news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Clift gained actual scars from some filming mishaps. White, Susan (2011) A Surface Collaboration: Hitchcock and Performance, in Thomas Leitch and Leland Poague (eds), A Companion to Alfred Hitchcock. [87] It is said that McDowall took the breakup with Clift hard. To make matters worse, a late-night car crash in Benedict Canyon in 1957 left his face scarred. But this was only the beginning. is for general information purposes only. Apparently, one of Clifts tooths had pierced his tongue, causing him to choke. All rights reserved. Well, in 1955, he had a chance to reunite with his old friend and co-star, Elizabeth Taylor, in Raintree County. McDowall starred with Clift in his final picture, The Defector. . [61] Montgomery Clift informed his psychiatrist that he was homosexual and struggling to cope with it. Unable to display preview. He apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his car while driving and smashed his car into a telephone pole. He and actor Kevin McCarthy later wrote a screenplay for a film adaptation that was never made. Thus, as long as Clift's father was able to pay for it, he and his siblings were privately tutored, travelled extensively in America and Europe, became fluent in German and French, and led a protected life, sheltered from the destitution and communicable diseases which became legion following the First World War. He had terrific roles in "The Misfits," "Confess," and he was last seen on screen in "Freud," which earned him his highest fee ever. Mathijs, Ernest and Jamie Sexton (2011) Cult Cinema: An Introduction. [100] Underactive thyroids also raise cholesterol, which might have contributed to his heart disease. It all took a toll on him physically and mentally, and movie studios became wary of hiring him. Over the years, the two close friends were there for each other during various times of crisis and tragedy, including the 1956 car crash that left Clift's famous face permanently marred. Hollywood Cinema. Skolsky, Sidney (1957) The New Look in Hollywood Men, Photoplay, Vol. He struggled to make through some of the longer scenes. She was so incensed by director Joseph Mankiewiczs poor treatment of Clift that she is said to have spat at him. A poor boy gets a job working for his rich uncle and ends up falling in love with two women. He knew that people would flock to the cinema just to see his damaged face. While filmingRaintree County, Clift attended a dinner party at Taylors housebut sadly, he didnt make it home in one piece. And then there was the physical toll. Gardner recalled the rumours of Clifts disfigurement following the car accident that occurred in May 1956 in the midst of filming for Raintree County (1957) as Clift drove away from a dinner party hosted by co-star Elizabeth Taylor. I do not count myself as a member of the ripped-sweatshirt fraternity.. For the latter, Clift committed to building strength and endurance, jogging laps around Hollywood High School as well as learning how to imitate playing the bugle and reading sheet music from trumpeter Mannie Klein for the role of middleweight boxer and bugle-playing soldier Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt. 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. 36, No. In his first film, Red River, Clift had the chance to play opposite the western superstar John Wayne. Palgrave Macmillan, London. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. Still, his second venture was perhaps even more of an impressive feat. He suffered a near fatal car accident that disfigured his beautiful face. The schedule for Reflections in a Golden Eye was then set for August 1966, but Clift died in July 1966. On 12 May 1956, during production, Montgomery Clift's face was disfigured after a near-fatal car accident. In 1964, he recorded for Caedmon Records The Glass Menagerie, with Jessica Tandy, Julie Harris, and David Wayne. An inside look at the actors secretive love life. Midway through filming, Clift was in a near-fatal car accident. Clift had traveled extensively with his family while growing up, and it was while he and the family were in Florida that he landed his first part, per Britannica. There were no wild outings for this reserved homebody. Okay, if were being totally honest, Montgomery Clifts reserved lifestyle didnt exactly excite the press; it actually kind of stumped them. A short while later, Taylor and some of the others rushed to the scene of the accident. A portrait of Montgomery Clift leaning on a fence with an intent expression before his accident on 01 January, 1950 | Photo: Getty Images. The majority of the interior scenes were shot at MGM Studios in Hollywood, California before the accident. Nope. The entire scene was extremely unsettling as Clift still wore his eyeglasses, and had his hands rigidly clenched. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta,. 