MovieChat Forums > The Misfits (1961) Discussion > A TERRIFIC , TERRIBLY UNDERRATED FILM

A TERRIFIC , TERRIBLY UNDERRATED FILM

posted 21 years ago by twm-2
31 replies | jump to latest

I don't get it. This film never ends up on any "best" lists, not even the best movies of the 60's. I loved this film the first time I saw it, and everytime thereafter my appreciation has grown. It has almost everything, comedy ("I can step up, and I can step down"), character study, great acting (both Gable and Monroe's best, but also great supporting performances with Montgomery Clift, Eli Wallach, and Thelma Ritter), some truely heart-rending scenes (such as Gable, drunk, calling his children who have snuck away--ashamed of their father), some truely great scenes (Gable trying to bring down a horse by himself, Monroe off in the distance screaming at the three men), some terrific dialogue (yes, some of it is a bit artificial, but these actors make these parts real), and a great story (about sad people, left behind, unable to cope with changes making their way of life obsolete). And if all of that isn't enough reason to see it, it was Gable and Monroe's last film, and virtually Clift's as well.

I think some don't like it because they find it too much of a downer. There is no doubt that an aura of sadness permeates The Misfits, but it ends on a hopeful note--the three main characters have finally come face to face with hard reality, denial is cast aside, and they face an unknown, terrifying future--sadder but no longer alone, no longer irrelevant. Unless you're someone who can only watch sunny, fun-filled movies, without a trace of melancholy, see this movie. It's one of the greats.

"THE SPOTS!!!"

[–] rjames0107 21 years ago

I think everything you said in the above is true. It is a well-crafted story with some meaningful symbolism (No one wants to be tied down by wages, bad memories, other people's dreams, whatever. Not even mustangs. ;-) And the acting was good overall. Still, it really didn't leave me with a strong impression (good or bad) when I was done watching. Maybe the reason is because it's a movie for a different generation. I don't mean to say that it's just a movie for 'old folks'. What I mean is that change (especially divorce) seems so commonplace these days that it sometimes takes a plane hitting a skyscraper to really wake us up. And as you said, a significant theme of this movie has to do with characters dealing with change. And perhaps the changes these characters go through seem rather subtle today, although they may have meant more to moviegoers watching the film back in 1961. I'm only 31, so I have no idea what life was really like in the early 60s. Just a thought.

[–] twm-2 21 years ago

No movie is going to appeal to everyone, so I have no problem with your not embracing the film with the same enthusiasm as I do--especially in light of the fact that you seem to have made an effort to give the film a chance. IMHO, I don't think the argument that it comes from another generation is an adequate explanation as to why so few today take note of the film, however. I think many today exaggerate the differences between the generations, as if the problems faced by those of yesteryear are incomprehensible to us. In some ways, it IS true that we live in an era of unprecedented change--coming about with unprecedented speed. The Industrial Reveolution, the automoble, and the advent of the television have all wrought such a degree of mutability as to have been inconceivable to those on the cusp of these innovations. Nonetheless, those things that make us human have changed very little. Most have little trouble understanding the turmoils experienced by the characters in a Shakespeare play because they are, in the major respects, little different than the characters in a good work of fiction today. That the specific changes faced by the protagonists of The Misfits differ from the changes faced by you or I today matters little compared to their struggles to deal with that change. ALL fiction is about people dealing with change. That change may be coming about at an accelerated rate doesn't alter this fact. One of the seeming tenets of your comments is that since change has become a commonplace, a movie about people dealing with "subtle" change is passe. Lord help us if we are so jaded that the only stories that can interest us today are those about mammoth tragedy. No, I think there will always be room for the "little stories" of little tragedies. My heart went out to these people who so vainly tried to continue to live their lives in the manner they wished--refusing to see that the world had made this impossible until circumstance, and the support of their fellow misfits, forced them to see, leading to the tragic/triumphant denouement.

So, I respectfully continue to trumpet this movie as one of the all time greats. It's possible that an extra viewing might give you a greater appreciation of the film. I know a second time around often improves mine. I think this might be the case for you, especially in light of your prominent comment about divorce. Though the film begins with a divorce, the changes dealt with by Monroe's character have little to do with this particular change. Cheerio!

"THE SPOTS!!!"

