Happy Birthday, Montgomery Clift!!

Happy 93rd birthday to one of my dearly loved all-time favorite actors...the incredibly talented, positively beautiful Montgomery Clift.  (October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966)

Mr. Clift came into my life through Red River.  Our family had recently gotten into classic films, and my son was interested in watching some John Wayne flicks.  We checked our local library, and one of the DVD's they had was Red River.  I had never even heard of Montgomery Clift prior to then, and I had no idea what to expect.  Wow!  My first viewing of him nearly took my breath away.  I found him to be about the most handsome man I had ever seen (even in the scenes where he needed a shave)---ranking right up there with Rock Hudson and Tyrone Power.  But he wasn't just a beautiful face---on the contrary, he was terrific in his role and more than held his own with the formidable Duke.  Completely smitten, I went on a quest to see more of Clift's works, which brought several 4 and 5-star films into my life, including my all-time favorite Hitchcock film (I Confess) and my all-time favorite movie period (A Place in the Sun).

Sadly, Mr. Clift's life ended much too soon, and his film career consisted of only 17 titles.  I have seen 16 of them, and I expect to catch that final one fairly soon---it's been in some sort of "wait" status in my Classic Flix queue for several months now, so, surely, my time ought to be arising soon. However, there is a bittersweetness to catching this final film (and given that it is The Defector, it really is Monty's final film); yes, I will have watched the entire filmography of this extremely talented and very beloved actor, but once I've seen that film, I'm done.  There will never be another Monty Clift film to discover, and that is a very sad thought indeed.

In March of last year, I took part in a blogging event which paid homage to stars who left us too soon (before the age of 50), and Mr. Clift was the star I chose to honor.  It is my most-visited blog post (with over 5,000 page views) and the one of which I am the most proud.  I feel that if Monty was able to read that post, he would feel honored and loved.  I am not going to restate here all that I wrote in that post, but I'd love to have you read my from-the-heart tribute. (HERE)

So, here's to you, Mr. Montgomery Clift, on your 93rd birthday.  You were a completely fantastic actor who always gave a brilliant performance.  I completely adore you and will always count you among my beloveds and all-time favorite actors.

The Search (1948)

The Search, from 1948, is a somewhat sentimental post-war drama, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Montgomery Clift in his second film appearance.  Also starring Wendell Corey, Aline MacMahon, and Ivan Jandl, The Search provided Mr. Clift with his first Best Actor Academy Award nomination.  According to Clift's biography, Monty considered The Search to be "the most fulfilling artistic experience of his life."  (From Montgomery Clift, a Biography, by Patricia Bosworth.)

The movie begins with a trainload of displaced children arriving at a relief center, where they will be temporarily housed while a search is made for their relatives.  Though the intent of the center is to help, many of the children, having previously been herded onto trains and shipped off to concentration camps, are understandably terrified and untrusting.  One little boy in particular, Karel Malek, is so frightened that he actually finds a way to run away, escaping on his own into war-torn Germany.

Ralph "Steve" Stevenson (Monty Clift), an American soldier still stationed in Germany, happens upon the hungry and frightened little boy.

Feeling that the boy shouldn't be wandering around on his own, Steve feeds him and then takes him back to his apartment, with the intent to locate his parents.

Though fearful and untrusting at first, Karel comes to realize that Steve is his friend and wants to help him.

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Hannah Malek is combing the relief centers in search of the son from whom she was separated at Auschwitz, hoping against hope that he still lives.

A sweet, mildly heart-tugging film, The Search always gets me misty-eyed. Montgomery Clift is extremely good in this Oscar-nominated role, and his chemistry with the little boy (Ivan Jandl) is terrific. Wanting to be completely prepared for his role, before shooting began, Mr. Clift lived for a time in an army engineer's unit, dressed in army fatigues, and toured U. N. Relief and Rehabilitation camps in Germany. He was totally driven to make his character and the film authentic, which resulted in numerous improvisations of the script and endless battles with the film's producer. In the end, though, the film received unanimous acclaim and Monty, who was pleased with his performance, became one of Hollywood's hottest stars.

A solid 4-star film, The Search is definitely worth watching, and since it is available on DVD, it ought to be fairly easy to track down.  If you are a Montgomery Clift fan, or if you like post-war films, definitely see this.  You're sure to enjoy it.



Happy viewing!!!

