The Misfits (1961)

With THE MISFITS, John Huston proved to be way ahead of his time. The film also marks the final completed project of Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe before their untimely deaths. Both stars played characters in THE MISFITS who were far removed from their popular movie personas. Gable plays Gay Langland, an ageing cowboy who hunts wild horses. He meets Monroe as Roslyn Taber, a divorcée and ex stripper, with whom he starts a relationship. Until she finds out about his horrible business dealings.

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Why THE MISFITS is highly recommended? The screenplay was written by author and playwright Arthur Miller (i.e. DEATH OF A SALESMAN, THE CRUCIBLE) for his wife Monroe, was directed by veteran western director John Huston with memorable black-and-white cinematography by Russell Metty who emphatically captures the pain, vulnerability and disappointment of the damaged souls in the movie.

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In the words of her then husband – at the end of their marriage – the role played by Monroe in the film reveals more of the myth Marilyn than ever before. “What makes you so sad?”, asks Gay (Gable). “I think you’re the saddest girl I ever met.” “You’re the first man that ever said that. I’m usually told how happy I am,” answers Roslyn (Monroe). “That’s because you make a man feel happy.” Arthur Miller knew the woman behind Marilyn and her sadness and demons, and shows her to the world in the role of Roslyn. Watching THE MISFITS almost feels voyeuristic in that way.

THE MISFITS has a fatalistic side to it, not just because of its subject matter, but also because of the knowledge that two of its stars would pass away not long after its release. The shoot took place during the height of Monroe’s addiction and had to be paused several times due to her health problems. But despite these troubles, director Huston praised Monroe’s talent. “She was not pretending to an emotion. It was the real thing. She would go deep down within herself and find it and bring it up into consciousness.”

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John Huston US, 1961, 125 min

Cast Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift

Spoken language English

Subtitles Dutch