tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post7546905370611591641..comments2024-03-28T06:14:54.076-04:00Comments on And So It Begins...: Montgomery Clift: A Career AppreciationAlex Withrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-54288487797106495472021-09-16T11:40:31.966-04:002021-09-16T11:40:31.966-04:00Bit of an exaggeration for sure, but he looked age...Bit of an exaggeration for sure, but he looked aged. So so aged. I know 65 year olds who look young than he does in that picture. But either way, what an actor.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-66170718073239895622021-09-16T11:39:08.213-04:002021-09-16T11:39:08.213-04:00I'll never be fully finished with this blog. I...I'll never be fully finished with this blog. I put too much damn time into it to abandon it, you know? I love that this blog has a comment section that leads me to awesome people like you. But sadly, I just don't have time to regularly update this site anymore. And the Blogger interface makes it impossible to post something in any reasonable amount of time. BUT we are doing a Monty Clift pod sometime this year. I'll post it here when it's ready if you want!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-45453586799268959102021-08-18T03:03:33.433-04:002021-08-18T03:03:33.433-04:00I disagree that he looked 20 years older in The De...I disagree that he looked 20 years older in The Defector. 7 or 8 maybe, but in no way does he look 65 years old. <br /><br />Compare him to actors like Biran Keith -- who was indeed 45-49 when he starred in the saccharine 'Family Affair', yet truly looked closer to 60. And that's with that gawd-awful rug.DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17799351083175094332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-67780753966540949232021-06-27T10:42:36.692-04:002021-06-27T10:42:36.692-04:00Well, better late than never.) I appreciate that y...Well, better late than never.) I appreciate that you took the time to reply.<br /><br />If I understand correctly, you mostly finished with this blog and your main outlet is the podcast. Or I am wrong?Mad Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-91007588836901601582021-06-21T18:25:17.064-04:002021-06-21T18:25:17.064-04:00Mad Mike! I'm sorry it took me so long to resp...Mad Mike! I'm sorry it took me so long to respond. I published this comment and completely forgot to follow it up. Thank you so much for this great comment! That's a really good point actually... that he needed a broken character to thrive post-accident. I've never really thought about that.<br /><br />Love your rankings, Eternity never gets old, I love him in that movie. Thank you again for your comment!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-12408274135544309752021-04-27T11:26:54.670-04:002021-04-27T11:26:54.670-04:00Hi, Alex! Longtime reader of your blog. I found it...Hi, Alex! Longtime reader of your blog. I found it when I was looking for the best David Morse performances (loved those in character posts). In time, I devoured everything here (especially appreciated nobody talks about series).<br /><br />I wanted to comment in these post, because Monty Clift is also one of my favorite actors, and this is a great overview of his career.<br /><br />I agree 100% that place in the sun is the best movie with him. But his best performance for me is either in From here to eternity or Judgment at Nuremberg. He is simply magnificent in them both and in my eyes elavates both movies to higher level (which, I cannot say about that many perfomances).<br /><br />If I've had to rank them: 1. Eternity 2. Nuremberg 3. Place in the sun. 4. Misfits 5. The Heiress <br /><br />Also, I think he was never the same actor after the crash. Sure, he could still give a great performance, if it required a broken character (Nuremberg and Misfits). But I think he became a bit awkward and stiff after the crash (which is understandable, and still Clift operating at 70% is better than most actors at 100%). I think that if (of course that's a big if) the crash hasn't happened he would have a body of work stronger than Marlon, but I'm grateful that we had him as long as we did.<br /><br />So that's my five cents.) Thanks for this post and this awesome blog! Mad Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-26166441184199470292020-04-22T09:37:40.794-04:002020-04-22T09:37:40.794-04:00I would love to hear your thoughts on some of his ...I would love to hear your thoughts on some of his work! He's been in a lot of really great films. Let me know if you watch any!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-11633593063819994492020-04-22T09:36:56.221-04:002020-04-22T09:36:56.221-04:00Ugh I don't know what the hell is going on wit...Ugh I don't know what the hell is going on with blogger lately, but I've been having serious formatting issues on here recently. Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-58983241224571182762020-04-11T00:37:08.711-04:002020-04-11T00:37:08.711-04:00It's strange. I've been familiar with the ...It's strange. I've been familiar with the name Montgomery Clift practically all my life, perhaps because it's such an interesting to just say. However, his actual career is a giant blind spot. I think From Here to Eternity is the only movie of his I've seen. Yeah, I need to get on the ball.Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-52751593982338711752020-04-03T15:50:34.073-04:002020-04-03T15:50:34.073-04:00Great review, thanks for letting me know it was up...Great review, thanks for letting me know it was up!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-47459702812898979442020-04-03T15:49:20.549-04:002020-04-03T15:49:20.549-04:00I hope you have some time to check some of these o...I hope you have some time to check some of these out! Clift was a performer of immense intensity and vulnerability. Only person close to him today is DDL.