To Stay in the Sun

The Great Imaginary Film Blogathon begins today over at Silver Scenes.  A "wishful thinking" event, this blogathon gives us the chance to do whatever we can imagine with a film. We might make a movie that's never been made, shake-up the cast of a perennial favorite, even use a different director or locale.  In my case, it's about imagining a non-existent scene in my all-time favorite movie. With nearly two dozen participants, this is sure to be a fantastic blogathon. Go HERE to visit all the other entries.

As stated, my addition to this terrific blogathon is a scene I've imagined from my all-time favorite movie, 1951's A Place in the Sun. Starring October's star of the month (and one of my most beloved guys), Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, and Shelley Winters, this George Stevens film won six Academy Awards (including Best Director for Mr. Stevens) and was nominated for three more.  I absolutely love love love this movie, and no matter how many times I watch it, I always wish it had a different ending than it does.  While I'm not one for spoilers and almost never give any, because of the scene on which my story is based, I will be letting out a bit of the story.  So, if you haven't seen A Place in the Sun, be warned---there are spoilers in this post.

You can read my full synopsis and review of this fantastic movie HERE.  However, for purposes of my imaginary scene, all you need to know is that I see Montgomery Clift's character in a sympathetic light.  While some (make that most) people I know consider George Eastman as no good and rotten to the core, I don't see him that way at all.  Since we're not privy to what is actually going on in George's mind in that very pivotal scene on the lake, I've imagined what he might be thinking.  Of course, my scene---had it actually been a part of the film---would give me the different ending I so desire. When George took the stand in his murder trial and was grilled by none other than beloved Perry Mason in a prosecuting role, these events would have been recalled, proving that Alice's death really was an accident.  While many of y'all may not agree, that is okay, as it seems I often march to the beat of my own drum. So, alone on the planet or not, this is how I see George Eastman.

After a long, hot summer, the early September evening air felt chilly----downright cold even---to George Eastman as he paddled the shabby canoe on the far side of Loon Lake.  A shiver racked George's body, but it wasn’t just the setting sun’s lack of warmth which brought about the shiver.  No, it was much more than that…it was the venomous, coldblooded thoughts coursing through his mind.

Like the proverbial “life flashing before the eyes” final thoughts of a dying man, the pictures flashing through George Eastman’s mind were coming fast and furiously…instantaneously almost…one right on top of the other.  Barely three minutes had passed, but an entire summer’s worth of living had been re-lived in his mind, bringing him to his reason for being on a remote lake just as the sun was setting.

Angela…her exquisite beauty had captivated him from the moment he saw her.  Never had he seen such a stunning creature; truly, she took his breath away.  Yet she hadn’t even noticed him…hadn’t given him the time of day---at first.  God must have been looking with favor upon him, though, because the next time he saw her---at the party at his uncle’s house---she had not only noticed him, but she had talked with him…and danced with him for hours.  By the time the evening ended, George knew there could never be any other woman for him---he was completely, totally, and forever in love with Miss Angela Vickers.

They saw each other again, and to the utter shock of a poor boy such as he, Angela---in all her beauty and wealth---loved him in return.  What he had ever done to be given such a gift, he didn’t know.  All he could do was thank his lucky stars that he was given it.  With Angela by his side and in his arms, life for George promised to be pure bliss.

George’s delirious joy---and the vivid image of Angela’s stunning beauty---was immediately eclipsed by the picture of another face…one which he did not love and, in fact, had come to hate.  He had never loved Alice…not for a minute.  She had been nothing more than a kindhearted person with whom he could spend time.  God knew how lonely he was…how starved for friendship…for someone to talk to.  Moving to California to take a job at his uncle’s factory, George had expected to be welcomed into the family fold…to be a part of their social circle.  Alas, nothing could have been further from what he got.  While his uncle gave him a job at the factory---feeling obligated to, no doubt---friendship with the family was not part of the deal.  They looked at him as the poor relation, and George knew it.  He wasn’t good enough to run in their social circle, so they ignored him….tended to look right through him as if he wasn’t there.  But George was there, and he was desperately lonely.  How he longed for a friend…and Alice offered that friendship.

He had never loved Alice…he had liked her, yes, but he had never loved her, and he had never lied and told her that he did.  So how it was that they ended up in bed together, he was never sure.  Just loneliness, he guessed….loneliness which engulfed both of them.  Things had just gone too far that evening, and he ended up spending the night at her place.  Oh, how he wished he could turn the clock back and relive that night…how he wish he would have walked away from Alice’s apartment before indulging in---as his mother would have said---the sins of the flesh.  It was that one mistake…that one “should never have done it” moment…which was now coming back to haunt him…threatening to rob him of Angela and the happiness he knew with only her.

