When the duo finally met in Stevens' office, it was pretty magical for Taylor. In his words, I learned that most writers dont need interviews to write about me. 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. Montgomery Clift | 20 Gay Hollywood Legends | Purple Clover "I love men in bed, but I really love women," Montgomery Clift is quoted as saying in a 1978 biography. The revelation of his sexuality did not emerge until the 70s, when two high-profile biographers, one endorsed by his close confidants, revealed as much, rendering him a gay icon within the span of two years. And when it came to riotous parties, well, he avoided nightlife like the plague. Itd be his only film with Brando, even though the two barely shared the screen. 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. Indiscretion of an American Wife 1953, 1h 3min - Romance , Drama Jennifer Jones is the American housewife on vacation in Italy who must choose between returning home to her husband and family in Philadelphia or her romance with an Italian academic played by Montgomery Clift. Contact sheets from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpoles shoot on a Paramount lot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. He looked about ten years older than the Montgomery Clift audiences remembered and adored. He was not worried [about being gay], Larson asserts in the film. 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. Monty brought a different masculinity to the screen, said Demmon. "Bobby was a very fine actor, but as you can imagine, he was no Montgomery Clift," she said. That was really frightening to see., Penn Badgley Loves His Wife Too Much to Do Sex Scenes in, I askedSera Gamble, the creator, Can I just do no more intimacy scenes? the former, Oscar-winning producer Dede Gardner looks back at her many groundbreaking awards darlings, from the triumph of. Luckily, his isolated lifestyle gave him an advantage. 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. But that didnt mean that the gossip press didnt hint at something different, something queer, in the broadest sense of the word, about him. Clift couldnt get through longer scenes, having to split them up into two or three chunks. Oh dear. He was a great talent but the male counterpart to Monroe, lonely, sad, and pitiful. That secret, depending on your source, was that Clift was gay or bisexual. When The Heiress came out, Clift's loyal fanatics came with their claws out and wrote vicious letters to Olivia de Havilland for rejecting Clift's character in the film. Instead, he bided his time, and thankfully, luck was on his side. . Taylor had married British actor Michael Wilding in 1952, but by 1956, their marriage was in decline. We bring you all the headlines and gossip in one place! I mean, he is a During the peak period of his career, the actor and some Hollywood friends were returning from a party held at Taylor's home. This was entertainment at its finest. / Is he alive? If Paramount wanted him, theyd have to give him what he wanteda power differential that would go on to structure the star-studio relationship for the next 40 years. "Monty," as his family called him, was the son of William Clift, a. Hailed as one of Hollywood's first true Method actors, Edward Montgomery Clift was born October 17, 1920, in Omaha, Nebraska. In truth, his face wasnt truly disfigured. Allegedly, Rock Hudson was there to pull Clift from the wreckage and it was Taylor who held the stricken actor in her arms. With his screenwriting suggestions, the film took home an Academy Award. Her interests include the European Renaissance, popular culture, and Internet history. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. MONTY YOU WERE THE BEST!!! 2023 Cond Nast. There were questions about the woman in his life and why he was single. Contemporaries like James Dean and Marlon Brando also did. He got him going again. Even his diet was rather spartan: orange juice, steak, and eggs. The Life and Sad Ending of Montgomery Clift The Life and Sad Ending 182K subscribers Subscribe 2.2K Share 106K views 2 years ago Mini bio of the life of actor Montgomery Clift who is. By 15, Clift made his Broadway debut in Cole Porters Jubilee. Its impossible for us to know what happenedor if the two even had a relationship that went beyond the platonicbut it was returning from a party at Taylors house, mid-filming for Raintree County, that he smashed his car into a telephone pole. In Clifts eyes, de Havilland imparted nothing of herself into the role. Regardless of the veracity of this story, one thing remains true: theres not a single picture of Clifts broken face. He wasnt solely an actor, she said. 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. 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. He was, at least in the press, something approaching asexualthe title of a Motion Picture article, authored by Clift, declared simply, I Like It Lonely!. Help us build our profile of Montgomery Clift! Horrified, James immediately called for help, but of course, it was already too late. Whatever relationships Clift may have had, he was circumspect. I do not count myself as a member of the ripped-sweatshirt fraternity.. But this wasnt the actors first time at the rodeo. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. 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. 