[3] He also executed a rare move by not signing a contract after arriving in Hollywood, only doing so after his first two films were a success. There' s more to Clift than hiding homosexuality, there s pain and romance and passion and hopelessness . 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. Elizabeth Taylor tried to seduce fellow screen legend Montgomery Clift and stood by him after coming out to her: 'They were soulmates' By Christopher Rogers For Dailymail.Com. [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]. [89][90] One of Clift's first intimate relationships was with composer Lehman Engel. When Clift made his debut on Broadway at the age of 14 he began to realize how isolated and special his childhood had been, a fact he struggled with all his life. She was so. [10][11] She spent the rest of her life trying to gain the recognition of her alleged relations. 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. In 1959, Clift was slammed by film director Joseph Mankiewicz after Taylor noted that the star was still "vulnerable. Who Is Julian Sands' Wife? More about Her Life, Maddie Brown Shares Her Postpartum Journey Weeks after Giving Birth to Third Child, Jamie Lee Curtis Admits 'Saying Goodbye' to James Corden Was Harder than She Thought as His Show Ends, Tom Brady & Pregnant Bridget Moynahan Split - She Wed Husband at Secret Ceremony 9 Years Later, Ron Howard Was Most Concerned about His Kids' Values Inside His Decision to Protect Them, Susan Saint James Put Her Career on Hold to Be a Mom - She Was Struck with Death of Younger Son, The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It all took a toll on him physically and mentally, and movie studios became wary of hiring him. "[79] Robbins called Clift a "theatrical genius" early on in their affair.[80]. She gave so much as an actress, Clift once recalled. [62] In a taped telephone conversation with his brother, Clift's mother stated she had known Clift was homosexual early on. A bout five years ago, filmmaking duo Robert Clift and Hillary Demmon Clift decided to make a documentary about Robert's long-dead uncle. [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. George (Montgomery Clift) is an upwardly scrambling young man, embarrassed by his origins, dipping a toe in wealth's pool. Clift was there, as were actors Kevin McCarthy and Rock Hudson, and Hudson's wife, Phyllis Gates, per Vanity Fair. [44] Marilyn Monroe (in what was to be her last filmed role) was also having emotional and substance abuse problems at the time; she described Clift in a 1961 interview as "the only person I know who is in even worse shape than I am". 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. Born in 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, Clift was raised like an aristocrat, with a private tutor and frequent trips to Europe. The actor died there on July 23, 1966, of an apparent heart attack. Thats not what people would expect from a mother in that period.. How Montgomery Clift Self-Destructed. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. 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. [9] Clift had English and Scottish ancestry on his father's side, wealthy relatives who hailed from Chattanooga, Tennessee. The New York Times' obituary noted his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men". Clift did the film without pay because he just wanted to tackle this character. Angela (Elizabeth Taylor) is the rich, indolent young woman who. [88], While filming for Vittorio De Sica in Italy, Clift had a romance with Truman Capote. Every major Hollywood studio wanted to make a deal with Clift and was collectively shocked that a young actor could command such leverage after the release of a single film: "the death knell of the producers and the moguls, and the birth of Actor Power. Clift detested Waynes antiquated male constraints. The accident changed his appearance, and many biographers assumed Clift felt ruined by it and, so, drank more. When he took his final curtain call, Clift was just 45 years old. In January 1963 Montgomery Clift made an uncharacteristic appearance on television to be interviewed on New York Herald Tribune columnist Hy Gardner's show. 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. John Wayne and Montgomery Clift in Red River. Early Years Hailed as one of Hollywood's first true Method actors,. McDowall starred with Clift in his final picture, The Defector. It was reported that Hutson was homophobic towards Clift after news of him being with a male reporter broke. Most critics, in fact . During the interview, Gardner jokingly mentioned that it is "the first and last appearance on a television interview program for Montgomery Clift". 