A new image moved into George’s mind….that of a baby.  He couldn’t believe his one night of passion with Alice had resulted in pregnancy.  And now she was insisting that he marry her…something he did not want to do…something he could not do.   To marry Alice would be to lose Angela forever, and he would just as soon die as be without her.  Angela was his reason for living, his sun, moon, and stars all rolled into one.  To be separated from her would be more torturous than anything he had ever known.  If only there was no baby…if there was no Alice.

No Alice…well, there was a way to remove Alice from his life, and the image of that moved into George’s mind.  He knew Alice couldn’t swim, and it was for that reason that he had come up with the plan to take her out in a canoe.  It was easy...all he had to do was capsize the canoe and Alice would drown.  He would swim to safety…back to Angela.  Alice would die on the far side of Loon Lake, and no one would ever be the wiser…no one would know that it wasn’t an accident…no one would know that George, in fact, had murdered her.

With the word “murder,” the image of his devoutly religious mother came to George’s mind.  She and his late father had devoted their entire lives to the call of God, and they had instilled a knowledge of God’s Word into their son.  Commandment Number 6, “Thou shalt not murder” filled his mind.  It was a sin to kill someone, George knew that.  But, his mind argued, no one would ever know it was murder; they would think it was an accident, and George would be in the clear.   On the heels of that thought came Jeremiah 16:17,  “I am watching them closely, and I see every sin.  They cannot hope to hide from me.”    Someone would know what he had done.  While he might be able to hide the truth from everyone else, and while he might even be able to deceive himself, he could not pull the wool over God’s eyes.  Even now, God could see the evil that was in his heart.  God would always know that he had broken the commandment against killing, and no matter where he went, no matter what he did, he would never be able to hide from God.

Brokenhearted because he knew Angela would be lost to him forever, George realized that he couldn’t go through with his plan…he could not murder Alice.  It was one thing to hide his actions from everyone else, but it was entirely another thing to hide from God.  To stay in the sun---that beautiful, warm, radiant, breathtaking place he knew with Angela---would require him to try to hide from God for the rest of his days, and he knew that such an endeavor was futile.  He would have to leave the sun in order to be able to live with himself.

The image of Angela’s beautiful, beloved face and their time spent together moved once more into George’s mind.  “Goodbye, my darling.  I will always love you” were his final thoughts before Alice stood up in the far side of the dilapidated canoe, causing it to tip precariously to one side and then capsize completely, sending them both into the dark waters of the mountain lake.  By the time George resurfaced, Alice was nowhere to be seen…

If you have never seen A Place in the Sun, I highly, highly, highly recommend it.  It is a 5-star, "love it," "can't get enough of it" film for me.  The story is meaty, intense, and thought-provoking; the acting is fantastic---both Montgomery Clift and Shelley Winters received Lead Performer Academy Award nominations for their work here (Monty is spectacular in all of his 17 films, but for me, this is the performance of his career---he is absolutely brilliant); Clift and Elizabeth Taylor are both breathtakingly beautiful; and the chemistry between them is fantastic.  Everything about this film just works perfectly.  And if you throw in my scene, well, you will get the happy ending you long for!

Lonelyhearts (1958)

Although Montgomery Clift won't be taking center stage here at They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To until next month, he's making an appearance a week early, as the 1958 drama Lonelyhearts is my contribution to the "Breaking News" blogathon.  Hosted by Comet over Hollywood and Lindsay's Movie Musings, this blogathon is all about journalism in classic film. It's sure to be a fantastic event, so you'll want to visit as many of the entries as you can.  Go HERE to get involved.

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Lonelyhearts, from 1958, is a bold, mature-themed drama, starring Montgomery Clift, Robert Ryan, Myrna Loy and Dolores Hart and featuring Maureen Stapleton in her Academy Award-nominated film debut. Based on the 1933 Nathanael West novel, Miss Lonelyhearts, this story had a 12-day run as a Broadway stage play in 1957.  I originally sought the film out because I was on a quest to see all of Monty Clift's work; however, subsequent viewings are more to enjoy the brilliance of Robert Ryan, who I believe is one of the most under-rated actors ever.

