Movie Star Spotlight: Montgomery Clift

[roseisrose]

Montgomery Clift

Born: October 17, 1920 In Omaha Nebraska

Died: July 23, 1966 at age 55

 

Best Known Roles:

A Place in the Sun

From Here to Eternity

I Confess

The Misfits

Suddenly Last Summer

Raintree Country

The Heiress

Wild River

Judgement at Nuremberg

 

My thoughts when I see this extremely talented and hauntingly beautiful actor is sadness. I loved his work and can't help but wonder that if he was born in a different era, how his life might have turned out ......

What are some of your favorite roles of his? -Share your thoughts on this fantastically interesting actor.

[sophiesmom07]

 I have now become more interested in Montgomery Cliff, thanks to Summer under the stars.  I love the Heiress and a Place in the sun. He had such expressive eyes and he played the perfect anguished young man. 

I was able to catch "Lonelyhearts," about a very optimistic young man who runs an advice column at a paper and answers letters from troubled women. His very cynical boss tries to teach him to be a realist and stop seeing the world through rose colored glasses.  He becomes too involved in some of the letters at the expense of his integrity and personal life.  Montgomery is excellent as the troubled writer.

On a side note, I remember my dad once pointing out how badly Montgomery Cliff had aged.  What I didn't know was that he had a car accident that left him disfigured and required extensive plastic surgery.  He then went down the path of self destruction after his accident  and was considered unemployable by the 1960s.  I agree, it is so very sad.

[roseisrose]

 

Quoting sophiesmom07:

 I have now become more interested in Montgomery Cliff, thanks to Summer under the stars.  I love the Heiress and a Place in the sun. He had such expressive eyes and he played the perfect anguished young man. 

I was able to catch "Lonelyhearts," about a very optimistic young man who runs an advice column at a paper and answers letters from troubled women. His very cynical boss tries to teach him to be a realist and stop seeing the world through rose colored glasses.  He becomes too involved in some of the letters at the expense of his integrity and personal life.  Montgomery is excellent as the troubled writer.

On a side note, I remember my dad once pointing out how badly Montgomery Cliff had aged.  What I didn't know was that he had a car accident that left him disfigured and required extensive plastic surgery.  He then went down the path of self destruction after his accident  and was considered unemployable by the 1960s.  I agree, it is so very sad.

 I know. His accident was caused by alcohol. His best friend Elizabeth Taylor pulled teeth from his throat and pretty much helped save his life --she was the first person to arrive on the scene after the car crash. The reason he was "unemployable" was that no one wanted to insure him. He had so many issues dealing with his success and his sexuality that he was a deeply troubled man. I wonder what his life would have been like if he was born these days instead of back then -when NO one talked about homosexuality. It hurts me to think all he suffered through. I honestly think it might have been different if he'd been a gay man today- not then.

You've got my interest peaked Fanny- I'd really like to see Lonelyhearts now! Over the years he's really become a favorite of mine. I've always felt his talent was as obvious and as his pain was.... both almost seemed with him since day one. The bio "Monty" about him is wonderful- I highly recommend it.

 

 

[suomi]

What a great actor! My favorite movie of his is "The Big Lift".

[roseisrose]

 

Quoting suomi:

What a great actor! My favorite movie of his is "The Big Lift".

 I haven't seen this one-- I'll have to check it out, thanks :)