Born in 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, Clift was raised like an aristocrat, with a private tutor and frequent trips to Europe. 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. A seeming exception was one in his final years with a man named Lorenzo who had been hired to help him. In addition to lingering effects of dysentery and chronic colitis, an underactive thyroid was later revealed during the autopsy. In the Spotlight Like them, Clift was comfortable with the full contours, and consequences, of his beauty, playing the object in a way previously preserved for female stars. He earned an Academy Award nomination for his work, displaying some of his old acting chops. The song alludes to his car crash and drug abuse, as well as the movies A Place in the Sun, Red River, From Here to Eternity, and The Misfits, before closing with what Rolling Stone magazine describes as "a grudging admiration that becomes unexpectedly and astonishingly moving. He was not worried [about being gay], Larson asserts in the film. Another confidant said his personal life didnt bother him. He used them to numb his physical pain. [95], Clift was also friends with Marlon Brando, who dropped by his home offering to accompany him to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. A Place in the Sun was critically acclaimed; Charlie Chaplin called it "the greatest movie made about America". Rock Hudson Visited Doris Day Before His Death While Hiding His Illness . [13][14] The Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression of the 1930s ruined Clift's father financially; Bill was forced to downsize and move to Chicago to take a new job while Sunny continued traveling with the children. Kim Morgan writes in her not-to-be-missed essay on Clift: Clift' s eyes held secrets, and not merely the secrets we know about after discovering his real life. "[17] Clift spent a short time at the Dalton School in Manhattan but struggled with traditional schooling. He was only 15 years old, but this wasn't just a fun pastimeit was serious business. Liz, caught up in filming and Richard Burton in Paris, sent flowers to the funeral. After completing John Huston's Freud: The Secret Passion (1962), Universal Studios sued him for his frequent absences that caused the film to go over budget. And Jack Larson suggests that Clift preferred his work after the accident. The condition (among other things) lowers blood pressure; it could have caused Clift to appear drunk or drugged when he was sober. Monty Clift looking every bit his age. or 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. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Create great digital art on your favorite topics from celebrities to anime, emo, goth, fantasy, vintage, and more! Clift's second film role, though it premiered first that same year, was The Search which earned him his first nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Who Is Julian Sands' Wife? Then again, nothing about Clifts life was expected. A critical and commercial success, the film was nominated for two Academy Awards.[29]. At the time, Clift was encouraged to hide his sexuality because it would destroy his career as a leading man in Hollywood. 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. He needed a lot of plastic surgery to repair his face, according to the Los Angeles Times. He insisted on performing his stunts himself, including swimming in the river Elbe in March. He described their relationship with fondness and kept taped film reels of Clift and the company of There Shall Be No Night enjoying leisure time together. A studio portrait of Montgomery Clift before his accident on 01 January, 1940 | Photo: Getty Images. "Georgia" meant bad, "Florida" very bad, and "Zanzibar" unworkable. Which gives that narrative a lot of traction. When he resumed filming on "Raintree County," he was a different man, one left in chronic pain because of the accident. 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. This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 06:50. Gardner recalled the 'rumours' of Clift's 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. 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 . 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. The New York Times' obituary noted his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men". He advanced a collaborative approach with his directors, working over scripts and making suggestions for edits. [62] In a taped telephone conversation with his brother, Clift's mother stated she had known Clift was homosexual early on. 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). Clift countersued with the assertion that he struggled to keep up with an overwhelming volume of last-minute script revisions and that an accidental blow to both eyes on set gave him cataracts. Clift, Robert Anderson and Hillary Demmon (2018). He was only 12 years old when he appeared in a production of "As Husbands Go" in Sarasota. To help build their case, the film-makers had rare access to the actors archives. Clift, however, was so unsteady and unstable while filming "Freud" (1962) that his movie studio brought a lawsuit against him (via Vanity Fair). Continued pain from his injuries led him to rely on alcohol and pills for relief as he had done after an earlier bout with dysentery left him with chronic intestinal problems. Elizabeth Taylor put her salary on the line as insurance in order to have Clift cast as her co-star in Reflections in a Golden Eye, to be directed by John Huston. [71], Clift was deeply and intensely involved with Broadway choreographer Jerome Robbins; very few associates were aware of how intimate and emotionally charged the relationship between the pair was. It wasn't long before he made his way to New York City. 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Though Prince William and Princess Kate returned to the awards show for the first time since 2020, several other stars looked regal as they graced the red carpet too. Clift required intensive physical therapy as well. Here, a primer on a little-understood ingredient, plus 15 products that address everything from wrinkles to dark spots. [31] MGM distributed the film nationwide as magazines generated massive attention for Clift. Loy responded to him almost visibly, an observer reportedly once said. Ad Choices, The elegant Montgomery Clift once reigned as one of Hollywoods most sought-after leading men, best remembered as the star of iconic films *From Here to Eternity *(1953) and, Jimmy Kimmel Roasts Fragile Snowflake Donald Trump for Allegedly Trying to Censor Him, SAG Awards 2023 Red Carpet Fashion: See All the Looks. On the morning of July 23, 1966, Montgomery Clift's housemate couldn't wake the actor. Some sources have the crash occurring when Clift was leaving the event, while others state he was on his way there. does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. 