[–] rjames0107 21 years ago

Touche. You're right. I'm sure changes like those in The Misfits aren't so 'subtle' to the people actually going through them. Poor wording on my part.

I'm guess I'm not really sure why this movie didn't grab me, unless maybe the changes seemed 'subtle' to me because I didn't really feel a strong connection to any of the characters and, thus, couldn't relate.

All in all, it is a well thought out story. At times, I got the feeling that Arthur Miller wrote The Misfits as a way of expressing his feelings about his relationship with Marilyn and the personal struggles she was obviously going through at the time.

[–] twm-2 21 years ago

There can be no doubt about it. The troubled relationship between Monroe and Miller and the difficulties Monroe struggled with her whole life provide the affective framework for the film--something that made the celluloid goings-on particularly raw, particularly authentic. When you add the sad fact that the three leads (among the greatest stars Hollywood has produced) would all be dead in a short while--it's no wonder why this film packs such an emotional wallop for some.

I personally find other emotional resonances--my own struggles to accept the fact some of my most cherished and long lasted dreams have absolutely no chance at being fullfilled, among others. I felt strong conections to both Gable's and Monroe's characters, and fairly strong ones to Clift's and Eli Wallach's as well. Throw in some remarkable scenes, intelligent dialogue, Monroe's etherial beauty, great black and white cineamatography, a thought-provoking script, and I can only ask: Why didn't this end up in my top 10 list of films (instead of "just" the top 25)? Answer: There are a LOT of great films out there. Cheerio!

"THE SPOTS!!!" --The Miracle of Morgan's Creek

[–] joekiddlouischama 19 years ago

The troubled relationship between Monroe and Miller and the difficulties Monroe struggled with her whole life provide the affective framework for the film--something that made the celluloid goings-on particularly raw, particularly authentic. When you add the sad fact that the three leads (among the greatest stars Hollywood has produced) would all be dead in a short while--it's no wonder why this film packs such an emotional wallop for some.

Yes, art was imitating life, and life seeped into the art of this film on a deep and intricate level.

[–] skatepunkkid 18 years ago

This is one of the best, well thought out explanations of why THE MISFITS is such a great film that I have read. I believe this to be one of the most unappreciated movies I
have ever seen, and I could never understand people that don't seem to get it. Just to know that there are others who do feel as I do about this work of genius makes me smile.
Ya never know what ya don't know, ya know?

[–] twm-2 18 years ago

Yes I do. Or rather, I don't . . . that is, um, I guess I don't know--what I don't know, that is . . . ya know?

Yes, it IS great to find people who share one's view of something near and dear. When I started this thread, I believe there was only one extant thread at the time. Obviously, things have changed and more people are coming to appreciate this sad, but beautiful cinematic gem.

Cheerio!

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] moog67 19 years ago

It doesn't matter when you were born. The troubles these characters face are universal and timeless. They're lost and don't know who they really are and they're running away from reality. These characters have always existed, then and now.

[–] mikesh 20 years ago

I am watching it now on TCM and I am enjoying it also. I remarked to myself didn't Gable die in 61 and then I remembered hey this was his last film. Not a bad way for the old man to finish. Wallach, Clift, and Monroe also carry themselves very well. I did a couple of double takes at some of the writing. I thought to myself this is some good stuff. Not your standard Hollywood star vehicle writing, but some real literary talent. Then I got on here and just happened to catch Arthur Miller's name and thought that it figured. I guess it takes real writers to write real stuff. As I am writing this I say to myself well who directed that. Then I look and see John Huston and I had to laugh to myself. Truly an all star team. Say what you will about Monroe she could hold her own. Her presence was almost more of a distraction than an asset, but she overcame this. Worth a look for any fan of movies in general. Talent that tops lists of all time movie stars/actors to best directors to best playwrights, there are lots of reason to watch it.

[–] twm-2 20 years ago

I've seen this film at least a dozen times, and I never tire of it. Strangely, I also saw this same TCM broadcast--at least the last 40 minutes--so I caught the most powerful moments of the film. I still get chills watching Gable wrestle that stallion to the ground, and when Monroe runs off into the distance and shouts back at the three men. And when Gable cuts the rope ("I just didn't want anybody makin' my mind up for me."), followed shortly by Monroe running out to pick up the dog (and in that little act, you realize that her character is alive in a way few ever are) and Gable says "I bless you, girl." Oh, well--I can go on and on.