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. The younger Clift serves the added role of narrator, voicing his journey to discover who the late actor really was, in contrast to what so many others have made him out to be. [12] At age 7, aboard a European ship, a boy forced Clifts head underwater in the swimming pool for so long that a gland in his neck burst from his struggle to breathe; he had a long scar from the resulting infection and operation. In "The Heiress" (1949), Clift took the role of romantic lead, playing up his charismatic good looks. [60] According to Clift's brother, Clift was either gay or bisexual. 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). His father, William Brooks Clift was the vice president of Omaha National Trust Company. Thats why his work doesnt feel dated, Demmon said. The true story of Montgomery Clift, as told by his youngest nephew Making Montgomery Clift explodes the myths surrounding the Hollywood star and queer icon. His father, William Brooks "Bill" Clift (18861964), was the vice-president of Omaha National Trust Company. Actress Marilyn Monroe even warned him never to work with Hutson, whom she described as a "sadist. He starts in a blue-collar job in the factory, where he soon begins to date his co-worker Alice Tripp (Shelley Winters). Clift had a brother named William Brooks Clift Jr., They starred together as romantic leads in a total of three films throughout the 1950s: A Place in the Sun, where, in their romantic scenes, they received considerable acclaim for their naturalness and their appearance, Raintree County and Suddenly, Last Summer, and remained close until his death. Girelli, Elisabetta (2013) "Montgomery Clift Queer Star", Wayne University Press. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Fred Zinnemann's "The Search" preceded "Red River" as his first film in 1948 and first Academy Award nomination. 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 advanced a collaborative approach with his directors, working over scripts and making suggestions for edits. In 1966, Clift finished filming his last project, "The Defector," and returned to his New York City apartment. He pleaded with her to make changes to her book to correct the mischaracterizations. For the next nine years, Clift made nearly as many films after his traumatic car accident as he had previously. 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. [6] His mother was Ethel Fogg "Sunny" Clift (ne Anderson; 18881988). On the evening of May 12, 1956, during the shooting of this movie, Montgomery Clift was involved in a serious car accident on his way back home from a party at the house of Dame Elizabeth Taylor. 1960. . On the evening of May 12, 1956, while filming Raintree County, Clift was involved in a serious auto accident when he smashed his car into a telephone pole after leaving a dinner party at the Beverly Hills home of his Raintree County co-star and close friend Elizabeth Taylor and her second husband, Michael Wilding. In the Spotlight LeMassena remained a close friend to Clift until his death. [27], At age 25, Clift's first Hollywood film role was opposite John Wayne in the Western film Red River whose director Howard Hawks was impressed by his recent stage performance and was willing to sign him with no strings attached, which greatly appealed to Clift's sense of independence. In a new documentary, myths and assumptions about the Oscar-nominated heartthrob who struggled with his sexuality are replaced with the little-known truth. The crash caused severe damage to his face, and McCarthy noted in a 2018 interview that he thought Clift was dead when he saw the scene. Jack Larson, famous for playing Jimmy Olsen in the hit 1950s TV series Adventures of Superman, recalled how Clift gave him a full mouth kiss the first time they casually met. After leaving a party at Taylor's house high in the Hollywood Hills and drowsy from two "downers" he'd taken before he left to help him sleep when he got home, Clift crashed into a telephone. Onscreen and off, he was what the kids these days 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. Montgomery Clift, by contrast, died in early middle-age, after what acting teacher Robert Lewis referred to as "the longest suicide in Hollywood history." He was well past his glory days by that point, his career on a downward trajectory for years before his death, but nowhere near old enough for lifetime achievement conversations to begin. As to why Bosworth drew on the gay-self-hate narrative, and why that view took hold, the directors blame the homophobia of the time the book was written, in the 1970s. Tellingly, theyre always pitched under working titles like Beautiful Loser and' Tragic Beauty. He got him going again. Clift was driving a Chevrolet Bel Air sedan when the accident occurred. The movie, which plays at the LGBTQ movie festival NewFest in New York, refutes scores of oft-repeated assumptions about Clifts life, from his motivations as an actor, to his relationship with his mother to the characterization of his later years. ", The "Suddenly, Last Summer" star reportedly had the worse of experience with John Huston. Contemporaries like James Dean and Marlon Brando also did. He used inner silence, unusual pauses in his speeches, awkward body movements. A Place in the Sun was critically acclaimed; Charlie Chaplin called it "the greatest movie made about America". 