I'm sure they didn't think about this when they were filming, but The Misfits has become somewhat of a mystic film experience since it is now known as the last role featuring Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe, two of the biggest stars in film history. What's interesting about this movie is the fact that it seems to tap so much into the personal lives of the actors, sometimes it's almost as if they aren't reciting dialog, they are actually living this material. Gable, like his cowboy character Gay Langland, was a somewhat washed-up star most people had forgotten about so he furiously attempted to make a comeback. Monroe was also on the downside of her career and most likely only got this part because her then-husband, playwright Arthur Miller, wrote the screenplay. Scenes between these two movie giants are interesting to watch, especially Monroe, who seems like she has completely immersed herself in this role and does some things you wouldn't expect of Marilyn Monroe.
The supporting cast is also big-named with Montgomery Clift, Eli Wallach, and Thelma Ritter. Clift is okay here but he looks terrible considering he had been in a car crash years before and he was severely addicted to drugs. Clearly, the off-screen drama is more interesting than what is on-screen, but at times they seem interchangeable. The story is rather flimsy feeling like a play in the desert, and there really isn't too much in the way of excitement or entertainment. The true entertainment is in watching these immortal stars do scenes together and wonder about how great they all were. The acting is fine and the black and white cinematography is stark and captures the mood, but for the most part what you will remember is the names and how sad it is to see them having to end up like this.
The supporting cast is also big-named with Montgomery Clift, Eli Wallach, and Thelma Ritter. Clift is okay here but he looks terrible considering he had been in a car crash years before and he was severely addicted to drugs. Clearly, the off-screen drama is more interesting than what is on-screen, but at times they seem interchangeable. The story is rather flimsy feeling like a play in the desert, and there really isn't too much in the way of excitement or entertainment. The true entertainment is in watching these immortal stars do scenes together and wonder about how great they all were. The acting is fine and the black and white cinematography is stark and captures the mood, but for the most part what you will remember is the names and how sad it is to see them having to end up like this.