I'm glad you liked it. I agree with your comments, though I've seen the film enough that Monroe is no longer a distraction--well, not a major distraction, anyway. I can't help but notice her beauty (she has NEVER been more luminous, imho) and extraordinary appeal. For me, Catherine Zeta-Jones has that kind of effect. I think her face is the greatest Hollywood has ever produced, so in most every movie I've seen her in (esPECIALLY, Intolerable Cruelty where she was at her most gorgeous), every time her face is on the screen I am bowled over anew. She doesn't project the vulnerability Monroe did, and thus doesn't have the same level of appeal, but no one ever did!

Since I'm blabbing away here, I'll share my first experience with Zeta-Jones. I had come to the theater to watch some movie, and the first trailer they showed was from The Mask of Zorro. The trailer goes on for a good while before she appears in it. She suddenly peeks around a corner, and BLAM--THERE SHE IS! That incredible face, and in a low cut dress, appearing without warning--and the entire audience gasped, me included. It was hilarious. I had never before experienced a very audible crowd reaction to beauty before. [SPOILERS]To Madeline falling from the tower in Vertigo, or Norman Bates' "mother" pulling aside the shower curtain, yes.[END SPOILERS] But never to a face. Cheerio!

"I'm a lover of beauty--and a beauty of a lover!"--The Court Jester

[–] ecjones1951 20 years ago

I watched "The Misfits" again on TCM last night, too, although Thanksgiving preparations had me so tired I dozed off before Gay points out the star that will lead him and Roslyn home.

That scene right there has a lot to do with the infamy of this film. It was almost as if Gable were inscribing his and Monroe's tombstones.

I'm going to write a longer review of this movie later on, but I have seen it at least 15 times, and never fail to find something new to admire and appreciate with each viewing.

I think the reason "The Misfits" is underrated and lacking in respect stems directly from its troubled history before, during and after filming. People seem to have a hard time separating what happens on screen from all the fiascoes surrounding production of "The Misfits." My brother once sent me a postcard with the famous photo of the assembled cast and director John Huston -- the one on and around the ladder. On the back of the card he wrote, "usually when one thinks of "ill-fated crews," the S.S. Minnow comes to mind. . .".

Taken on its merits, the film still works beautifully, IMO, and remains firmly ensconced near the top of my all-time greats.

[–] twm-2 20 years ago

Greetings! Always pleased to run across a fellow The Misfits enthusiast.

I think your explanation as to why this film isn't more popular may in part provide reason to what appears to be inexplicable--at least to me. However, other films have had troubled productions which only added a degree of noteriety, ultimately only increasing their popularity. With 2 of the most popular actors of all time dying before completing another film, and another not long after that, I would have expected this fact to push the popularity of the film way out into an elite orbit. Why this is not so remains a mystery to me. When I've read relatively unfavorable reviews of the film, I always end up shaking my head all the way through. They just don't see it. Some remark that the film is dated, or even grown irrelevant--but to me the themes of dealing with change, with loss, with maintaining individuality in the face of a mind numbing popular culture, remain as relevent as ever. A few have even found the acting forced, an opinion that leaves me bewildered, as I believe Gable was never better, and that this was Monroe's finest hour, both as an actor, and as an object of transcendent beauty. Some have said the dialogue was sometimes stiff or clumsy--and perhaps occasionally it was (though generally excellent), but the acting was SO good that they manage to sell every line. And everyone acknowledges the excellent climax--that wonderfull struggle of Gable vs. horse, vs. himself--all filmed so beautifully. So, I don't get it. Oh, well. At least there are some of us who love this wonderful film. Cheerio!

"I'm a lover of beauty--and a beauty of a lover!"--The Court Jester

[–] WHOATLEEDS 20 years ago

Hi all, I just watched this movie for the first time. I am 54 years old and I don't know how I missed it. This movie is totally fantastic. I got to rate it as one of the 10 best ever made. Reason being that this movie is about human cruelity. Like The Passion of the Christ, cruelity is what gets us all in the gut. Humans desperately want something to be done but cannot manage to summons up the courage to actually do something. All Marylin's character can do is scream and go nuts. The lines, like "Nothing lives except when something else dies" that Gable has in Misfits describes the process of how a man becomes cruel and thinks nothing of it. Gay's drunkeness reminds me of so many many individuals I have encountered. Very insightful, great acting,this movie is not on any best list because it is actually portraying the raw truth of the human condition. Humans always disavow, ignore, and turn away from that.