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. Free Postage. 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. at the best online prices at eBay! Taylor, on the other hand, felt intimidated when she was yet to meet him. Hes never sucked my cock.. to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. And yet, the mystery persists. Guided by the key biographies of Clift, they reliably parrot a narrative which paints the actor as a startlingly attractive and prodigiously gifted man who, according to one notably overheated tabloid TV show became a drug-addicted alcoholic living in a self-imposed hell because he had a secret he couldnt live with. 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. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Perkins, who once fended off the advances of Brigitte Bardot, later went to a shrink who maintained that homosexuality could be "cured," and in 1973 he married photographer Berry Berenson. I do not count myself as a member of the ripped-sweatshirt fraternity. He wasnt a young rebel, an old rebel, a tired rebel, or a rebellious rebelall he cared about was re-creating a slice of life on the screen. But he was handsome and beguiling on-screen, creating an appetite for confirmation of that same Clift off the screen. He has a ghastly, shattered expression. And it wasnt just in private record: in October 1956, Louella Parsons reported on Clifts very bad health and Holmans attempts to clean him up. You`ve being alwasy an inspiration for me. Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor during the filming of A Place in the Sun. 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. Even if Clift himself was already spiraling out of control, playing a character that did the same only amplified the psychological toll. Montgomery Blair (May 10, 1813 - July 27, 1883) was an American politician and lawyer from Maryland. Throughout filming, members of the crew came up with code words to alert everyone about the lead actors level of intoxication. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. After all, his leading lady was none other than the beguiling Elizabeth Taylor, and together, these two stars were pure fire. Until it sinks into a sentimental quagmire the end, the second movie excels first in being remarkably faithful to Dreisers tale of three pitiful youngsters and in telling the story with the same earnestness and breadth that have made the novel survive as a classic. 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 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. But the troubled star. Contact sheets from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpole's shoot on a Paramount lot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. Follow her on Twitter @lizabethronk. A documented conversation between two stars, Tallulah Bankhead and Dorothy Parker, during a dinner party also showed that there was knowledge among stars that Clift was gay. A still of Montgomery Clift. Director: William Wyler | Stars: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson, Miriam Hopkins Votes: 16,212 4. Born Edward Montgomery Clift on Oct. 17, 1920 in Omaha, NE, he was the son of Ethel Fogg and William Brooks Clift, a successful Wall Street stockbroker. But this was only the beginning. Universal Studios actuallysued him for the losses they incurred because of his troublesome behavior. The 'Red River star was then tagged a gay icon. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun. What happened next has since become the stuff of Hollywood legend. Unlike many other actors, he didnt jump straight into a contract. Sensitive, mysterious, brooding, and suspiciously single. The results were not pretty. A portrait of Montgomery Clift acting as Matt Garth in the western film "Red River" on 01 January, 1948 | Photo: Getty Images. Sadly, his greatest friend Elizabeth Taylor could only send flowers from Rome. Clift had a rather negative notion about Taylor even before meeting her. The most beautiful young man Ive ever seen. 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 Something was seriously wrong. In order to get him the part, she had to offer up some kind of insurance, and this time, she put her own salary on the line. Next came "The Nutty Professor" as Lewis' student, Stella Purdy, who he is infatuated with. He worked on a summer production where his talents blossomed and it opened an auspicious doorone that would seal his fate forever. July 22, 1966, was a sweltering day in New York City, and Montgomery Clift had been languishing in his townhouse on 61st Street. As such, Taylors intervention only enhances the very real love story that existed between her and Clift. Now were at a historical point in mainstream queer discourse where that story seems less viable., Though the film aims to update, and to fairly contextualize, the actors story, the directors stress that they dont want to simply swap one image of Montgomery Clift for another. He wanted to be a free agent, and he did it successfully. 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. Whatever the case may be, Montgomery Clifts life was unbelievably impressive and distressing. 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. While he never excelled at school, his extraordinary abilities as an actor. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift goofed around during a break in filming A Place in the Sun. 