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. The song "The Right Profile" by the English punk rock band The Clash, from their album London Calling, is about the later life of Clift. Whether platonic or not, these two actors shared an undeniable bond that was undeniably strengthened by this one unfortunate event. Lawrence, Amy (2010) "The Passion of Montgomery Clift", Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press. [52][53][54] The case was later settled out of court, with evidence in Clift's favor, but the damage to Clift's reputation as unreliable and troublesome endured. Escena de la pelcula francesa El desertor (1966), ltima interpretacin de Monty Clif. 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. He finished Raintree County, although the segments of the film that were shot after his accident are painfully noticeable, with the left side of Clift's face almost entirely paralyzed and his injuries still only partially recovered, giving him a visible limp. (1951) Movies of the Week: A Place in the Sun, Life, 28 May: 478 and 50. It took Clift months to recover from his injuries. Actor Montgomery Clift is best remembered for his striking good looks and his compelling dramatic performances in such films as "A Place in the Sun" (1951) and "From Here to Eternity" (1953), per IMDb. Throughout filming, members of the crew came up with code words to alert everyone about the lead actors level of intoxication. [55], During this time, Peter Bogdanovich was working at a cinema in New York City when Clift came to see a revival screening of one of his early films I Confess (1953) and decided to show him the guestbook where a cinema patron had written in a film request for "Anything with Montgomery Clift!"[56]. While his brother claimed that Clift was bisexual, writer Truman Capotes unpublished work alludes to Clifts gayness quite explicitly. 108, 135, Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About American Masters, Season 23, Episode 1, Somewhere the life of Jerome Robbins by Vaill, Amanda, p. 240, Jerome Robbins: his life, his theater, his dance by Jowitt, Deborah, pp. While this traumatic event robbed him of his heartthrob status and turned him into a somewhat disturbing, socially alienated character, author Elisabetta Girelli argues that Clift had always combined on-screen erotic ambiguity with real . As a consequence, he was unable to find film work for four years. 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 ), The Cult Film Experience: Beyond All Reason. Eight-times married Elizabeth Taylor could be cruel to the men in her life, but she cradled Montgomery Clift's shattered face in her hands with the tenderness of a mother caring for an injured . 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). Sadly Clift had personal problems and after surviving a terrible car accident those problems only got worse. On the morning of July 23, 1966, Montgomery Clift's housemate couldn't wake the actor. [76][77] He told Clift "I could make you love me," at the end of their two-year affair. 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?. When I saw him entering his favorite restaurant Musso & Frank Grill, on Hollywood Boulevard, where he'd meet every Wednesday evening Karl Malden, Robert Wise, and a . 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. Clift was driving a Chevrolet Bel Air sedan when the accident occurred. [citation needed]. He owed his life to his close friend Taylor, who immediately went to help him when she learned of the incident. Taylor actually extracted his teeth that had lodged into his throat so he could breath. Clift received and declined offers for roles in the following films: In 1960, Clift was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6104 Hollywood Boulevard. Clift first met Elizabeth Taylor in 1949, and she felt an immediate attraction to him, according to People magazine. They took a risk on the troubled actorand it endedbadly. Upon closer inspection, Clifts career reveals notable clues as to who he genuinely was and the private struggles he faced. Edit, Awards 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. In 1951, Clift embarked upon one of his most famous roles as George Eastman inA Place in the Sun. Marilyn Monroe, . In all honesty, his face wasnt horribly changed at all, but there was one shocking difference. [7][8] Clift had a twin sister, Roberta (who later went by "Ethel"), who survived him by 48 years, and an older brother, William Brooks Clift, Jr. (19191986), known as "Brooks," who had a son with actress Kim Stanley and was later married to political reporter Eleanor Clift. To attract Clift's spirit, Jacobson brought two black and white pictures of the star--one before . His parents were Quakers and met as students at Cornell University, marrying in 1914. He called it as he saw it, describing himself as an ordinary, second-class wolf.. Montgomery Clift had the most earnest of faces: big, pleading eyes, a set jaw, and a side part that reminds you of old pictures of your granddad. He could watch the real grit of humanity play out before himthe court a stage for some of the most sensational high-profile cases. But when hedid get a hankering for a fun excursion, Clift knew exactly where he wanted to be. And yet, the mystery persists. He needed a lot of plastic surgery to repair his face, according to the Los Angeles Times. 