The Misfits

The Misfits is noted for being the final movie of both Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable. It's also considered the last major movie in both Montgomery Clift and John Huston's careers. Those factoids aside, The Misfits is a very good movie.

Not long after her divorce is finalized, Rosalyn Tabor (Monroe) meets three men, each one different from the last: Gay Langland (Gable), an aging cowboy; Guido (Eli Wallach), a widower; and Perce Howland (Clift), a drifter rodeo rider. Of course, all three men eventually fall for Rosalyn.

At first it would appear that Gay, Guido and Perce like Rosalyn for her curves. But as they get to know her better, they realize they just want someone trusting to talk to (especially Perce). We also view Rosalyn not as a dumb blonde but as a martyr because of her complicated past. That's because the script by Arthur Miller (Monroe's soon-to-be ex-husband at the time) has some events of Monroe's life as parts of Rosalyn's.

As mentioned above, The Misfits is a very good movie. It has its four principal actors in some of their finest work. It may have been neglected upon its release, but that doesn't mean it should be fifty years later.

My Rating: ****1/2