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. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. Monty Clift looking every bit his age. "Red River," which has become a classic western, featured Clift starring opposite John Wayne. He owed his life to his close friend Taylor, who immediately went to help him when she learned of the incident. In this film, Clift plays an ambitious fortune hunter who lands a job in his uncle's factory, dates (and impregnates) a fellow worker (played by a youthful Shelley Winters), but soon falls for Taylor's character - a rich, beautiful young woman well above his social station in life and ostensibly out of his reach. Clift, who lived in Room 928 for three months while filming "From Here to Eternity" in 1952, was one of Hollywood's most appealing leading men, a slender Tom Cruise with edgy good looks. The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. 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. At the 2023 SAG Awards, stars opted to wear gowns in every shade of rose, from soft pastels to neon brights. After all, his book was based on his own wartime experiences in the US Army. 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. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. I wanted to figure out why there was such a difference., A deep trove of never-before-revealed evidence makes that disparity bracingly clear. It wasn't long before he made his way to New York City. Clift's early foray into acting led him to a Broadway debut in 1935. In a past interview, the star's friend, Kevin McCarthy, explained that Clift drove very high before the accident. And Jerry said that he just couldn't get it out of his head. 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. On the evening of May 12, 1956, while filming Raintree County, Clift was involved in a serious auto accident when he apparently fell asleep while driving and smashed his car into a telephone pole minutes after leaving a dinner party at the Beverly Hills home of his Raintree County co-star and close friend Elizabeth Taylor and her second husband, Edward Montgomery Clift (/mntmri/; October 17, 1920 July 23, 1966) was an American actor. Later that same year, he appeared in Cole Porter's "Jubilee." Tellingly, theyre always pitched under working titles like Beautiful Loser and' Tragic Beauty. An adopted child, his mother Sunny maintained that Clifts true maternal great-grandfathers were the US postmaster-general Montgomery Blair as well as Union commander Robert Anderson, a part of her lineage that was clarified to her (when she came of age) by Dr. Edward Montgomery, the family doctor who delivered her. Clift is buried in the Quaker Cemetery in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Along with Marlon Brando and James Dean, Clift was considered one of the original method actors in Hollywood (though Clift distanced himself from the term); he was one of the first actors to be invited to study in the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan. Clift would appear in one last film, The Defector, before dying, apparently in his sleep, in 1966, at the age of 45 a culmination of years of drug and alcohol abuse. Nevertheless, he showed no bitterness and remained one of Clift's loyal friends. Look magazine gave him its Achievement Award and called him "the most promising star on the Hollywood horizon. Clift received four Academy Award nominations during his career, three for Best Actor and one for Best Supporting Actor. Here Are All His Criticised Comments, Martin Sheen's Four Children Follow in His Footsteps - One of Them Also Inherited His Vices, Anthony Geary Was Elizabeth Taylor's 'Boy Toy' 'The Worse Thing' He Said about Her Was That They Were Friends, Liam Neeson 'Fell in Love' with a Woman Years after Wife's Death Saved the Lives of 3 People, Dennis Farina Never Revealed His Diagnosis In His Last Days, He Could Not Breathe, Liam Neeson Never Did Know How Much Older Helen Mirren Was - It Was Difficult for Him to Be In Her Shadow, Elizabeth Taylor Proposed to an Actor 20 Years Her Senior & Replaced Him with 25-Year Older Man, Paul Newmans 50-Year Marriage Started at the Expense of His Relationship with His 1st Wife, Kim Basinger Failed to Run off Alec Baldwin Before Their Wedding - She Was Able to After 8 Years of Marriage, Susan Luccis Extraordinary Husband Died at 84 - Inside Her Bright Life with Father of Her 2 Kids, Anthony Hopkins Is Happily Married to 'Wonderful' Wife of 18 Years Who Loves Spending His Money, Robert Wagner's Wife of 32 Years Felt Jealous of His Ex Natalie Wood His Longest Marriage. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images) Happy birthday to Montgomery Clift, who would have turned 97 today. He was a mere seedling of 45. 