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Help us build our profile of Marlon Brando! About In the rife, overstuffed annals of Hollywood, few real-life love stories can match that of Liz Taylor and Montgomery Clift. 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. ': 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. 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. Montgomery Clift had the most earnest of faces: big, pleading eyes, a set jaw, and the sort of immaculate side part we havent seen since. I do not count myself as a member of the ripped-sweatshirt fraternity.. Clift once said, The closer we come to the negative, to death, the more we blossom. He took himself to that precipice, but he fell straight in. Although he may not have realized it, Clifts horrific accident sparked the beginning of the end, intensifying his preexisting ailments and sending him down a dark path from which he could never return. There were even speculations that he was warned about being gay. Years before, Clift had battled dysentery, which introduced him to the sinister side effects of pain management. While driving, he fell asleep at the wheel and the consequences were utterly gruesome. During her appearance at the GLAAD Media Awards, Taylor openly spoke about her late friends sexuality while she addressed the rights of gay people. There are a few versions that detail the aftermath of Clifts accident, but one has all the drama of a motion picture itself. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Of course, Clift didnt walk away unscathed either. He was a great talent but the male counterpart to Monroe, lonely, sad, and pitiful. Some believe that Clifts romantic leanings were much less of a secret than originally thought. He worked on a summer production where his talents blossomed and it opened an auspicious doorone that would seal his fate forever. Every actor was in the midst of fighting their own demons. Unlike many of his handsome contemporaries, he never had a blonde bombshell hanging off his arm. Luckily, although the public was out for blood, there was one woman on his side. His beat-up car was 10 years old, and his best friends were all outside of the movie business. 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. Then again, nothing about Clifts life was expected. He surely wasnt a suave Prince Charming, and yet, on-screen, he was a downright masterpiece. A four-time Academy Award nominee, The New York Times said he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men". RIP GEORGOUS MONTY. That, combined with his spiraling alcohol addiction, wrung the youth right out of the handsome actor. This was entertainment at its finest. When The Heiresscame out, Clifts loyal fanatics came with their claws out and wrote vicious letters to Olivia de Havilland for rejecting Clifts character in the film. Jennifer Jones (Actor), Montgomery Clift (Actor), Vittorio De Sica (Director) Format: DVD 127 ratings IMDb 6.2/10.0 $797 Prime Video $0.99 $2.99 Blu-ray $14.99 DVD $7.97 VHS Tape $4.73 See More Frequently bought together + + Total price: $27.95 Add all three to Cart Some of these items ship sooner than the others. But even Monroe reported that Clift was the only person I know who is in even worse shape than I am. The pictures from the set are as poignant as they are heartbreaking: its as if all three were meditating on their respective declines, and theres a sad, peaceful resignation at the difference between what their bodies could do and how people wanted to remember them. . Luckily, over time, they clawed their way back to financial security. 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 when he climbed into the room, he discovered something absolutely gut-wrenching. Contact sheet from LIFE photographer Peter Stackpoles shoot with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in 1950. 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. But just as Clift dove into this exciting new chapter, an unforeseen tragedy changedeverything. to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. His father, William Brooks "Bill" Clift (1886-1964), was the vice-president of Omaha National Trust Company. It was reported that Taylor even tried to help him find a partner. He naturally gravitated to the theater. 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. He called it as he saw it, describing himself as an ordinary, second-class wolf.. . He believed that the media often, and easily, twisted the truth until it disappeared entirely: I learned that most writers dont need interviews to write about me. 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. 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. His decline was never explicitly evoked, but with his visage in Raintree County, it was there for all to see. While filming his next picture, Lonelyhearts (1958), Clift lashed out, proclaiming, I am notrepeat nota member of the Beat Generation. 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. Little did he know, he was always destined for something more. 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. Making Montgomery Clift, which was co-directed by Clift's nephew Robert Clift (and Robert's wife Hillary. This year the young man . You see, the reason behind Montgomery Clifts barren dating life was rather simple: He was gay. Whether morally repulsive or philosophically compelling, The Misfits bombed, only to be recuperated, years later, as a masterpiece of the revisionist genre. But the documentary notes Clift made as many movies after the accident as before, and that those projects included some of his most acclaimed performances. I thought he was dead. McCarthy ran to fetch Taylor, Wilding, and Rock Hudson and Hudsons wife, Phyllis Gates, who all raced to the site of the accident. Montgomery Clift was in relationships with Sal Mineo, Paul Newman, Henry Willson, Jack Larson, William LeMassena, Libby Holman, Maurice Leonard and Arnold Saint Subber. After all, his leading lady was none other than the beguiling Elizabeth Taylor, and together, these two stars were pure fire. Thanks for your help! 5 talking about this. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. With unprecedented control over the projects he starred in, Clift agreed to do the romantic drama, The Heiress. The decline continued. 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. He also helped bring a more natural acting style to film. Some of the greatest celebrities of the day came out to mourn Clift at his funeral, including Lauren Bacall and Frank Sinatra. 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. . 