The Misfits (1961)

Director:

John Huston

Writer:

Arthur Miller (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 February 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Western

Tagline:

'SMASHING' thru the Excitement Barrier !

Plot:

A sexy divorcée falls for an over-the-hill cowboy who is struggling to maintain his romantically independent lifestyle in early-sixties Nevada.

Plot Keywords:

Horse | Divorce | Wild Horse | Cowboy | Widower

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Clark Gable	...	Gay Langland
Marilyn Monroe	...	Roslyn Taber
Montgomery Clift	...	Perce Howland
Thelma Ritter	...	Isabelle Steers
Eli Wallach	...	Guido
James Barton	...	Fletcher's Grandfather
Kevin McCarthy	...	Raymond Taber
Estelle Winwood	...	Church Lady Collecting Money in Bar
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peggy Barton	...	Young Bride (uncredited)
Rex Bell	...	Old Cowboy (uncredited)
Ryall Bowker	...	Man in Bar (uncredited)
Frank Fanelli Sr.	...	Gambler at Bar (uncredited)
John Huston	...	Extra in Blackjack Scene (uncredited)
Bobby LaSalle	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Philip Mitchell	...	Charles Steers (uncredited)
Walter Ramage	...	Old Groom (uncredited)
Ralph Roberts	...	Ambulance Driver at Rodeo (uncredited)
Dennis Shaw	...	Fletcher - Young Boy in Bar (uncredited)
J. Lewis Smith	...	Fresh Cowboy in Bar (uncredited)
Marietta Tree	...	Susan (uncredited)

Directed by
John Huston

Writing credits
Arthur Miller		(screenplay)

Produced by
Frank E. Taylor	....	producer

Original Music by
Alex North

Cinematography by
Russell Metty		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George Tomasini		(film editor)

Art Direction by
Stephen B. Grimes		(as Stephen Grimes)
Bill Newberry		(as William Newberry)

Set Decoration by
Frank R. McKelvy		(as Frank McKelvy)

Makeup Department
Agnes Flanagan	....	hair stylist
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
Frank La Rue	....	makeup (as Frank Larue)
Frank Prehoda	....	makeup
Allan Snyder	....	makeup
Bunny Gardel	....	body makeup (uncredited)

Production Management
C.O. Erickson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carl Beringer	....	assistant director
Tom Shaw	....	second unit director
John Gaudioso	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ross C. Burke	....	property master (uncredited)
Bud Pine	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Robert L. Stephen	....	painter gang boss (uncredited)

Sound Department
Charles Grenzbach	....	sound recordist
Philip Mitchell	....	sound recordist
R.D. Cook	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Al Marsh	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Cline Jones	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Bill Babcock	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Daheim	....	stunts (uncredited)
Cole Palen	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson	....	stunts (uncredited)
J. Lewis Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ted White	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack N. Young	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Rex Wimpy	....	photographer: second unit
Eve Arnold	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Lefty Budman	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Cornell Capa	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Henri Cartier-Bresson	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Charles Cowie	....	key grip (uncredited)
Bruce Davidson	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Elliott Erwitt	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Ernst Haas	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Ledge Haddow	....	camera (uncredited)
Erich Hartmann	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Lee Jones	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Richard A. Kelley	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Michael Moramarco	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Inge Morath	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Eddie Pyle	....	second camera (uncredited)
Louis Schwartz	....	first camera (uncredited)
Al St. Hilaire	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Dennis Stock	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Clyde Taylor	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Harry L. Underwood	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jean Louis	....	dresses: Marilyn Monroe
Jean Louis	....	wardrobe: Miss Monroe
Dorothy Jeakins	....	costumer: Marilyn Monroe (uncredited)
Jesse Munden	....	costumer (uncredited)
Shirlee Strahm	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Stu Linder	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Connie Roese	....	negative cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Alex North	....	conductor
Henry Brant	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Frank Khoury	....	transportation (uncredited)

Other crew
Angela Allen	....	script supervisor
Billy Jones	....	wrangler
Edward Parone	....	assistant to the producer
Friedrich von Ledebur	....	horse master
Bob Davenport	....	wrangler (uncredited)
Bruce Gailbraith	....	wrangler (uncredited)
James W. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Cindy James	....	dog trainer (uncredited)
Eugene Logan	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Evelyn Moriarty	....	stand-in: Marilyn Monroe (uncredited)
George Nelson	....	title designer: main titles (uncredited)
Corky Randall	....	wrangler (uncredited)
Frank Remsden	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Jimmy Sherwood	....	wrangler (uncredited)
Barlow Simpson	....	wrangler (uncredited)
Lew Smith	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)
Paula Strasberg	....	dialogue coach: Ms. Monroe (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Seven Arts Productions (presents) (The John Huston Production)

Distributors

• United Artists (1961) (USA) (theatrical) (as A United Artists release)
• United Artists (1961) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1965) (USA) (TV)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• United Artists Films (1961) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1961) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (????) (France) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Communications Co. (????) (USA) (TV)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1999) (2002) (Finland) (TV)
• Scanvideo (????) (Finland) (video)
• TV3 (1988) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (198?) (Germany) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1969) (1977) (2008) (2009) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• George Nelson & Co. Inc.  main titles
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of: affiliated with A.F. of L. (as I.A.T.S.E.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

124 min | France:120 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | France:U (re-release) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved | Ireland:PG | Iceland:L | Hungary:14 | West Germany:12 (f) (re-rated) | West Germany:16 (f) | Finland:K-12

Filming Locations:

Dayton, Nevada, USA

Company:

Seven Arts Productions

Trivia:

Huston also provided an uncredited bit part to socialite Marietta Tree, who had been a long-time lover. Tree, born Mary Endicott Peabody, who hailed from one of New England's oldest families, was also the lover of two-time Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson. Soon after this film's release, she worked in the Kennedy Administration, representing the U.S. on the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Isabelle (Thelma Ritter) and Guido return to the house after Roslyn and Langland have been alone there for a few days, Langland calls Isabelle "Thelma".

Quotes:

[first lines]
Isabelle Steers:Young man, do you have the time? I got six clocks in the house and none of them work.
Guido:Twenty after nine.
Isabelle Steers:After? It's twenty after, dear. Dahlin'. Five minutes.
Roslyn:What about you?
Isabelle Steers:I'm all set, I just tyin' my sling. The lawyer said nine thirty sharp, dahlin'.
Roslyn:Okay.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Giant Gila Monster (#5.2)" (1992)

Stands Alone

This is a one of a kind film experience which has taken on even more depth with our hindsight into the lives of its creators. Written by Monroe's then husband, Arthur Miller, and produced as their marriage was ending, it provides Monroe with the role of her life. There are many great moments in the film, the most famous being her tirade against the cruelty and dishonesty of the men in her life. You will never forget her cries of "Murderers!" , even more horrifying now, given the suspicions surrounding her death. But for me the most unforgettable moment takes place in the cab of the truck when Eli Wallach's character offers to save the lives of some horses if she will give up the man she is with and live with him. The look on her face changes from hope to horror as she realizes he's bartering the horses' lives for hers: "You have to GET something in order to act human?!" she spits out at him. It's a great script, cast perfectly, and speaks as sadly and as eloquently to us now as it did forty years ago.