Adam White (Montgomery Clift), a kind, gentle young man with a desire to do right, hopes to land his dream job on the local newspaper, The Chronicle.  Having made the acquaintance of Florence Shrike (Myrna Loy), the wife of the paper's managing editor, he hopes to garner an introduction to said editor (Robert Ryan, who is absolutely stellar in this role).  Although Adam makes a bad first impression, Bill Shrike offers him a job.

Bill Shrike is a cynical, unlikeable man who believes it is impossible for people to be good, that people are all frauds and can't be trusted.  His relationship with his wife is condescending and ugly; ever since he caught her in an affair ten years earlier, he has treated her like a tramp, never forgiving her and constantly belittling her and humiliating her.

Bill promises Florence that he'll hire Adam, but only to prove the point that the man is a phony. It's not just Shrike's wife who is the target of his contempt---he informs one of his employees that he is as important to the department as Shrike's tonsils, which were lost 40 years earlier.

Adam is given the job as the editor of the Lonelyhearts column, and his responsibility is to respond to the advice-seeking letters that are sent to him.  At first, Adam laughs about the problems his readers are experiencing, but eventually, he begins to really care about the people behind each letter.  He longs to give them sound advice to help their hurting hearts; he begins to care too much and is somewhat emotionally involved with his audience.  For his part, Bill Shrike insists that the readers are all frauds and that they deserve what they have gotten; he challenges Adam to meet with one of the letter writers, just to prove his point.

Adam does meet with one of Miss Lonelyhearts' readers---Faye Doyle (Maureen Stapleton)---and she informs him that her husband was injured in an accident and that, as a result, they haven't had physical relations for seven years.  She needs advice as to what to do...but, within minutes, Mrs. Doyle is after more than advice---she wants Adam to kiss her, which he does, and before long, they are sexually intimate, an act which causes Adam to feel ashamed and Bill Shrike to triumphantly gloat that he was right all along, that Adam really is nothing more than a phony do-gooder.  How everything plays out is the balance of the film.

Upon my first viewing of Lonelyhearts, I gave it 3 stars (on Net Flix).  While it is an interesting, extremely well-acted drama, it is quite painful for me to watch, mostly because of the appearance of Montgomery Clift.  Right up there with Rock Hudson and Tyrone Power as one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen, Monty is fabulously gorgeous in all of his early works;  however, his 1956 car accident dramatically altered his appearance, and it was here in Lonelyhearts that I caught my first glimpse of the post-accident Monty. I have to admit, like movie-going audiences of the 1950's, I was shocked by the change in his facial appearance. (I think he even sounds different post-accident.) Since seeing Lonelyhearts for the first time, I've read Clift's biography, and I know how deeply grieved he was by the loss of his perfect looks. "While the man had confidence in himself as a creative artist, as a damaged commodity in an era of handsome rebels, he did not, and he continually wondered if his new face would keep him from being considered for parts." (p. 313-314)   "Self-conscious about his new face, Monty even took down most of the mirrors in his home...and he hated being photographed." (p 314)

Besides his distress over his appearance, here in the late '50's, Monty was in a deep, dark, troubled period (which would last the remainder of his too-short life); he was in poor health and constant pain, addicted to drugs and alcohol, angst-filled over his sexuality, and, due to his bizarre, erratic behavior, on the "outs" in Hollywood. Because I love Monty so much, and because Lonelyhearts was made during such a difficult time in his life, this film is exceedingly painful for me to watch (as are all his post-accident works).  Looks and personal demons aside, though, Monty, who was always adept at portraying men with deep inner struggles, gives his usual top-notch performance here in Lonelyhearts. Knowing the severe drug and alcohol addiction Mr. Clift was facing at this time of his life, I find it remarkable that he was able to perform at all, let alone to do so as wonderfully as he does.  His portrayal of the troubled, guilt-ridden Adam is really great, and his chemistry with Dolores Hart, who plays his girlfriend, Justy, is terrific, as is his chemistry with Ryan and Loy.

