary Autobiography, A New Power Generation: Radhika Jones Introduces the 2023 Hollywood Issue, Salma Hayek Pinault Explains How She Got Hollywood to Stop Typecasting Her as Sexy. 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. American actor Montgomery Clift was spectacular on the big screen for his portrayal of sensitive male characters. All his life, it was misery," said McCarthy. But just as Clift dove into this exciting new chapter, an unforeseen tragedy changedeverything. William Brooks Clift (Was A Vice-President Of Omaha National Trust Company. Montgomery Clift is a member of the following lists: American film actors, Actors Studio alumni and Bisexual actors. Sealed, new. When he first arrived in Hollywood, he didnt sign a contract, waiting until after the success of his first two films to negotiate a three-picture deal with Paramount that allowed him total discretion over projects. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from Life to Compact Cars and Trucks to A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius. Well get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics youre interested in. But if you look at his own words, his testimonies about what acting did to him, youll see the culprit. 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. Whether this captivating story is real or not remains to be seen. And even then, he didnt live a glamorous movie star existence. He was the son of Ethel "Sunny" Anderson (Fogg; 1888-1988) and William Brooks Clift (1886-1964). Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. But the drama didn't end there. An interviewer once asked him what his hobbies were, Clift replied, "women. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? Elizabeth Taylor (all of 17 years old) and Montgomery Clift posed together at Paramount Studios during a break in filming A Place in the Sun. This year the young man . Following The Misfits, Clifts disintegration continued. That secret, depending on your source, was that Clift was gay or bisexual. . His first two films were smashing successesand for veryimpressive reasons. And then there was the physical toll. The Big Lift (1950) Approved | 120 min | Drama, War 6.4 Rate "Bobby was a very fine actor, but as you can imagine, he was no Montgomery Clift," she said. [view couple] # 8 Carlo Fiore 12 28. Charles Castillo, author of "Elizabeth & Monty: The Untold Story," shared that the actress tried to seduce Clift. 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. This showed in his consciousness of being seen as feminine in any way. 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. A four-time Oscar nominee who died at 45, Montgomery Clift was a bright young talent, a tabloid fixture, and a posthumous gay icon. His . Luckily, although the public was out for blood, there was one woman on his side. The actress had read many articles about Clift's acting prowess and thought she would not be the perfect match. 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. But that didnt mean that the gossip press didnt hint at something different, something queer, in the broadest sense of the word, about him. But the facial reconstruction, heavy painkiller use, and rampant alcohol abuse made it look like hed aged a decade. . Peace. When the duo finally met in Stevens' office, it was pretty magical for Taylor. After the success of 1953sFrom Here to Eternity, Montgomery Clift suddenly stopped making films. Some sources have the crash occurring when Clift was leaving the event, while others state he was on his way there. His beat-up car was 10 years old, and his best friends were all outside of the movie business. However, Clift's sexuality was not much of a secret within the movie industry. Instead, Clift enjoyed reading, filling his spare moments with Chekov and Aristotlediving into history, or learning about economics. The story of Clift's devastating car crash varies somewhat from one account to the next. July 22, 1966, was a sweltering day in New York City, and Montgomery Clift had been languishing in his townhouse on 61st Street. He hated the criticism and the labels, and eventually, he just couldnt take it anymore. Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor in A Place in the Sun. Still, unlike other notable gay actors, any affairs Montgomery Clift had were secured behind a lock and key. Peter Stackpole The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock. Eyebrows were raised when the actor shared in an article he authored that he liked it "lonely. You see, when Clift sat down to read through the script for The Search,he was less than enthused with the writing. A young naive woman falls for a handsome young man who her emotionally abusive father suspects is a fortune hunter. 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. Lancaster's first wife, June Ernst, was, like her mother before her, a renowned acrobat. 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. 3.80. It shows a different side to Clift, portraying him as a man who enjoyed life and love, and was comfortable enough with him being a gay man. ': 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. But that wasnt the wildest part of the story. Clift was so protective of Holman that when offered the plum role of the male lead in Sunset Boulevard, he turned it downreportedly to avoid any suggestion that Libby Holman was his own delusional Norma Desmond, using a handsome young man to pursue her lost stardom. His father, William Brooks "Bill" Clift (1886-1964), was the vice-president of Omaha National Trust Company. Horrified, James immediately called for help, but of course, it was already too late. Once on stage, Clift truly came into his own. At the age of 25, Clift made the leap to Hollywoodbut he was a rebel right from the get-go. Clift, however, lived a two-faceted life concerning his sexuality. 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. Marlon Brando: Portraits of a Charismatic Young Star, 1952, Marilyn, Arthur Miller and More: A Star Producers Spectacular Orbit. Of course, Clift took one of his greatest secrets to his grave. 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. 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. When interviewed, the "From Here to Eternity" actor would wave it off, noting that he would be with a woman when he finds the right person. He got him going again. Hollywood repeatedly came courting, but he put off offers for nearly a decade, even turning down roles in classic films like East of Eden and the co-lead in Sunset Boulevard. Of course, Clifts words had always been futile in the face of Hollywood. In this exclusive excerpt from her forthcoming book, Anne Helen Petersen recounts the actors lonely life, ferocious talent, and tragic decline. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. 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. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. I Confess - Hitchcock - His Life in Pictures Magazine Pictorial [United Kingdom] (June 2022), Montgomery Clift - Retro Magazine Pictorial [Poland] (May 2022), Montgomery Clift - Pani domu Magazine Pictorial [Poland] (August 2011). Show more . 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. Clift gained actual scars from some filming mishaps. It was a flimsy speculation built on shaky evidence, but with no sign of any real lovemaking in Clifts life, it was all the fan magazines had. Allegedly, the director brought Clift on board, thinking hed be a soothing effect for Monroe. According to Clifts doctors, it was amazing that he was even alive. Montgomery Clift was an undeniably attractive man, and before long, he'd cultivated a rather passionate female fan base. As for Clift, the shoot was incredibly taxing, both mentally and physically: in addition to acquiring a scar across his nose from a stray bulls horn, severe rope burns while attempting to tame a wild horse, and various other rough-and-tumble injuries, he also performed what has widely come to be regarded as one of his best scenes, a stilted, heartbreaking conversation with his mother from a phone booth. However, this was no quick fix. In truth, his face wasnt truly disfigured. It is a feature-length film with a runtime of 1h 3min. He still drank, but not as heavily. However, his worry began to mount when the actor didnt respond to his insistent knocking. While filming a 15-minute supporting role as a mentally handicapped victim of the Holocaust in Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), he had to ad-lib all of his lines. However, Clift soon realized that you cant always have your cake and eat it too. 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. What a pity hes a Whether morally repulsive or philosophically compelling, The Misfits bombed, only to be recuperated, years later, as a masterpiece of the revisionist genre. 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.
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