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. He pleaded with her to make changes to her book to correct the mischaracterizations. 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. When he came to visit storied fan-magazine author Elsa Maxwell at her home, she had her maid darn the elbow in his jacket. For example, in 1956 Taylor likely saved Clifts life when, after he crashed his car leaving a party at her home, she raced to the wreck and literally pulled from his mouth broken teeth on which he had begun to choke. It turned into John Cassavetes' "Too Late Blues," with Bobby Darrin. 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. American Actor Montgomery Clift was born Edward Montgomery Clift on 17th October, 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA and passed away on 23rd Jul 1966 Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA aged 45. You couldn't help but come. He was one of Hollywoods most desirable leading men, but mystery shrouded his entire private life. An inside look at the actors secretive love life. Were always looking for your input! She once lovingly described how she was in awe of the star actor's perfect facial features. Clift was there, as were actors Kevin McCarthy and Rock Hudson, and Hudson's wife, Phyllis Gates, per Vanity Fair. But while Clift certainly seemed like a budding Hollywood heartthrob on the outside, in reality, he wasfar from it. But when his nephew dives into the family archives, a much more complicated picture emerges. "Monty," as the performer was known to family and . He was born in Omaha, Nebraska on 1920-10-17. 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. In all honesty, his face wasnt horribly changed at all, but there was one shocking difference. But while his siblings enrolled in prestigious schools, Montgomery Clift went hurtling in a completely different direction. Elizabeth Taylor stuck by her friends, and Montgomery Clift undoubtedly claimed a special spot in her heart. . Free shipping for many products! Sadly, his greatest friend Elizabeth Taylor could only send flowers from Rome. Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), Columbia Pictures, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Larger Than Life Facts About Milton Berle, The King Of TV, Vulgar Facts About Lenny Bruce, Stand-Up Comedys Virtuous Villain, Daring Facts About Gina Lollobrigida, Golden Hollywoods Last Survivor, Stunning Facts About Yvonne De Carlo, The Technicolor Queen. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Montgomery Clift was an undeniably attractive man, and before long, he'd cultivated a rather passionate female fan base. When the press talked about Clift, they talked about the skill and the beauty, but they also talked about what an offbeat, weird guy he was. Allegedly, hed been forewarned that the truth would destroy his career, and as a result, the actor became increasingly wary of appearing feminine in any way. Dazzling Facts About Elizabeth Taylor, The Queen Of Hollywood, Stabbed In The Back: These Real-Life Betrayals Are Straight Up Brutal, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Plot Twist: These Surprise Endings Made Our Jaws Hit The Floor, These Ultra-Spoiled Brats Made Our Eyes Roll Into Our Heads. Close friends, such as actor Kevin McCarthy and his wife, tried to get Clift to slow down and dry out, but their pleas . Prior to leaving by train for Paris, a married American woman tries to break off her affair with a young Italian in Rome's Stazione Termini. Follow her on Twitter @lizabethronk. Soon, the washed-up actor was completely out of work. In 1925 Theodore Dreiser [told such a tale in his] long, oppressively powerful novel, An American Tragedy, which in turn made only a fair movie in 1931. He could watch the real grit of humanity play out before himthe court a stage for some of the most sensational high-profile cases. Monty brought a different masculinity to the screen, said Demmon. But her heroism didnt end there. 2023 Cond Nast. He was, in his words, nothing more than an ordinary, second-class wolf., These anecdotes, and dozens like them, would establish Clift, along with Brando, as the embodiment of 50s youth culture, rebelling against conformity and all that postwar Americans were supposed to embrace. Courtesy Everett Collection Elizabeth was more visible than the publicity-shy Monty. 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. Horrified, James immediately called for help, but of course, it was already too late. In 1951, Clift embarked upon one of his most famous roles as George Eastman inA Place in the Sun. It was a huge wager: since everyone knew how much booze and pills Clift was on, he was virtually uninsurable on set. However, this was no quick fix. Fellow actor Kevin McCarthy was driving ahead of Clift when the horror show went down. We bring you all the headlines and gossip in one place! Many Hollywood stars have committed versions of the long suicide. Taylor immediately stuck her delicate, little hand down his throat and removed the obstruction. 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. Clift was off the Hollywood scene for four years, within which his career declined. yo tambien hubiera tenido algo con el claro que si, Monty, I love you. ), William Brooks Clift, Jr. (19191986) (Aged 66 Or 67) (Who Had An Illegitimate Son With Actress Kim Stanley And Was Later Married To Political Reporter Eleanor Clift. 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. 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. He was such a mess on the set of Freud (1962) that Universal sued him. Clifts early foray into acting led him to a Broadway debut in 1935. While on his way back, he had an accident. . 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 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. Director Joseph Mankiewicz tried to replace Clift, but Taylor and co-star Katharine Hepburn defended and supported him. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. 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. Unlike many other actors, he didnt jump straight into a contract. ", However, it became more eminent that his single status bordered on his sexuality as time went on. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, Hollywood, 1950. Montgomery Clift was in 8 on-screen matchups, including Anne Baxter in I Confess (1953), Elizabeth Taylor in A Place in the Sun (1951), Dolores Hart in Lonelyhearts (1958), Donna Reed in From Here to Eternity (1953) and Jennifer Jones in Indiscretion of an American Wife (1953). Clift and Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor first became acquainted when they played counterparts on George Stevens's "A Place in the Sun."