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 1956 American Film actor Montgomery Clift fell asleep at the wheel. His body was discovered by his assistant. He and Taylor definitely had chemistry while making "A Place in the Sun" (1951), and their connection was so compelling that their co-star Shelley Winters was convinced that they were involved. In one of the most evocative treasures in the Clift papers at the N.Y.P.L., this black-page scrapbook, titled My Trip West, details Clifts Depression-era visit to the American West. . Secaucus, NJ: Citadel Press. He was linked to actresses Libby Holman[64][65] and Phyllis Thaxter. if only because audiences would want to compare his face from before and after the accident. [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. All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. All content, including text, and images contained on. My mom never told me how her best friend died. Kouvaros, George (2010) Famous Faces Yet Not Themselves: The Misfits and Icons of Postwar America. Montgomery Clift was an undeniably attractive man, and before long, hed cultivated a rather passionate female fan base. Here are some examples: Scenes filmed before the accident involving Montgomery 'Monty' Clift's character of John Wickliff Shawnessy:-Scene with his parents where his dad tells him he is related to Thomas Carlyle-First time John meets Flash Perkins-Photography scene (first time he meets Susannah)-Drinking scene with Flash Perkins-The race-The . Kevin McCarthy: "Montgomery Clift was brilliant in every way". Nobody wanted to deal with him anymore, and for four years, he couldnt land a single role. 3 (Fall): 89111. Although the results of Clift's plastic surgeries were remarkable for the time, there were noticeable differences in his facial appearance, particularly the left side of his face, which was nearly immobile. Clift shared the stage with some of the leading performers of the day, including Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in "There Shall be No Night" (via Playbill) and Tallulah Bankhead in "The Skin of Our Teeth" (also via Playbill), both in 1942. The song "Montgomery Clift" by British band Random Hold concerns the legend that Clift enjoyed hanging from the window ledges of tall buildings. 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. She was so. Thanks for your time! Girelli, Elisabetta (2013) "Montgomery Clift Queer Star", Wayne University Press. At the time of the premiere, Monroe had been admitted to a psychiatric ward and required a day pass just to attend. PubMedGoogle Scholar, McNally, K. (2013). Many were sure to have played a macabre game of 'spot the difference,' gazing in terrified awe at the new face of Montgomery Clift. Actor. 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. Bosworth, Patricia (1978) Montgomery Clift: A Biography. User Reviews | As a result, Clift's health and physical appearance deteriorated. The director, Joseph Mankiewicz, was appalled by this wavering professionalismbut when he tried to fire Clift, two angels intervened. 18. Whatever the case may be, Montgomery Clifts life was unbelievably impressive and distressing. Soon, Montgomery Clift became almost impossible to work with. | After a near-fatal auto accident in 1956 ravaged his perfect face, Clift, now addicted to alcohol, painkillers, and, by some accounts, tormented by his closeted homosexuality, began a downward . Of course, Clift took one of his greatest secrets to his grave. Whether this captivating story is real or not remains to be seen. That, combined with his spiraling alcohol addiction, wrung the youth right out of the handsome actor. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. 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. You see, the reason behind Montgomery Clifts barren dating life was rather simple: He was gay. Clift's naturalistic performance led to director Fred Zinnemann's being asked, "Where did you find a soldier who can act so well?" Whether he was leaving from or arriving at Taylor's home, it is an undisputed fact that Clift drove his car into a telephone pole and suffered horrific injuries, including significant facial damage (via Vanity Fair). In his eyes, he wasnt a rebel, he was simply an actor who wanted to portray a slice of life. Tired of being boxed in, he stated, I am notrepeat nota member of the Beat Generation. Nothing could have prepared him for what he discovered. 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. Clift was recovering from a car accident during the movies shoot (the actor was dying on his feet, according to one biography), but Hepburn treated him with great kindness. He was only 45. . Clift was nominated for awards for his roles in. Edward Montgomery Clift (/mntmri/; October 17, 1920 July 23, 1966) was an American actor. He was involved with the Adventures of Superman actor Jack Larson and theater actor William LeMassena,[69][70] with whom he had a three-year relationship. Clifts early foray into acting led him to a Broadway debut in 1935. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137291776_11, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137291776_11, Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London, eBook Packages: Palgrave Media & Culture CollectionLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0).
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