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-79958082400592441992020-04-03T12:29:32.129-04:002020-04-03T12:29:32.129-04:00I really need to start watching more older movies ...I really need to start watching more older movies because i have not watched a single one of these films. There are some very interesting recommendations here though that i will definitely try to track down. Henrik Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00328417397416651007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-43519710668917938672020-04-02T23:13:51.898-04:002020-04-02T23:13:51.898-04:00Here you go, A Place in the SunHere you go, <a href="http://thevoid99.blogspot.com/2020/03/2020-blind-spot-series-place-in-sun.html" rel="nofollow"><i>A Place in the Sun</i></a>thevoid99https://www.blogger.com/profile/03055459287396592446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-85612870203059489362020-04-02T14:35:43.859-04:002020-04-02T14:35:43.859-04:00Thank you for this! If you like star bios, “Montgo...Thank you for this! If you like star bios, “Montgomery Clift” by Patricia Boswell is genuinely the best one I've read. Obviously I'm biased, but it's such a good book.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-82254664798412736282020-04-02T14:10:43.062-04:002020-04-02T14:10:43.062-04:00Thanks so much for this comment! I wonder what a d...Thanks so much for this comment! I wonder what a day of James Dean/TCM programming looks like. The three movie of course, but then what?<br /><br />And he absolutely should have won at least one Oscar! I watched Stalag 17 last night and do not understand how or why Holden won that Oscar. I like Holden, but I didn't think he did anything significant in Stalag 17. Feels like the Academy was trying to save face for not giving him Best Actor for Sunset Boulevard. Woof.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-49837888429485305062020-04-02T14:05:03.964-04:002020-04-02T14:05:03.964-04:00Thanks so much! I had a blast making my way throug...Thanks so much! I had a blast making my way through all those Best Picture winners. There were some duds in there, but there was also some genuine gold, like Eternity. Why is someone hoarding Suddenly, Last Summer?! Sharing is caring!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-33559263512098268272020-04-02T14:02:44.436-04:002020-04-02T14:02:44.436-04:00And what's crazy about his appearance is that ...And what's crazy about his appearance is that he was 45 when he filmed The Defector, but he looks so much older. What a tragic life, but an astounding career. Can't wait to read your review for A Place in the Sun.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-56999357539645305602020-03-27T05:20:00.947-04:002020-03-27T05:20:00.947-04:00As somebody who has not seen many classics in her ...As somebody who has not seen many classics in her life and probably won't either (I'm just not that patient), reading biographies of Hollywood stars is still very fascinating. The times were so different, yet so similar.<br />This made me so sad. Greta talents wasting theirselves into alcohol and drugs always makes me sad. But still, fascinating read and if I had a hat, I'd remove it for you. Well done sir! Somebody some day will make their own post off Clift and add your post as "further reading".Getterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07216666216639032348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-91958301593357405802020-03-26T13:19:09.555-04:002020-03-26T13:19:09.555-04:00My God, he so should've won at some point in h...My God, he so should've won at some point in his career, especially -- <i>especially</i> -- for <i>Judgment at Nuremberg</i>. That's a hill I'm willing to die on.<br /><br />When I was introduced to him with <i>From Here to Eternity</i>, I knew almost immediately that he was an actor I would be indulging in more. And I haven't looked back since that day.<br /><br />It's funny. A while back, TCM's Twitter account was asking which of "the paragons of method acting" -- Brando, Clift, Dean -- deserved a day of programming. I sided with Clift because you always hear about Brando and Dean being the starting points when it comes to method acting but seldom with Clift, who's perhaps more obscure to modern audiences than the brutish Brando or the doomed Dean. (Thankfully, I was not alone in picking Clift.)<br /><br />Anyway, my hats off to you for this piece on a fine actor. (And in time for his centennial this October too!) MovieNut14https://www.blogger.com/profile/17250239873504510289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-78285194536602006872020-03-25T20:59:44.347-04:002020-03-25T20:59:44.347-04:00What a great piece. Sadly, the only film of his I&...What a great piece. Sadly, the only film of his I've seen is Judgement at Nuremberg but I agree he gives a very memorable performance in it. I had Suddenly, Last Summer on my Blind Spot list twice but someone at Netflix is hoarding that DVD so I've yet to get my hands on it.<br /><br />After reading all this, From Here To Eternity intrigues me the most. I should do what you did and watch all the Best Picture winners. Brittani Burnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975067259283007280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-1021528221176827442020-03-25T17:08:28.789-04:002020-03-25T17:08:28.789-04:00I just finished watching A Place in the Sun yester...I just finished watching <i>A Place in the Sun</i> yesterday (as I'm now working on my review at the moment) as Clift was just devastating to watch. Especially the shot on the boat as you could feel the conflict he's having from within as he is torn between these two women and lifestyles they offer. It was intense.<br /><br />So far, <i>Red River</i> is my favorite performance from him as he was the right counterpart to the more gruff and old-school John Wayne in that film as I also liked him in <i>I Confess</i> and <i>On the Waterfront</i>. He was indeed a gifted and an incredible actor. Based on the pictures you displayed, I noticed that before the accident. He looked youthful and full of life but after the accident, you could slowly see him age into an older man that is struggling to keep it together. <i>The Misfits</i>, <i>Judgement at Nuremberg</i>, and <i>Suddenly, Last Summer</i> are the ones I want to see next as well as <i>The Search</i>. thevoid99https://www.blogger.com/profile/03055459287396592446noreply@blogger.com