Anyone find the animal abuse element upsetting?

I love animals so much. I can't stand them being mistreated.

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There's documentary on YouTube where Eli Wallach and others discuss the animals. They said that the ASPCA monitored the whole thing -- telling them when to stop and use a different horse. He also explained how they made the horses look alike. It was also mentioned that some of these horses where probably on their way to the "wagon train" as well, as they were sick or old.

It's a tense, draining scene that makes excellent use of montage and mise-en-scene. Monroe's anguished, enraged breakdown crystallizes the moment.

I don't agree. Many animals are overpopulated and would be more so if people did not eat them. Then you would have a bunch of famished, diseased animals wandering around. It is for this reason that hunting, as loathesome as it may seem, is necessary as well. I don't personally hunt, but in some parts of the world deer populations are out of control. In my town (Richmond, Virginia) we see deer around all the time and many of them are absolutely emaciated and often resort to eating bushes and things in people's yards or even eating out of people's trashcans, because there is not enough food to go around. Although I would not personally want to shoot a deer, I would prefer for some of them to be shot so that fewer of them have to slowly starve to death.

It's brilliant, powerful stuff from Arthur Miller. I believe he wrote it for Marilyn, who was his wife at the time - and yes, the character that Marilyn later played is at the heart of this story.

Don't worry, I did appreciate it affected you in that way; same here. Sometimes though, the way we feel about those "issues" can distract us from the real points. Through our tears we can only see the more obvious trauma. I hope you get to read the book, you'll read it in no time.

Interesting tidbit: In 1993, The Misfits won the Genesis Award for classic film. This award "pays tribute to the major news and entertainment media for producing outstanding works in television, film, print and the arts which raise public understanding of animal issues." Though the film's main focus was certainly on the internal conflicts of the film's human protagonists, I don't think there can be any doubt about the fact that the plight of these wild horses were an important secondary point of emphasis, reflected in the bestowal of this award.

And as to your original point, yes, I find the images of Gable wrestling with that stallion disturbing--on more than one level. Those scenes, including Monroe's heart-rending accusatory cries in the distance, always leaves me shaken, AND with tears in my eyes--as does the joyous scene where Monroe sets the horses free. The way that is shown, and Gable's reaction to it, leaves no doubt about the film makers' ultimate position on the issue of the treatment of these horses.

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