Clift's chemistry with Loy may well have been no acting job.  According to Montgomery Clift, a Biography, "Monty was impressed with Loy---by her wit, her compassion, her commitment to liberal causes...For several years, she was entangled in his romantic life.  They saw each other frequently and traveled together...Many of Myrna's friends thought she was deeply in love with Monty and that she wanted to marry him."  (p. 336-337)   

While my first-time viewing of Lonelyhearts garnered 3 stars, subsequent viewings have seen me going with 4 stars.  Yes, it's still painful watching the troubled Montgomery Clift, but I've gotten past that and am able to concentrate on the good.  For one thing, it is a very bold, mature story. (I love meaty dramas and will take one any day of the week.)  And the performance of Robert Ryan, who was always super at playing the unlikeable, is totally spectacular.  I love Ryan when he is playing nasty...he is simply brilliant.  In my opinion, he is even better than Clift here; in fact, I feel he steals the show.  Mr. Ryan was in his late 40's here, and I must say, I think he aged well...I love the little touch of gray at his temples.

Myrna Loy's part is fairly small and it is out of character for her, but she does a great job. She is in her early 50's here, and I think she, too, aged well.

Maureen Stapleton is spectacular in her screen debut.  It's easy to see why she received a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination.

Finally, and I greatly appreciate this, the sexual encounter is left totally to the imagination, unlike today, when graphic sex and nudity fill the screen.  I really don't need to see everything we're privy to today; for me, less is more.

While some people might find the film's ending (which differs from the book) to be lame and unrealistic, I rather like it.  As one who believes in the power of forgiveness, I can easily accept what happens.  (I won't say more, so as not to give anything away.)

To my knowledge, Lonelyhearts is not out on DVD (at least in Region 1); however, it is available on You Tube, both as a whole and in several parts.  I hope you get a chance to see it...even if just for the opportunity to watch Robert Ryan doing what he does so well---playing a cynical, hardened, unlikeable man---and to catch Monty Clift doing what he does so well---portraying a deeply troubled man in the midst of a moral crisis.

Happy viewing!!

NOTE:  All quoted material from Montgomery Clift, a Biography, by Patricia Bosworth, Limelight Editions, 1978.

Happy Birthday, Montgomery Clift!!

Happy 92nd birthday to one of my dearly loved all-time favorite actors...the incredibly talented, positively beautiful Montgomery Clift.  (October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966)

Back in March, I took part in a blogging event which paid homage to stars who left us too soon (before the age of 50), and Mr. Clift was the star I chose to honor.  It is my most-read blog post and the one of which I am the most proud.  I feel that if Monty was able to read that post, he would feel honored and loved.  I am not going to restate here all that I wrote on that post, but I'd love to have you read my from-the-heart tribute.  (HERE)

Mr. Clift has the honor of having 2 of his films and one of his film characters on my #1 lists.  First, as recently disclosed, A Place in the Sun is my all-time favorite movie.  I truly believe that film to be Monty's finest hour...in a career which offered many finest hours.

Also, I Confess happens to be my all-time favorite Alfred Hitchcock film; plus, Clift's character in I Confess---Father Michael Logan---is right up there with Will Kane (High Noon) and Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird) as my favorite film character.

Sadly, Mr. Clift's tragic life ended much too soon, and his film career is only 17 films.  I have seen 14 of them, and while I definitely hope to catch the other 3, there is a bittersweetness to doing so.  Yes, I will have watched the entire filmography of this extremely talented and very beloved actor, but once I've seen those 3, I'm done.  There will never be another Monty Clift film to discover, and that is a very sad thought indeed.

So, here's to you, Mr. Montgomery Clift, on your 92nd birthday.  You were a completely fantastic actor who always gave a brilliant performance.  I completely adore you and will always count you among my beloveds and all-time favorite actors.

The Heiress on Broadway

The Heiress---that wonderful 1949 Olivia deHavilland/Montgomery Clift period drama which I just reviewed HERE last week and which began its life on the stage---has been resurrected on Broadway once more.  Starring Jessica Chastain (The Help) and Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), both in their Broadway debut, and also starring David Strathairn and Judith Ivey, The Heiress began its 18-week run last evening, October 6th.



If I lived anywhere near New York---or if a trip to New York was in my budget---I would, without question, be attending this event.  I think it is a fascinating story, and I would thoroughly enjoy seeing it played out on the stage.  And since I'm a huge fan of Downton Abbey---and Matthew Crawley---having Dan Stevens in the role I associate with Montgomery Clift is something I would very much like to see.

So, my friends, if you happen to live near enough to New York to make a viewing of this play a possibility, you might want to put it on your calendar.  For more information, visit the play's website (HERE).

As for me?  Well, I am playing the lottery a bit, with the hopes of winning the money to make this longed-for trip a reality.  Wish me luck!!