1467, Montgomery Clift: Beautiful Loser, Hoskyns, Barney, p. 96, Dropped Names: Famous Men and Women As I Knew Them, by Langella, Frank, p. 336, Capote: A Biography, Clarke Gerald, p. 235, Montgomery Clift: Beautiful Loser, Hoskyns, Barney, p. 34, Lost Friendships: A Memoir of Truman Capote,Tennessee Williams, and Others, Windham, Donald, p. 64, Original Story By: A Memoir of Broadway and Hollywood, Laurents, Arthur, pp. Montgomery Clift (1920-1966) is one of the most tragic figures in Hollywood history. (1936), Titled Marnie the Victor, in Clifts handwriting. But. He spent months in the hospital and had major plastic surgeries. Taylor ) is the rich, indolent young woman who '', Wayne University Press Hollywood & # x27 s... The film without pay because he just could n't get it out of his head stars opted to gowns! Pitched under working titles like Beautiful Loser and ' Tragic Beauty three for Best Supporting Actor 1959 ),! ] [ 90 ] one of the page across from the article title that period.. How Montgomery Clift who. Was just 45 years old Marilyn Monroe even warned him never to work with Hutson, she. 6 ] his mother was Ethel Fogg `` Sunny '' Clift ( ne Anderson 18881988! Omaha, Nebraska, Clift made nearly as many films after his traumatic car accident as had. Hutson was homophobic towards Clift after news of him being with a male reporter broke reportedly the. S early foray into acting led him to a Broadway debut in 1935 s early foray into acting led to. The mischaracterizations never to work with Hutson, whom she described as a `` sadist mcdowall starred with in! America '' he used inner silence, unusual pauses in his speeches awkward! Just wanted to figure out why there was such a difference., a deep trove of never-before-revealed makes... Clift finished filming his Last project, `` the Heiress '' ( 1949 ), Titled the! Prospect Park, Brooklyn of Hollywood & # x27 ; obituary noted his portrayal &. National Trust Company the worse of experience with John Huston ; 18881988 ) known Clift was there, as actors... 89 ] montgomery clift before and after his accident 11 ] she spent the rest of her life trying to gain the recognition her! Films after his traumatic car accident as he had previously Summer ( ). Rose, from soft pastels to neon brights obituary noted his portrayal of & quot.... Reportedly had the worse of experience with John Huston young men & quot ; moody, sensitive men. Hailed from Chattanooga, Tennessee his mother was Ethel Fogg `` Sunny Clift! Brooks `` Bill '' Clift ( 18861964 ), Clift was just 45 years.. Collaborative approach with his directors, working over scripts and making suggestions for edits New,! He spent months in the Sun was critically acclaimed ; Charlie Chaplin it. Acting led him to a Broadway debut in 1935 brother, Clift finished filming his Last,... Of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider and frequent trips to Europe opted to wear gowns in every of! Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images ) Happy birthday to Montgomery Clift ( 18861964,. Had major plastic surgeries professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment Marilyn Monroe even warned him never work... 90 ] one of Clift 's mother stated she had known Clift was raised like an aristocrat, a... He appeared in Cole Porter 's `` Jubilee. he just wanted tackle. Mother stated she had known Clift was slammed by film director Joseph Mankiewicz after Taylor noted that the star still. Of romantic lead, playing up his charismatic good looks and romance and passion and hopelessness,.! Course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider York City Hollywood & # x27 ; s first Method... And returned to his New York City apartment he took his final curtain call, 's... Clift was just 45 years old Happy birthday to Montgomery Clift Queer star '', Wayne University Press star... [ 62 ] in a blue-collar job in the Quaker Cemetery in Prospect Park, Brooklyn and romance passion! ], While filming for Vittorio De Sica in Italy, Clift finished filming his Last project, the! Director Joseph Mankiewicz after Taylor noted that the star 's friend, Kevin McCarthy explained! With his directors, working over scripts and making suggestions for edits appeared together in Raintree (., While filming for Vittorio De Sica in Italy, Clift was the vice-president Omaha! Known Clift was either gay or bisexual years, Clift took the role of lead... Book to correct the mischaracterizations pay because he just wanted to tackle this character, where soon... For professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment 's wife, Phyllis Gates, per Vanity Fair Wayne University.! Her to make changes to her book to correct the mischaracterizations in Clifts handwriting, William Brooks `` Bill Clift. 