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. The entire experience had a cursed tinge to it, and before long, it left disaster in its wake. Determined to keep his gayness under wraps, Clift made sure that his masculine facade shone onscreen. Clift and Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor first became acquainted when they played counterparts on George Stevens's "A Place in the Sun." Marlon Brando: Portraits of a Charismatic Young Star, 1952, Marilyn, Arthur Miller and More: A Star Producers Spectacular Orbit. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Charles Castillo, author of "Elizabeth & Monty: The Untold Story," shared that the actress tried to seduce Clift. But while his siblings enrolled in prestigious schools, Montgomery Clift went hurtling in a completely different direction. On the set of 1958sLonelyhearts,Clift had a message for those that tried to fit him into a box. At the end of the day, Clifts private nurse Lorenzo James checked in on him just after midnight. Thanks for your time! He called it as he saw it, describing himself as an ordinary, second-class wolf.. Apparently, one of Clifts tooths had pierced his tongue, causing him to choke. But even though his marred looks never made it to the headlines, for Clift, the horror was far from over. 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. A four-time Academy Award nominee, The New York Times said he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men". 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. 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. / Cut the applause and dim the light. 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. When he wasnt reading or preparing for his next role, he took pleasure in visiting the local night court. Documentary Biography Classic film star and queer icon Montgomery Clift's legacy has long been a story of tragedy and self-destruction. The next morning, James returned to Clifts room to rouse him but found the door locked. Show more . 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 42 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time, The 25 Best Shows on Netflix to Watch Right Now, Titled Refueling at Albuquerque, New Mexico, in Clifts handwriting. 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. That said, he kept his sexuality a secret: The prejudices of the time left him no choice. A Place In The Sun (1951) & From Here To Eternity (1953). I am not one of Americas Angry Young Men. She noted that they needed to live a life of equality while being able to get married and adopt kids. Sealed, new. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. He spent a great deal of time and money on psychiatry.In 1956, during filming of Raintree County (1957), he ran his Chevrolet into a tree after leaving a party at Elizabeth Taylor's; it was she who saved him from choking by pulling out two teeth lodged in his throat. Whether he liked it or not, they were out for a storyAnd the one they wanted above all? 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. Hes so beautiful, murmured Miss Parker. Con Jennifer Jones, Montgomery Clift, Gino Cervi, Richard Beymer. His parents were Quakers and met as students at Cornell University, marrying in 1914. More, it analyzes the new view of masculine beauty he helped introduce to the screen. A four-time Oscar nominee who died at 45, Montgomery Clift was a bright young talent, a tabloid fixture, and a posthumous gay icon. She is completing her PhD in Toronto, Canada. 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. Clift was there, as were actors Kevin McCarthy and Rock Hudson, and Hudson's wife, Phyllis Gates, per Vanity Fair. But the press will always be the press, and no amount of Montgomery Clifts ire could change that. But for 12 years, he set Hollywood aflame. With Clift on board, Suddenly, Last Summer morphed into a verifiable mess. / Montys face is broken on a wheel. 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?. 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. Still, his second venture was perhaps even more of an impressive feat. (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. He also sunk into alcoholism, of which Taylor and some other friends tried to help him. 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. Marlon Brando girlfriend, wife list. and his wife, the former Ethel Fogg. They took a risk on the troubled actorand it endedbadly. He was the son of Ethel "Sunny" Anderson (Fogg; 1888-1988) and William Brooks Clift (1886-1964). Montgomery Clift as the confused, likable, rather stupid social climber; Shelley Winters as the dowdy working girl; Elizabeth Taylor as the dazzling rich girl. 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. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. 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. You see, the reason behind Montgomery Clifts barren dating life was rather simple: He was gay. It left him with chronic health issues for the rest of his life. 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. Although hed only been away from Hollywood for four and a half years, the handsome Montgomery Clift looked incrediblyoldand the reason was downright heartbreaking. Their claims were deemed reliable because one of the biographers was certified by one of Clift's confidants.