The Heiress (4 stars)

The Heiress, from 1949, is a William Wyler period drama starring Olivia deHavilland, Montgomery Clift, and Ralph Richardson, with Miriam Hopkins taking on a supporting role.  Based on the Henry James novel Washington Square, The Heiress was first brought to life on the stage in 1947.  It is about to begin a new Broadway run...something I will tell you about tomorrow.

In 1840's New York, Catherine Sloper (deHavilland) is the shy, awkward daughter of socially-prominent physician, Austin Sloper.  A widower who has totally pedestalized his late wife, Dr. Sloper can barely stand the sight of his daughter and is ashamed by her gauche behavior. Although she is of marriageable age, he cannot imagine anyone being interested in her---she is not clever, pretty, conversational, or anything else which would draw a suitor to her. The only thing she has is a sum of money left to her by her mother and, upon her father's death, an even larger sum. In short, the fact that she is an heiress is the only reason any man would be interested in her.

One evening, Catherine and her father, along with one of her father's widowed sisters, attend the engagement party of another sister's daughter. At that party, Catherine's awkward ways become apparent to all, and she is even abandoned by a young man who had been requested to dance with her. Alas, though, while she is sitting alone, she is approached by the gallant and handsome Morris Townsend (Montgomery Clift), who has just returned to New York after a time abroad. He is most interested in getting to know her and soon comes calling at the Sloper home.

Dr. Sloper is absolutely convinced that Mr. Townsend can be after only one thing...his daughter's fortune. Though Morris tells the doctor he finds Catherine beautiful and charming, since he knows those words do not describe his daughter, Dr. Sloper refuses to support their courtship; he even digs into Morris's background a bit and discovers that Morris has no job nor any prospects for one and that he wasted away a small inheritance by galivanting about Europe. Convinced that Morris Townsend is nothing but a fortune hunter, the doctor forbids Catherine to see him.

Catherine, however, in love with Morris and believing he loves her as well, is willing to defy her father and risk being disowned by him in order to marry Morris.  Thus, the two make plans to elope.

Does Morris really love Catherine? Does he really find her charming?  Or is he just after her money?  Will they follow through on their plans to elope?  What will Catherine's father do when he discovers the marriage?  The answers to these questions will play out in the balance of the film.  I will say that I found the final scene of the film to be one of the most memorable ending scenes in film history.



Receiving a total of eight Academy Award nominations and coming away with a win in four categories, The Heiress is an interesting, exciting, well-acted film. Olivia deHavilland, who garnered her second Best Actress statue for her portrayal of Catherine, is simply fabulous in this role. (It's my favorite of her performances.) Her portrayal of the awkward daughter trying to converse in society pained me right along with her, and when she realized the true extent of her father's feelings for her, again, I grieved along with her.  I completely and totally felt her pain, and yet as Catherine evolved, and the icy hardness of her character was revealed, Miss deHavilland was perfect there as well.  Truly, this role afforded Olivia an opportunity to display the broad range of her talents.

Ralph Richardson, who reprised the role he played on the London stage, received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his work in The Heiress.  His portrayal of Dr. Sloper was terrific. Montgomery Clift was fantastic in his role as well...his character really kept you guessing.  Did he truly love Catherine?  Or was he just after her money?  As always, Monty is gorgeous to look at, though I must admit, I hated the silly little mustache he sported for a time.  I prefer his beautiful face clean-shaven.

While I'm calling The Heiress a 4-star film, it's more like 4.5, and very close to 5---a definite must see!  Out on DVD, it should be fairly easy to track down.  Additionally, the film is available in its entirety on YouTube (in parts.)  I do hope you get a chance to see it.

Happy viewing!

Revealing My All-Time Favorite Movie

After revealing my favorite ten films for each decade of the classic film era (30's through 60's), it is now time to unveil which of those films receives the coveted status of "favorite film of all-time."  Of course, you know it has to be one of the #1 films from one of those decades, right?  So, that would be...

Gone with the Wind

Now, Voyager

A Place in the Sun

or Madame X

For the past couple of years, my #1 film has been Now, Voyager, with the 1940's #2 film, Casablanca, being my second favorite movie of all-time.  Well, dear blog readers, this year has found those two films toppling a bit and my former #3 movie moving in to take over the position of all-time favorite film.  That film...my 1950's winner...is A Place in the Sun.

While the nature of favorites lists makes them always subject to change, at the present time, this fabulous romantic drama starring my beloved Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, and Shelley Winters, is my favorite movie ever.  It's one of those films I never tire of watching...it is also one of those films which I always wish had a different ending than the one it has.  Read my review of this sensational film HERE.