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. After the car accident, Clift only took on a few more movie roles. Clift was there, as were actors Kevin McCarthy and Rock Hudson, and Hudson's wife, Phyllis Gates, per Vanity Fair. In 1966, Clift finished filming his last project, "The Defector," and returned to his New York City apartment. Kevin McCarthy: "Montgomery Clift was brilliant in every way". Were not trying to give a definitive version of who Monty was, added Clift. His father, William Brooks "Bill" Clift (1886-1964), was the vice-president of Omaha National Trust Company. 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. ", Montgomery Clift at London Airport from New York to make the new film "Suddenly, Last Summer" on 13 May, 1959 | Photo: Getty Images. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, Titled Refueling at Albuquerque, New Mexico, in Clifts handwriting. is also about him. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. A bout five years ago, filmmaking duo Robert Clift and Hillary Demmon Clift decided to make a documentary about Robert's long-dead uncle. He suffered a concussion, broken jaw, broken nose, fractured sinuses, fractured cheekbones, and several facial lacerations which required plastic surgery. [36], On the evening of May 12, 1956, while filming Raintree County, Clift was involved in a serious car crash after leaving a dinner party hosted by Elizabeth Taylor and her husband, Michael Wilding. He starts in a blue-collar job in the factory, where he soon begins to date his co-worker Alice Tripp (Shelley Winters). In fact, the attitudes he and his family held towards his relationships with men were strikingly modern. Clift declined, and that morning, at the age of 45, he was dead. does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. He was the first shot fired in the revolution in stage and film acting that. 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. "Red River," which has become a classic western, featured Clift starring opposite John Wayne. His jawbone and front teeth were smashed, which later affected his confidence and led to his decline and sudden death in 1966. Clift had a brother named William Brooks Clift Jr., In one instant Montgomery Clift's life changed forever. 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. I have visited him there. [49][50] On a taped phone call, Clift said that he played the character in a way that "holds onto himself, in spite of himself" with dignity.[51]. Happy Birthday, Montgomery Clift. His father, William Brooks "Bill" Clift (18861964), was the vice-president of Omaha National Trust Company. Clift was unhappy with the quality of the script, and reworked it himself. This class of ingredients comes with science-backed performance, though not all peptides are alike. [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. She left him when one of his beatings made. His main acting rival (and fellow Omaha native), Marlon Brando, was so moved by Clift's performance that he voted for Clift to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, sure that he would win. Little did he know, he was always destined for something more. advocates for a healthy discussion about the instances of violence, abuse, sexual misconduct, animal cruelty, abuse etc. SAG Awards 2023: The Red Carpet Goes Pink. [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]. Before shooting began on A Place in the Sun, Paramount Pictures arranged for Elizabeth to be Clift's date at the premiere of his film, The Heiress. He was filming "Raintree County," which also starred Taylor and Lee Marvin. The story of Clift's devastating car crash varies somewhat from one account to the next. Paramount executive Luigi Luraschi remembered that Taylor, just like many American teenagers, seemed "unmistakably in love" with Clift around the time of filming A Place in the Sun,[59] which commenced soon after their premiere outing. No evidence was found that suggested foul play or suicide. Her romantic interest in him evolved into an intense friendship after he revealed her that he was gay (some sources say he was bisexual). Look magazine gave him its Achievement Award and called him "the most promising star on the Hollywood horizon. American actor Montgomery Clift (1920 - 1966), circa 1950. 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. Life once described them as soul mates, and added: That Clift was gay made little difference in the intensity and duration of the two stars adoration of one another. The pair first starred together in the 1951 film A Place in the Sun; Clifts early nickname for the actress was Bessie Mae. They also appeared together in Raintree County (1957) and Suddenly, Last Summer (1959). 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. Edward Montgomery "Monty" Clift (/ m n t m r i /; October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966) was an American actor.A four-time Academy Award nominee, The New York Times said he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men". Above is a photo of American actor Montgomery Clift's automobile after it skidded off a dark road and smashed into a telephone pole. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. [6] His mother was Ethel Fogg "Sunny" Clift ( ne Anderson; 1888-1988). SAG Awards 2023: See the 34 Best-Dressed Stars. All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. Kramer, Stanley and Thomas M. Coffey (1997). Thats not what people would expect from a mother in that period.. He also talked publicly for the first time about his 1956 car accident, the injuries he received, and its aftereffects on his appearance. 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. It was reported that Hutson was homophobic towards Clift after news of him being with a male reporter broke. Montgomery Clift (1920-1966) is one of the most tragic figures in Hollywood history. Thats why his work doesnt feel dated, Demmon said. The film received added media attention due to the rumors that Clift and co-star Elizabeth Taylor were dating in real life. If he had lived, Clift would have . Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in a scene from the 1951 movie, "A Place in the Sun." 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