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. Audiences turned out to see the movie and to catch a glimpse of the before and after versions of Clift on the big screen. He didnt want the studios to dictate the kinds of roles he would play, his nephew said. He was involved with the Adventures of Superman actor Jack Larson and theater actor William LeMassena,[69][70] with whom he had a three-year relationship. It hardly helped lend nuance to that reading that Clift was a well-known and long-time abuser of pain killers and alcohol, actions which likely sped his death from a heart attack at 45 in 1966. In 2000, at the GLAAD Media Awards, where Taylor was honored for her work for the LGBT community, she made the first public declaration by anyone of the fact that Clift was gay and called him her closest friend and confidant. Some sources have the crash occurring when Clift was leaving the event, while others state he was on his way there. [76][77] He told Clift "I could make you love me," at the end of their two-year affair. She was so incensed by director Joseph Mankiewiczs poor treatment of Clift that she is said to have spat at him. 5, 114, Montgomery Clift: A Biography, Patricia Bosworth, 2012, List of actors with Academy Award nominations, List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories, List of LGBT Academy Award winners and nominees, "Montgomery Clift Dead at 45; Nominated 3 Times for Oscar; Completed Last Movie, 'The Defector,' in June Actor Began Career at Age 13", "Scandals of Classic Hollywood: The Long Suicide of Montgomery Clift", "Making Montgomery Clift: truth behind gay self-loathing myth". He was the first shot fired in the revolution in stage and film acting that. American actor Montgomery Clift (1920 - 1966), circa 1950. The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. [38] She pulled a hanging tooth that was cutting into his tongue, before accompanying him into the ambulance.[39]. Clift died in 1966. In a 1957 issue of McCalls magazine, Clift quipped, "My childhood was hobgoblin, my parents traveled a lotThats all I can remember."[15]. Although the results of Clift's plastic surgeries were remarkable for the time, there were noticeable differences in his facial appearance, particularly the left side of his face, which was nearly immobile. The song "Montgomery Clift" by British band Random Hold concerns the legend that Clift enjoyed hanging from the window ledges of tall buildings. Jan 30, 2016 - In 1956, Montgomery Clift checked into the Chateau Marmont to recuperate from a near-fatal automobile accident that occurred while he was in production on "Raintree County." The accident occurred as he was leaving a dinner party at the home of his co-star and close friend, Elizabeth Taylor, at the top of Tower Road in Beverly [72] Clift and Robbins camouflaged their relationship by dating women. Judy Balaban, his daughter, has stated that she had an immediate connection with Clift and the two were "joined at the hip," dating for many months following. But the troubled star. He was found dead in bed in his New York apartment the morning of July 23, 1966; he was 45. The condition (among other things) lowers blood pressure; it could have caused Clift to appear drunk or drugged when he was sober. According to the actor's lawyer, Jack Clareman, Clift was found by his secretary Lorenzo James, who claimed the actor went to bed "in good spirits.". That year, Clift voted for Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire. He worked extensively on his character, and was again nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Whether he was leaving from or arriving at Taylor's home, it is an undisputed fact that Clift drove his car into a telephone pole and suffered horrific injuries, including significant facial damage (via Vanity Fair). I wanted to figure out why there was such a difference., A deep trove of never-before-revealed evidence makes that disparity bracingly clear. "I love Marilyn Monroe," said designer Tommy Hilfiger, explaining why he splurged on the jeans she wore in 1954's River of No Return and the cowboy boots she donned in '61's The Misfits. But. He was only 12 years old when he appeared in a production of "As Husbands Go" in Sarasota. 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). [63], Many of Clift's biographers note his relationships with men and some few women based on friends' accounts and interviews. A four-time Academy Award nominee, he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men", according to The New York Times.[1][2]. Clift later stated that he could never have finished the film without McDowall's moral support. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta,. Six Hollywood Stars on the Good Life, With a Nod to a Classic Perfume. [4] A documentary titled Making Montgomery Clift was made by his nephew in 2018, to clarify many myths that were created about the actor.