Now, Voyager and Casablanca are still incredibly beloved movies to me, and who knows what next year will bring.  One of them may move ahead of A Place in the Sun once more, but for now, the 1950's winner takes first place.  I'd love to hear y'all's thoughts about this most fantastic film.

Montgomery Clift---A Man Gone Too Soon

The passing of our favorite stars is always a sad event, yet it becomes even more sad, when the death is sudden and takes us by surprise...or when the passing star is young and still in what we think is the prime of their life.  It is in memory of those stars---the ones gone far too soon---that Comet Over Hollywood is hosting the "Gone Too Soon" blogathon.

One such star who left this world much too soon is Montgomery Clift, who passed away at the age of 45.  (October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966).  The fabulous Mr. Clift is not just on my favorite actor list---he is near the very top.  In fact, he has the honor of being one of my "beloveds."   I am quite wild about him, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to "sing his praises" during this blogathon.

Though Montgomery "Monty" Clift's death date is officially listed as July 23, 1966, in many ways, he died ten years earlier in May of 1956, when he was involved in a car crash.  The single-car accident, which occurred after a party at his good friend Elizabeth Taylor's house, not only left his face partially paralyzed (and so dramatically altered that he took down most of the mirrors in his home), but it left him in so much pain that he lived his remaining years addicted to drugs and alcohol.  (Though he had problems with alcohol and drugs prior to that night, afterwards his use grew ever more intense.)  According to Mr. Clift's biographer, Patricia Bosworth, "he survived (the crash)...and lived for ten more years, but his real death occurred as he lay bleeding in Elizabeth Taylor's arms.  Nothing would ever be the same for him after that night."  Others have called Monty's death, "the longest suicide in Hollywood," because although the official cause of death was a heart attack, the reality is that years of alcohol and drug use had taken their toll on this amazingly talented man.

Prior to beginning his film career, Monty was a stage actor.  After taking part in an amateur production at the age of 12, his sights were set on Broadway, and from the time he was 14 until well into the 1940's, he performed on the stage, working with such greats as Dame May Whitty, Tallulah Bankhead, Sydney Greenstreet, Mr. and Mrs. Fredric March, and even a young Elia Kazan.  His acting was always praised---even if the play itself was a flop, most critics had positive words for Mr. Clift's performance.

One of the most incredibly gorgeous men I have ever seen, Mr. Clift was indeed a truly brilliant actor.  What the critics saw in him during his years on the stage, they would continue to see as he moved to the screen.  In a film career of 17 films, he received three Best Actor Academy Award nominations and one Best Supporting Actor nomination; sadly, though, he didn't come away with any.  (For the record, I think he was definitely robbed in 1951.  My apologies to all you Humphrey Bogart/African Queen fans, but I think that year belonged to Monty for A Place in the Sun.)  Of his 17 films, I have seen 14, and I think he was totally stellar in every single one of them.  I will highlight a few of my favorites.

A Place in the Sun (5 stars), which I just reviewed yesterday (HERE), is one of my top 3 movies of all-time.  I absolutely love this movie.  It is one of those films which I always wish had a different ending than the one it has.   For this role, which saw Monty and director George Stevens arguing incessantly about the the final scene, the very diligent actor spent the night in the San Quentin death house.  Doing that was his way of preparing emotionally for the rigors of portraying a condemned man.

The chemistry between Mr. Clift and co-star Elizabeth Taylor was completely incredible in this film.  Though Hedda Hopper predicted marriage for the two of them, they were, in fact, only friends---very dear friends---for the remainder of Monty's life.

I Confesss (5 stars) has the distinction of being my all-time favorite Hitchcock film, and, again, Monty was completely fantastic in his role.   Incidentally, his character in I Confess, Father Michael Logan, is one of my all-time favorite film characters...a man of honor and integrity, no matter the cost.  This role greatly excited Monty, because his character was one who was "faced with a terrible crisis."  In preparation for this role, Mr. Clift spent a week at a monastery in Quebec, memorizing the entire Latin mass and learning how to say the rosary and the Stations of the Cross.  Karl Malden, one of Clift's co-stars in this film, said of him, "Monty was marvelous in I Confess.  His ability to project mood and a held-back strength is quite extraordinary---it's a high point in the film."

