If I’m going to be alone I want to be by myself
For those of you who are unaware Arthur Miller was a politically aware playwright from the mid to the late 20th century. His works included, Death of a Salesman, The Crucible and View from a Bridge. He was great pals with fellow Playwright, Elia Kazan until Elia named communists in the showcase trials from the 50′s. The breakdown of their friendship and their personal idealogy differences can be seen in public by seeing, On the Waterfront, and Vu Du Pont.
I also read Miller’s self penned biography entitled, “Time Bends a Life” and he reveals quite the soul searching complicated character. While divorcing his first wife in order to marry Marilyn Monroe, Arthur stayed in in Nevada near Reno where was struck and wrote briefly about, what he called, “The inquisitive longing to the people”
A few years later, recalling Nevada, and probably thinking about his wife, Arthur Miller wrote the story, “The Misfits”. He then became directly involved in writing the movie script for it. John Huston was the director, Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift star.
The Misfits is one of my all time classic films. There are so many layers to it. Even the making of the film is a story in itself. It tells, the story of Rosyln Tabor who has arrived in Reno to go through a divorce from her husband as she says, “wasn’t there”. She meets a couple of renegade drifter types whose early observation is that, “Anything is got to be better then wages”. They sort of fall in together and discuss their lives with each other, get drunk and finally try and catch some wild horses. Sounds simple doesn’t it?
The film does indeed starts off simple enough and there is immediate empathy for the Roslyn character.As the other characters are introduced their inner thoughts come out, courtesy of Miller’s script, and it is here that I was drawn in.
There are many scenes worthy of mention from the Misfits. The bar scene were Roslyn first meets Gay and Guido, the initial visit to Guido’s house with the discussion in the bedroom between Guido and Roslyn, the Rodeo scene and then the final climatic scene at the end of this film.
The supporting cast of Eli Wallich, Thelma Ritter and Monty Clift add their weight and acting gifts to this film. There is criticism of Marilyn’s acting in this film but I think it’s one her finer pieces of work. Later on, she commented she both hated the film, and herself for being in the film.
There are many sad notes to this film in terms of production, pre and post. Shortly after the film completion Marilyn and Arthur Miller divorced. Clark Gable died of a heart attack and it was both his and Marilyn Monroe’s last ever completed film when she herself died in 1962.
The Misfits is shot in black and white and features many atmospheric scenes during the course of the day and especially at night.Even in black and white the dark sky and vast expanses of Nevada are conveyed easily across in the film. It’s perfect in black and white and I am so glad that this choice was made. Shooting in black and white was becoming a rare cinematic event in 1960. At the time it was declared to be the most expensive film to be made in black and white to date. Money well spent if you ask me.
The film’s score right from the opening credits seems to set the mood for the film. Composed by Alex North, who won many awards in his own right. It is dark and sombre in sound it seems to be line up perfect with the mood of the film.
John Huston provides good direction. Nothing seems staged at all and efforts made to direct those final 30 minutes would have taken a lot of work and its work well done.
I could go on about this film but I won’t. The film is perfectly described by its title. Suffice to say its recommended. Go and see it.