Montgomery Clift
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The Great Depression had hit the Clift family. Their investments worth nothing, their antiques were auctioned off and they moved from their great house in Highland Park, Illinois, to a small apartment on West Ninth Street in the Village in New York City. Sunny took jobs, as a secretary and as a cleaning lady to make ends meet. At this point, Bill became an insurance-policy salesman. | The Great Depression had hit the Clift family. Their investments worth nothing, their antiques were auctioned off and they moved from their great house in Highland Park, Illinois, to a small apartment on West Ninth Street in the Village in New York City. Sunny took jobs, as a secretary and as a cleaning lady to make ends meet. At this point, Bill became an insurance-policy salesman. | ||
| − | Meanwhile, Sunny's restless foot, made her take the children, alongwith their now-tutor Walter Hayward and go rent a house in Sarasota, [[Florida]] for the winter of 1932. Hayward, knew a man who needed a 12-year-old boy for a part in a local production. This is how in March 1933, in Sarasota, Monty made his stage debut in a local theater production of ''As Husbands Go''. On their return to New York, his mother, realizing his potential, took him around to agents, | + | Meanwhile, Sunny's restless foot, made her take the children, alongwith their now-tutor Walter Hayward and go rent a house in Sarasota, [[Florida]] for the winter of 1932. Hayward, knew a man who needed a 12-year-old boy for a part in a local production. This is how in March 1933, in Sarasota, Monty made his stage debut in a local theater production of ''As Husbands Go''. On their return to New York, his mother, realizing his potential, took him around to agents, auditions and modeling gigs. He a bit later began appearing regularly on Broadway. After several favorable reviews, Hollywood wanted him, but he rejected many offers looking for just the right vehicle. This would be a constant theme in Clift's career — that he refused to perform in "trashy" productions, which to his mind, were most of them, only seeking the very best which he thought could show his talent and range without typecasting him. |
His first film appearences were in 1948 in ''Red River'' with John Wayne and also that same year in ''The Search'' for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. He appeared opposite [[Elizabeth Taylor]] and [[Shelley Winters]] in 1951's ''A Place in the Sun''. Based on a true story, in the film Shelley Winters is his working-class girlfriend, when he meets the glamourous socialite Elizabeth Taylor and falls for her. Shelley is disposed of by a "tragic accident" when the two of them are out together and she falls overboard and drowns. (Read a bit about the true story [http://www.steamthing.com/2006/04/index.html here], and [http://www.courts.state.ny.us/history/gillette.htm even more here].) Monty later appeared in 1953's ''From Here to Eternity'', getting Academy Award nominations for both films. | His first film appearences were in 1948 in ''Red River'' with John Wayne and also that same year in ''The Search'' for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. He appeared opposite [[Elizabeth Taylor]] and [[Shelley Winters]] in 1951's ''A Place in the Sun''. Based on a true story, in the film Shelley Winters is his working-class girlfriend, when he meets the glamourous socialite Elizabeth Taylor and falls for her. Shelley is disposed of by a "tragic accident" when the two of them are out together and she falls overboard and drowns. (Read a bit about the true story [http://www.steamthing.com/2006/04/index.html here], and [http://www.courts.state.ny.us/history/gillette.htm even more here].) Monty later appeared in 1953's ''From Here to Eternity'', getting Academy Award nominations for both films. | ||
| − | On 12 May 1956 during the filming of the 1957 ''Raintree County'', | + | On 12 May 1956 during the filming of the 1957 ''Raintree County'', staring opposite [[Elizabeth Taylor]] and [[Eva Marie Saint]], Montgomery had a serious car accident which permanently damaged his looks. He had been at a party thrown by Elizabeth Taylor. Upon leaving, he followed Kevin McCarthy down the hill as Monty was unsure of his ability to negotiate it alone. For some reason, he lost control of his car, rolled it down a hill and smashed it into a pole, his face was left "a pulpy mess", evidently from being crushed by the steering wheel. Elizabeth is reported to have ran down the hill, climbed over the back seat (as the front doors wouldn't open) and cradled his head in her hands until he was taken to the hospital. She rode in the back of the ambulance. The doctors did their best to reconstruct his features as they were. It took several weeks for him to recover, but he insisted on finishing the movie. Watching the film today, you can notice the odd changes in his appearance in certain scenes that were spliced together. One side of his profile was virtually paralyzed by the accident, and his face appears puffy, and his upper lip and nose have changed. |
He continued to work, but his appeal had now changed. With no longer the same type of sex appeal he once had, his drinking and drug use became, if possible, more pronounced. He next appeared in 1959's ''Suddenly Last Summer'' opposite [[Elizabeth Taylor]] and [[Katherine Hepburn]]. In all three of his films with Elizabeth Taylor, he played her love interest. | He continued to work, but his appeal had now changed. With no longer the same type of sex appeal he once had, his drinking and drug use became, if possible, more pronounced. He next appeared in 1959's ''Suddenly Last Summer'' opposite [[Elizabeth Taylor]] and [[Katherine Hepburn]]. In all three of his films with Elizabeth Taylor, he played her love interest. | ||
