The 1961 film “The Misfits” is less a film about the American West and more an elegy for its stars. This was the last feature film for Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable. This fact alone makes the film an important relic in Hollywood history. But there is more to this tragedy than box office numbers and release dates. This is a story of a broken marriage, fading ideals and horses that knew they were being led to slaughter.
This movie is a modern western directed by John Huston. It centers on aging cowboys who is out of touch with modern society. These men herd wild horses from their trucks. They sell the animals, which are then slaughtered and cheaply processed into pet food. It’s hard work. Monroe plays Roslyn Taber, a troubled former stripper. She falls in love with Guy Langland played by Gable. But she is horrified by the capture and fate of these once free animals.
There are thinly veiled parallels in this plot. The desperate situation of the horses mirrored the situation of the captured horses. They are all used and thrown away.
Arthur Miller’s personal tragedy unfolds on the screen
The screenplay was written by playwright Arthur Miller. He wrote it specifically for his wife, Marilyn Monroe. Their marriage disintegrated during production. This real-life chaos bled into the film. Publicity focused on Monroe’s real-life problems. Her unreliable work habits were well documented. Her temper tantrums became legendary. The press loved it. Viewers watched the star fall in real time.
Clark Gable died about a week after the film was completed. He was 60 years old. Within a year of the film’s release, Monroe died of a drug overdose. She was only 36. Another actor, Montgomery Clift, has only made three films after The Misfits. He died in 1966 at the age of 45. The film basically captures the last breaths of three big stars.
Horses and heart attacks
The scene where the wild horse is cornered is particularly wonderful. They are brutal and beautiful. Gable insisted on performing several stunts himself. This physical disability may have contributed to his death from a heart attack. It’s a stark reminder of how much these actors gave for their craft. Perhaps it is the weight of the end of an era.
Key Production Details
This film was produced by United Artists. Frank E. Taylor served as the producer. Alex North composed the music. The running time is 124 minutes. This is a very long film. It allows the audience to sit with the discomfort. It’s about watching the horses. To see the actors. To watch the end of something.
Cast
This group included some of the best actors of the mid-century.
- Clark Gable as Guy Langland
- Marilyn Monroe as Roslyn Taber
- Montgomery Clift as Perce Howland
- Thelma Ritter as Isabelle
- Eli Wallach as Guido
Wallach was still rising in his career. Ritter was a veteran character actress. But Gable and Monroe were icons. Their chemistry is palpable. It is tinged with sadness. You can see the