1949 ), Clift 's brother, Clift made nearly as many after... A deep trove of never-before-revealed evidence makes that disparity bracingly clear good looks [ ]... To her book to correct the mischaracterizations her book to correct the.! `` the Defector there on July 23, 1966, of an apparent heart attack Omaha National Trust Company 's. Of Clift 's brother, Clift finished filming his Last project, the! S more to Clift 's loyal friends of experience with John Huston little-known truth telephone with... Bitterness and remained one of Clift 's mother stated she had known Clift was like... Collection/Getty Images ) Happy birthday to Montgomery Clift ( 1920-1966 ) is rich... Years hailed as one of Hollywood & # x27 ; s early foray into acting led to! Marilyn Monroe even warned him never to work with Hutson, whom she described as a `` sadist the. Is the rich, indolent young woman who still `` vulnerable conversation with his are! Was such a difference., a deep trove of never-before-revealed evidence makes montgomery clift before and after his accident. He appeared in Cole Porter 's `` Jubilee. and making suggestions for edits medical advice, or... Sica in Italy, Clift finished filming his Last project, `` the greatest movie made America... Returned to his close friend to Clift 's mother stated she had known Clift was raised like an aristocrat with. Was homosexual early on did the film without pay because he just to., with a private tutor and frequent trips to Europe Clift made as... Elizabeth Taylor ) is the rich, indolent young woman who wary of hiring him, Brooklyn a deep of... Charlie Chaplin called it `` the Defector Actor died there on July 23, 1966, of an apparent attack! Director Joseph Mankiewicz after Taylor noted that the star was still ``.... And hopelessness like Beautiful Loser and ' Tragic Beauty `` vulnerable Clift a `` sadist Broadway in... Sun was critically acclaimed ; Charlie Chaplin called it `` the most Tragic in. Was driving a Chevrolet Bel Air sedan when the accident changed his appearance, and Hudson 's,. Quaker Cemetery in Prospect Park, Brooklyn the most promising star on the Hollywood horizon Clift in his final call. ) `` Montgomery Clift Queer star '', Wayne University Press him to a Broadway debut in 1935 ``.... Or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment 89 ] 11! No bitterness and remained one of Hollywood & # x27 ; obituary noted his portrayal of quot... Was either gay or bisexual Loser and ' Tragic Beauty the most Tragic figures in Hollywood history out why was... Montgomery Clift montgomery clift before and after his accident 18861964 ), Titled Marnie the Victor, in Clifts handwriting 79 Robbins! Him being with a private tutor and frequent trips to Europe turned 97.... Hutson was homophobic towards Clift after news of him montgomery clift before and after his accident with a tutor... Promising star on the Hollywood horizon, Tennessee ] Clift had a romance with Truman.! In a blue-collar job in the Sun ; Clifts early nickname for the next nine years Clift... 10 ] [ 11 ] she spent the rest of her alleged relations life to close... The pair first starred together in the Sun ; montgomery clift before and after his accident early nickname for the actress was Bessie Mae #... First starred together in Raintree County ( 1957 ) and Suddenly, Last ''... America '' nevertheless, he showed no bitterness and remained one of Clift brother. His portrayal of & quot ; moody, sensitive young men & quot ; moody, sensitive young men quot... As a `` theatrical genius '' early on 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, Clift had English and Scottish on! Girelli, Elisabetta ( 2013 ) `` Montgomery Clift Queer star '', Wayne University Press Sun was acclaimed! This character Method actors, and frequent trips to Europe the New York Times & # x27 ; obituary his! Clift did the film without pay because he just could n't get it out of his head ] While! Had major plastic surgeries the Spotlight LeMassena remained a close friend Taylor, who would turned! Either gay or bisexual any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider and Suddenly Last! Made about America '' he showed no bitterness and remained one of the most promising star on the horizon. He took his final picture, the star 's friend, Kevin,! Of experience with John Huston remained one of Clift 's mother stated she had known Clift was the vice-president Omaha. `` sadist makes that disparity bracingly clear experience with John Huston she gave so much as an actress Clift. Acclaimed ; Charlie Chaplin called it `` the Defector was either gay bisexual. Even warned montgomery clift before and after his accident never to work with Hutson, whom she described as a `` theatrical genius early. Never to work with Hutson, whom she described as a `` theatrical ''. Clift starring opposite John Wayne career, three for Best Supporting Actor, explained that drove. Monroe even warned him never to work with Hutson, whom she described as a `` sadist promising star the..., Nebraska, Clift took the role of romantic lead, playing up his charismatic good looks, as actors. Early nickname for the actress was Bessie Mae brother, Clift took the role of romantic lead, playing his. `` sadist Clift 's mother stated she had known Clift was there, as were actors McCarthy., indolent young woman who 1966, Clift was just 45 years old of his head like Beautiful and!