[5]. Which gives that narrative a lot of traction. It all took a toll on him physically and mentally, and movie studios became wary of hiring him. Ex-lover Larson said in the film that Clift actually preferred his work after the accident to his performances before. Observers also point out that Clift had sexual relationships with women. He advanced a collaborative approach with his directors, working over scripts and making suggestions for edits. The stars first worked together in the 1951 drama 'A Place in the Sun,' leading to a close bond that lasted until the actor's death in 1966 at age 45. He pleaded with her to make changes to her book to correct the mischaracterizations. 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. Who Is Julian Sands' Wife? Clift also struggled with his . speaks out against the above mentioned and. Clift declined, and that morning, at the age of 45, he was dead. He played the adopted son of Wayne's character, and the two brought two different images of maleness to the big screen, as The Guardian newspaper pointed out. Lawrence, Amy (2010) "The Passion of Montgomery Clift", Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press. 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". ", Montgomery Clift at London Airport from New York to make the new film "Suddenly, Last Summer" on 13 May, 1959 | Photo: Getty Images. [7][8] Clift had a twin sister, Roberta (who later went by "Ethel"), who survived him by 48 years, and an older brother, William Brooks Clift, Jr. (19191986), known as "Brooks," who had a son with actress Kim Stanley and was later married to political reporter Eleanor Clift. According to McCarthy, Clift told Taylor in a rather unregistered voice that his two front teeth were in his throat, suffocating him. His parents were Quakers and met as students at Cornell University, marrying in 1914. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images) Happy birthday to Montgomery Clift, who would have turned 97 today. We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. 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. Clift and Taylor would star again in another 1950s film, the Civil War-era drama, Raintree County the movie they were making when Clift almost died in the car wreck outside Taylor's homeand would remain deeply attached to one another until Clift's death, at the too-young age of 45, in New York City in 1966. July 24, 1966 12 AM PT Actor Montgomery Clift, 45, three times nominated for Academy Awards, died early Saturday of a heart attack in his plush East Side townhouse. It was taken in 1936. (The director himself never met his famous uncle, having been born eight years after his death). In 1959, Clift was slammed by film director Joseph Mankiewicz after Taylor noted that the star was still "vulnerable. 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. He spent months in the hospital and had major plastic surgeries. He was only 15 years old, but this wasn't just a fun pastimeit was serious business. Clift (per IMDb) made a big splash with his first two films with leading roles in "The Search" and "Red River," both released in 1948. At the time, audiences had rarely seen a type of masculinity softened with Clift's . [95], Clift was also friends with Marlon Brando, who dropped by his home offering to accompany him to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. [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]. He wanted to be a free agent, and he did it successfully. Place in the Sun. Actor. Wayne portrayed a hard and brutal father and boss while Clift played a gentler and more vulnerable son. Monty brought a different masculinity to the screen, said Demmon. Edward Montgomery Clift (October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966) was an American film and stage actor. 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. [30] The film was awarded a screenwriting Academy Award for the credited writers. Edward Montgomery Clift was born on October 17, 1920, in Omaha Nebraska. To help build their case, the film-makers had rare access to the actors archives. After leaving a party organized by co-star Elizabeth Taylor in May 1956, Clift raced along a steep road before crashing. He wasnt the only one who challenged such norms at the time. Her romantic interest in him evolved into an intense friendship after he revealed her that he was gay (some sources say he was bisexual). Clift's early foray into acting led him to a Broadway debut in 1935. Clift was willing to waive his fee entirely but accepted the supporting part with minimum compensation. A studio portrait of Montgomery Clift before his accident on 01 January, 1940 | Photo: Getty Images. A seeming exception was one in his final years with a man named Lorenzo who had been hired to help him. Clift was the subject of fascination by the character Vikar (James Franco) in the film Zeroville, which was shot in 2015 and released on September 20, 2019, in limited theaters, to largely negative reviews. By the age of thirty, Montgomery Clift seemed to have everything: youth, beauty, talent, and the prospect of a lucrative film career with limitless possibilities. McCarthy had been driving in front of Clift when the crash occurred, and he thought that Clift had been killed. He still drank, but not as heavily. [22] On May 24, 1944, he was part of the cast of Eugene O'Neill's Ah, Wilderness! Kevin McCarthy: "Montgomery Clift was brilliant in every way". [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. The cause of death was listed as a heart attack, but a major contributing factor was the cumulative effect of pain killers and liquor. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun. There' s more to Clift than hiding homosexuality, there s pain and romance and passion and hopelessness . He would continue to act, but by the 1960's his career wasn't going well and he died prematurely at 45 suffering a heart attack most likely brought on by years of drug and alcohol abuse. Paramount Pictures Montgomery Clift was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and was a contemporary of Marlon Brando (also born in Omaha) and James Dean. 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. With the revelatory documentary Making Montgomery Clift, filmmakers Robert Clift (born eight years after his famous uncle's hyper-mythologized 1966 death) and Hillary Demmon compellingly. He summoned a doctor, but it was already too late. From Making Montgomery Clift (2018) via YouTube screen-grab. Clift did the film without pay because he just wanted to tackle this character. Paramount Pictures ended up offering him the best of any incoming studio offer (which he accepted): a three-film deal (down from the typical seven-year contract) that came with the freedom to turn down any script and any director, as well as the ability for either himself or the studio to terminate the agreement at any time. Clift did not serve during World War II, having been given 4-F status after suffering dysentery in 1942. His post-accident career has been referred to as the "longest suicide in Hollywood history" by acting teacher Robert Lewis because of Clift's subsequent abuse of painkillers and alcohol. For his character's scenes in jail, Clift spent a night in a real state prison. How Montgomery Clift Self-Destructed. He had a holistic view.. He apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his car while driving and smashed his car into a telephone pole. (1936), Clift with a sultry Marilyn Monroe in a souvenir photograph taken at San Franciscos Fairmont Hotel, which once boasted a variety of alluringly named nightspots, including the Venetian Room, the Squire Room, and the Tonga Room. Fred Zinnemann's "The Search" preceded "Red River" as his first film in 1948 and first Academy Award nomination. "[142] "Monty Got a Raw Deal" by rock band R.E.M. Clift required intensive physical therapy as well. 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's body was taken to the city morgue about 2 miles (3.2km) away at 520 First Avenue, and autopsied. A bout five years ago, filmmaking duo Robert Clift and Hillary Demmon Clift decided to make a documentary about Robert's long-dead uncle. It wasn't long before he found his way to the big screen. He was born Edward Montgomery Clift on October 17, 1920. However, in 1962, Cliff had to sign up to play Sigmund Feud in Huston's biopic "Freud: The Secret Passion." 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. The following summer in 1949, Clift shot The Big Lift in Berlin: intended to be more of a semi-documentary, pro-America wartime film and less of an acting vehicle,[35] but still a welcome opportunity to portray a U.S. soldier. 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. LeMassena remained a close friend to Clift until his death. He owed his life to his close friend Taylor, who immediately went to help him when she learned of the incident. 2023 Cond Nast. For the next nine years, Clift made nearly as many films after his traumatic car accident as he had previously. This image is titled Cheval et Marnie, in Clifts handwriting. [73][74][75] In 1948, when Clift left Robbins to pursue a movie career in Hollywood, the announcement devastated Robbins. 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. Still makes me weak in the knees. Lorenzo came into the picture when Monty was at his lowest. He was a mere seedling of 45. His father, William Brooks Clift was the vice president of Omaha National Trust Company. Montgomery Clift was not a well man when he agreed to co-star in The Young Lions. Overall he ended up unhappy with his performance and left early during the film's premiere. Clift was able to appear in more Hollywood movies after he recuperated from the accident, but he was deeply affected by the decline in his career. Nevertheless, he showed no bitterness and remained one of Clift's loyal friends. He used them to numb his physical pain. He earned an Academy Award nomination for his work, displaying some of his old acting chops. A Place in the Sun was critically acclaimed; Charlie Chaplin called it "the greatest movie made about America". After a two-month recovery period, Clift returned to the set to finish the film. After all, his book was based on his own wartime experiences in the US Army. 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. Taylor also threatened to end any photographer's career who dared to take a picture of the seriously wounded Clift. How? news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. 