My favorite actor ever (yes, the tippity top) would have been turned 89 this past Saturday had he lived. Not that he would have lived to be 89 but still... I'm sad that I forgot. I always feel I should write about him more often. I did try to spur on the communal writing with that blog-a-thon a couple years back. At least there was that.
Thankfully Kim Morgan did not forget and wrote up a beautiful piece on the man, his work in A Place in the Sun and the ineffable sadness in his eyes. And that dance scene -- Stevens’ close-ups. They obviously reveal the actors' beauty, but also how much they, and particularly Monty, could say with their faces. Clift may be blurting out that he loves Taylor, but his beseeching, poignant eyes reveal so many layers of desire, you know something is haunting him even if you don't fully understand the circumstances... It's a dance macabre, and it scares Liz (it would scare me too) but one of the most romantic of all time. [read the rest]Do yourself the favor and watch one of his great performances this week.
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16 comments:
I'm gonna check out From Here to Eternity this week. I saw most of it on Sunday night, but I wanna see it all the way through again. Absolutely loved it
i love a place in the sun.
not so much for the movie as for how great he is.
definitely in my top performances of all time.
Monty had the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.
Absolute blind, unconditional love for Montgomery Clift. When you asked us to name the actors we've seen everything, I was tempted to name him but that would be lying. As I do with my favourite writers, especially if passed away, I keep a few titles unseen/unread so that when I miss them I still can have something "new" coming from them. A bit insane, I know.
I saw A Place in the Sun a few weeks ago and for some reason this time all through the movie I felt as he was performing just for me. I even felt envy of Shelley Winters's character. Damn, if one has to die anyway, is there a better way to do it than having Clift as the last image you're going to see?
I feel that he's always been a bit underappreciated, especially as compared to the other two tragic-life-movie stars of the time, Monroe and Dean. But somehow I prefer it that way, I wouldn't like to see people wearing T-shirts with his face.
Jude law and Alain Delon has a son:Montgomery Glift
Montgomery Clift was a superb and unique actor, an amazing individual, and a crucial figure in the history of cinema. I am a film studies academic working on a project on him. wish me luck! Monty deserves some serious work done on him.
Yes, this was a beautiful man.
My fav actor and my first love.
Really hot and talented.
That was a truly gorgeous man. Terrible how his life ended up. "From Here to Eternity" is one of my all-time favorite films, and Montgomery Clift is a major reason for that. I bought "A Place in the Sun" for $4.99 on DVD at B&N (a steal!) and will watch that soon. I also have "Judgment at Nuremberg" waiting on the que too.
From Here to Eternity is the greatest picture made in black and white.
@ Jude: No, it's 'All about Eve' :)
The Search is now available on DVD through Warner Archives. Monty is at his best in his second film (first released though, and his first Oscar nom).
Sebastian you're in for a treat. I think A PLACE IN THE SUN is his best film (though that's not to knock Eternity and a few of the others which are also worthy efforts even once you get past Clift's major contributions)
Jude and Tan i think you meant to type SUNSET BLVD or MANHATTAN. ;)
What a brilliant actor and such a painfully beautiful man! Monty is my filmic obsession; I can watch him at any time of any day. Happy Birthday Monty.
@ Nathaniel R: I am writing my thesis on Monty and was wondering if you could offer your top three reasons for loving (and being a fan) of Monty? I'm trying to compile a list of stand-out reasons from fans, as to why they love and gravitate towards him....
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