I also totally love From Here to Eternity (5 stars---reviewed HERE), the film for which he received his third Best Actor Academy Award nomination.  His role of Robert E. Lee "Prew" Prewitt was another of those which, like Father Logan in I Confess, intrigued him because of the "terrible crisis" his character endured.  Fred Zinnemann, who had directed him in The Search, had long wanted Monty for this role; however, Columbia Pictures president, Harry Cohn, wanted Aldo Ray, and it wasn't until Zinnemann threatened to drop the project that Cohn agreed to Clift in the role.  Deeply immersed in the role of Prewitt, Monty carried a copy of the novel around and referred to it constantly, and the book grew tattered from its continual use.  For this film, Monty---who always set out to master something new for each of his roles---learned to play the bugle.

Although he made no sound on film, he wanted his mouth and throat movements to be as authentic as possible.  Also, in preparation for this role, he spent weeks boxing.  In the end, those things made his portrayal of Prew completely perfect---it was a performance of which he was proud, and for the first time, he was upset about not winning the Academy Award.  (William Holden won for Stalag 17 that year.)

Judgment at Nuremberg (5 stars) is the film for which he received his final Academy Award nomination, for that of Best Supporting Actor.  Originally he was asked to consider the part which ultimately went to Richard Widmark, but in the end he chose the bit part of the mentally-challenged Jew, because he felt the role had something important to say.  His seven-minute performance in that film---for which he took no salary, only expenses---was totally brilliant...and heart-rending.  Without a doubt, I think he was Oscar-worthy there.

The Search, (4 stars---reviewed HERE), which was Monty's second film appearance, was considered by him to be "the most fulfilling artistic experience of his life."  Wanting to be completely prepared for his role, which garnered him his first Best Actor Academy Award nomination, Mr. Clift lived for a time in an army engineer's unit, dressed in army fatigues, and toured U.N. Relief and Rehabilitation camps in Germany.  He was totally driven to make his character and the film authentic, which resulted in numerous improvisations of the script and endless battles with the film's producer. In the end, though, the film received unanimous acclaim and Monty, who was pleased with his performance, became one of Hollywood's hottest stars.

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Now a "hot commodity," Monty was soon approached by director Billy Wilder, who had written the script for Sunset Boulevard (my #4 movie of all-time), with Monty specifically in mind.  Originally excited about the project, Monty committed to it; however, while in Germany shooting The Big Lift, he received the final script, and he backed out, which then provided William Holden with the role.  Mr. Clift's biography states that he never regretted the decision to not do the film.  It was surmised by his agent that the decision to bow out was because the scenario too closely resembled the ("closely guarded at the time") relationship he had with the much-older-than-himself stage actress, Libby Holman.   While I completely adore William Holden and consider Sunset Boulevard to be his most brilliant work (and my favorite of his films), I can very easily see Montgomery Clift in that role.

Much of Monty's tortured, troubled soul was the result of his sexuality.  While some have said he was gay, his brother, Brooks, maintains that he was, in fact, bi-sexual.  He had relationships with women---many of them---including a long relationship with the years-older Libby Holman.  Regardless of whether he was bi-sexual or fully gay, Monty was in deep agony for years about his sexual preference, and the guilt he carried consumed him.  Deborah Kerr, who starred with him in From Here to Eternity, said "He wanted to love women but he was attracted to men, and he crucified himself for it."  The agony of conscience, combined with his alcoholism, drug addiction, constant pain, chronic health problems, and extreme insecurity took their toll, and two months after completion of The Defector (one of his films I have not yet seen), at the age of 45, Mr. Clift departed this world.  His final resting place is in a small Quaker cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

In preparation for this post, I read the book Montgomery Clift, a Biography, by Patricia Bosworth, (all quoted material is from that book, which was published in 1978).  This biography, which the author researched with help, in part, from Mr. Clift's brother, Brooks, is a fascinating---yet heartbreaking---read.  Troubled nearly all of his life, Monty doesn't appear to have ever really known happiness, and that breaks my heart.  (Though there are more recently-published Clift biographies on the market, to be quite honest, this one was graphic and heartbreaking enough.  I have no need or desire to read more current works, which most probably contain much greater ugliness.)

So, Mr. Montgomery Clift, as we remember the beloved stars who left this world much too soon, I can't help but remember you.  You were an amazingly fantastic actor---one of my absolute favorites---and you provided the world with many wonderful films.  Thank you for bringing such fabulous and powerful films to life!!