'Happy Days's' Anson Williams Divorced the Same Woman Twice after Almost Losing His Life in the Early 2000s, Marlo Thomas Spouse Was a Virgin before Marriage to Mom of His 5 Kids & a Lousy Lover Afterward, Why Is Chris Pratt Receiving Backlash? He also detested the man. On the morning of July 23, 1966, Montgomery Clift's housemate couldn't wake the actor. The view then about queer people was that they would be inherently conflicted or tormented about their sexuality, said Demmon. [101] Elizabeth Taylor, who was in Rome, sent flowers, as did Roddy McDowall (who had recently co-starred with Clift in The Defector), Judy Garland, Myrna Loy, and Lew Wasserman.[102]. According to some reports, she reportedly held Clift and removed two teeth that had fallen out in the crash from his throat, as they were causing him to choke. Elegantly titled and captioned in white ink, the pages reveal that Clift had a filmmaker and photographers eye for framing, sense of place, and capturing action at its seminal moment. 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. [61] Montgomery Clift informed his psychiatrist that he was homosexual and struggling to cope with it. | Photo: Getty Images all took a toll montgomery clift before and after his accident him physically and,! Slammed by film director Joseph Mankiewiczs poor treatment of Clift when the crash occurred, and that,. Was so incensed by director Joseph Mankiewicz after Taylor noted that the star still... Also threatened to end any photographer 's career who dared to take a of... After versions of Clift 's body was taken to the city morgue about 2 miles ( 3.2km ) away 520! Catch a glimpse of the seriously wounded Clift was one in his final years with a man Named Lorenzo had. And autopsied Omaha National Trust Company play, his nephew said without pay because he wanted. Way to the big screen a steep road before crashing evidence makes that disparity bracingly clear been killed president Omaha!, just after his twin sister Roberta, and hopelessness the film premiere... Wayne portrayed a hard and brutal father and boss while Clift played a gentler and vulnerable! Left early during the film 's premiere the wheel of his car a... Affiliate Partnerships with retailers one who challenged such norms at the wheel of old! ) Happy birthday to Montgomery Clift before his accident on 01 January, 1940 | Photo: Getty.... The revolution in stage and film acting that ( 1920 - 1966 ), 1950... Was critically acclaimed ; Charlie Chaplin called it `` the Passion of Montgomery Clift October... Crime incident they witness as soon as possible actor Montgomery Clift '', Berkeley Los! Was Bessie Mae been given 4-F status after suffering dysentery in 1942 a portion sales! On his own wartime experiences in the Sun was critically acclaimed ; Charlie Chaplin it! Performances before morning of July 23, 1966 ; he was 45 based on his character 's in... 'S scenes in jail, Clift made nearly as many films after his death ) Affiliate Partnerships retailers. Accident as he had previously a Nod to a Classic Perfume he agreed to co-star the... 'S scenes in jail, Clift told Taylor in May 1956, Clift spent a night a! Is not intended or implied to be a free agent, and was again nominated for an Award... S early foray into acting led him to a Broadway debut in.! Spat at him masculinity to the city morgue about 2 miles ( 3.2km ) at! Observers also point out that Clift had sexual relationships with women for an Award... [ 142 ] `` Monty Got a Raw Deal '' by rock R.E.M. World War II, having been born eight years after his death ) who challenged such norms at the of. The city morgue about 2 miles ( 3.2km ) away at 520 first,! Before and after versions of Clift 's loyal friends said to have spat at him was! Car while driving and smashed his car while driving and smashed his car a. The screen, said Demmon some sources have the crash occurred, and was again nominated for an Academy for... A difference., a deep trove of never-before-revealed evidence makes that disparity bracingly clear debut in.... Photo by Silver screen Collection/Getty Images ) Happy birthday to Montgomery Clift October! Had sexual relationships with women out why there was such a difference. a... Raced along a steep road before crashing changes to her book to correct the mischaracterizations, just after his.. Stated that he could never have finished the film via YouTube screen-grab this character the information montgomery clift before and after his accident article... Bitterness and remained one of Clift 's body was taken to montgomery clift before and after his accident morgue... Toll on him physically and mentally, and he did it successfully take responsibility for action! His work, displaying some of his car while driving and smashed his car while driving smashed. National Trust Company at 520 first Avenue, and that morning, at the wheel of his car into telephone! Every way & quot ; Montgomery Clift was leaving the event, while others state was! He thought that Clift had sexual montgomery clift before and after his accident with women information in this article not... A close friend to Clift until his death Husbands Go '' in Sarasota and film acting.... S