[–] twm-2 20 years ago

I could not agree more. Gable's line that you quote is a rationalization to excuse his behavior--something each and every one of us does. Beyond your comments, I think one of the great strengths of the film is how it shows us how even an essentially good man (which Gable's character, Gay Langland was) can slowly turn to "the dark side," and how the environment in which we live can, little by little, contribute to this turn if we let it. Welcome to the sparsely populated world of The Misfits' fandom. Cheerio!

"Nothing in this world is more surprising than the attack without mercy!"--Little Big Man

[–] telegonus 20 years ago

I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the film. It's a masterpiece and deserves to be regarded as a classic film not merely a troubled production, the last screen work of Monroe and Gable, or Miller's only movie script, and so on. The writing is excellent all the way through. The way Miller gets his characters to express themselves is astonishing. He ought to have written more films. His understanding of people and the messes they (we) get themselves in is profound and sympathetic. Gable gave maybe his best performance. Who said this man wasn't an actor? He was magnificent. Marilyn was equally good in her way. Clift, Wallach and Ritter were all brilliant as well. Some have criticized the movie for its ending, for not having a "point". For once in his career Arthur Miller wasn't trying to score points. He was trying to understand people, not make sermons. The film is a mood piece; a think piece, in a manner of speaking. There is no "point" to it. It makes you feel deeply for its characters, and that's enough for me.

[–] twm-2 20 years ago

By a strange coincidence, I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment as well! Cheerio!

"Nothing in this world is more surprising than the attack without mercy!"--Little Big Man

[–] fanaticita 19 years ago

Yes, the scene with Marilyn and Clark riding under the stars was breathtaking. It never fails to bring me to tears, knowing that both of them died shortly after.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] contradad 19 years ago

.......I like to thumb through those huge "Movie Review" books in bookstores whenever new ones come out and I notice that the Misfits ALWAYS seems to get good reviews there. Also, whenever the film is shown on local television, it gets a favorable mention in local newspapers in the television section.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] joekiddlouischama 19 years ago

I can understand why audiences in 1961 didn't flock to see a dark, character-driven drama about the falseness of the American Dream and the death of the old West. But they didn't realise they were missing out on a masterpiece. The Misfits is one of John Huston's most underrated films, and it deserves to be placed alongside his five widely acknowledged classics: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Maltese Falcon, Asphalt Jungle, The African Queen and The Man Who Would Be King. Huston's direction and Arthur Miller's script are both pitch-perfect throughout.

Yup. The Misfits is Huston's forgotten or unacknowledged masterpiece.

The Misfits is probably too moody, somber and low-key for those who expect lighter fare from Gable and Monroe, but as a drama it has shattering power.

Yup. In a sense, it's Hollywood being anti-Hollywood, and that was hard for people to stomach.

[–] twm-2 18 years ago

An exceptional summation of an exceptional film! Kudos!

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] rkeyster-1 15 years ago

Thank you for this thread! I just saw this film for the first time last night, and I am beyond shocked that it hasn't received the recognition it deserves. It is a haunting, beautiful, incredibly emotional film, with all of the performances being absolute powerhouses.

While everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion, in MY opinion, there can be little doubt as to the worth of Monroe's and Gable's performances in particular. Both of these stars were often devalued over the years, something that has always annoyed me, given how obviously talented they both were (a genuine talent that extended far beyond their movie-star looks). I definitely think both Monroe and Gable gave one of their absolute best performances in this movie....man, what a fantastic film; I'm so glad I didn't listen to its detractors!

[–] twm-2 15 years ago

I'm so glad you didn't as well--and so glad you were able to appreciate this great film. When I started this thread, it was one of only 3 under this title, and the other 2 were not really celebratory. It would appear the word is getting out!

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] skatepunkkid 14 years ago

"{(Even though it's just Nevada)."

I find that remark a bit condecending, I grew up in Nevada and I love it there. Possibly you have never been there, or if you have, you didn't spend enough time there to get to know it for the beautiful place it really is. It is a wonderful place to live.

"This is the west sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] maxzorindresden 14 years ago

Misfits is the only Monroe movie I feel genuinly excited about watching....helluva movie imo.