The Misfits (DVD)

For one thing, this movie has an awesome cast! The storyline centers around a newly-divorced, emotionally-vulnerable woman played by Marilyn Monroe who encounters a couple of drifting cowboys while living in Nevada. She finds love with Gay Langland (portrayed by Clark Gable) and wins much admiration from Gay's friends Guido (Eli Wallach) and Pierce (Montgomery Clift). Although this film has a sad undertone (it was both Gable's and Monroe's last completed film), IMO it is a classic masterpiece written by Monroe's husband Arthur Miller - presumably as a gift to his wife. There were many problems in the making of the film, and Monroe's marriage crumbled shortly thereafter. Sadly, Clark Gable died two weeks after filming wrapped. He performed many of the physically-challenging stunts himself! I highly recommend this film to any classic movie fan.

A classic, five-star film. The last completed film by both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. A poignant film that explores all the challenges of the passing of a way of life, with compelling performances by its larger-than-life stars. Monroe's life was a mess and Gable was to have a massive fatal heart attack a few weeks after filming was finished. Third star Montgomery Cliff was also on a downward spiral to a tragic end. These three stars each used their own pathos to bring to the film the majesty and tragedy of fatally flawed but larger-than-life talent. It was filmed in Northern Nevada, including many sites in and around Dayton---my home. Most of the local sites are still here---the Odeon Hall, the Old Corner Bar, and what is now called "Misfit Flat" near Stagecoach, where the climatic final scene was filmed. The rodao grounds, build for the film, is gone but a new grounds was built out of studier and more permanent materials about a mile away. There are Old Timers here who remember the filming, including a few who were extras. An interesting and revealing story about the Old West, which even today, though diminished, is still alive and hanging on in the many ranches and huge open lands of Northern Nevada. Though diluted by "turnout" horses (released by owners who could not or would not afford to feed them) the real stars of the film---the mustangs---also have survived in spite of being captured for dog food, "culled" to save the range, droughts, and many other attacks. The wild horses---wild mustang, estray, or turnout---now have active rescue groups who are working hard to protect them and make them an asset for all. The Misfits only implied but did not show that one small mustang stallion (descended from the small horses of the Conquistadors) can run off most large, healthy, young turnout or estray stallions and take a significant herd of mares for himself!

This film is not only timeless, but it's literally impeccable. Alright, I can't completely say that, because there is one sequence where Eli Wallach fires a shotgun out of an airplane that sounds like a .38 caliber pistol, but it's otherwise perfect. The writing, the acting and the filmmaking are as fresh and passionate as a film that might be made today, if there were more of a market for a character piece like this film. It was written by Arthur Miller, who was married to Marilyn Monroe, at the time. It was the last completed film for Monroe, as well as Clark Gable who suffered a fatal heart attack after filming the end of the mustang sequence. Gable did the stunts himself, but I think a double was used to complete necessary shots after his death. It's not just memorable for the facts, but an instant favorite for lovers of dramatic films.

I like the description of this item. It told about this DVD being the last film
for Monroe and Gable. I love the film.

This is one of my favorite movies, simply because of the performance Marilyn Monroe gives in the scene of her screaming about the horses, while in the open field, to me it was her best performance. It was as if she completely grew-up in that very moment, leaving behind her normal acting roles of being a money-hungry ditzy blonde for something more deep and believable, for a role with actual feelings, it's like she pulled from her own life in that scene. I don’t think this movie got as much credit as it should have; it’s a classic.