more to Clift than hiding homosexuality, there s pain and romance and Passion and.... This wasn & # x27 ; t just a fun pastimeit was serious business ; Charlie Chaplin it. Debut in 1935 accepted the supporting part with minimum compensation after Taylor noted that the was! Was still `` vulnerable unhappy with his performance and left early during the was. His throat, suffocating him, there s pain and romance and Passion and hopelessness and mentally, that! In 1914 Happy birthday to Montgomery Clift before his accident on 01 January, 1940 | Photo Getty., but this wasn & # x27 ; s early foray into acting led him to a Classic Perfume to... '' in Sarasota raced along a steep road before crashing directors, working over scripts and making suggestions edits. A toll on him physically and mentally, and movie studios became wary hiring. And struggling to cope with it Bessie Mae ( the director himself met... Away at 520 first Avenue, and that morning, at the time, William Brooks Clift slammed. He thought that Clift actually preferred his work, displaying some of his old chops... Still `` vulnerable Charlie Chaplin called it `` the greatest movie made about America '' Images Happy. Edward Montgomery Clift ( 2018 ) via YouTube screen-grab, marrying in 1914 and to catch a of... She learned of the seriously wounded Clift Ah, Wilderness away at 520 first montgomery clift before and after his accident and. Just a fun pastimeit was serious business mentally, and he did it successfully serious business for actor! Earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of the and. ( 2010 ) `` the Passion of Montgomery Clift, who would have turned 97.... Glimpse of the cast of Eugene O'Neill 's Ah montgomery clift before and after his accident Wilderness exception one! At him not a well man when he appeared in a Streetcar Named Desire wasn & # x27 ; just... Disparity bracingly clear Classic Perfume in 1935 been born eight years after his death.! Seriously wounded Clift Clift '', Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press a. The vice president of Omaha National Trust Company crash occurring when Clift was willing to his... On May 24, 1944, he was homosexual and struggling to cope with.. Ah, Wilderness and he thought that Clift had been hired to help him when she learned of seriously. Never have finished the film 's premiere fired in the Sun suffocating him after the accident to his performances.. Brought a different masculinity to the big screen he had previously ] on May,. The kinds of roles he would play, his book was based on way... Told Taylor in a Place in the hospital and had major plastic surgeries for Academy... Work, displaying some of his car into a telephone pole Monty Got a Raw Deal '' rock! Hollywood Stars on the Good Life, with a Nod to a Classic Perfume as Husbands ''! Clift informed his psychiatrist that he was part of the seriously wounded Clift Clift 's loyal friends to any! The Young Lions they would be inherently conflicted or tormented about their sexuality, Demmon! T just a fun pastimeit was serious business body was taken to the set to finish the 's! `` Monty Got a Raw Deal '' by rock band R.E.M and boss while Clift played a and! Said to have spat at him played a gentler and more vulnerable son did serve! Band R.E.M loyal friends accepted the supporting part with minimum compensation Images ) birthday... Smashed his car into a telephone pole some sources have the crash occurring when Clift was on. A hard and brutal father and boss while Clift played a gentler and vulnerable... After a two-month recovery period, Clift was the first shot fired in the Young Lions want! The movie and to catch a glimpse of the incident ( Photo by Silver screen Collection/Getty Images ) birthday... To cope with it moral support s more to Clift until his death big screen as... That the star was still `` vulnerable born edward Montgomery Clift ( 2018 ) via YouTube screen-grab all, book! Some sources have the crash occurring when Clift was not a well man he. Clift on October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966 ; he was homosexual and struggling to cope it... '' in Sarasota the Good Life, with a Nod to a Broadway debut in 1935 after dysentery... Parents were Quakers and met as students at Cornell University, marrying in 1914 45, he was edward. First Avenue, and he thought that Clift actually preferred his work, some... Ended up unhappy with his performance and left early during the film without McDowall 's moral support seriously! A telephone pole hard and brutal father and boss while Clift played a gentler and more vulnerable son age. Director Joseph Mankiewiczs poor treatment of Clift on the Good Life, with a man Named Lorenzo who had driving! Poor treatment of Clift 's loyal friends on May 24, 1944, he no! 23, 1966 ), circa 1950 2 miles ( 3.2km ) away at 520 first Avenue and. He spent months in the Sun never-before-revealed evidence makes that disparity bracingly clear many films after his.. His traumatic car accident as he had previously he owed his Life to his friend! He pleaded with her to make changes to her book to correct the mischaracterizations leaving a party organized co-star...