Hollywood Star Montgomery Clift's Hidden Hardships Are Revealed

Oct 10, 2023

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of suicide that may be troubling for some readers.

Montgomery “Monty” Clift debuted on Broadway at age 14 as Harmer Masters in the comedy “Fly Away Home.” He transitioned to acting on the big screen at 25 when he acted opposite John Wayne in “Red River.” The movie was a critical success, and Monty earned his second role immediately in “The Search,” which earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. 

Monty caught the attention of many in Hollywood because of his talent and reluctance to sign a seven-year contract that was customary at the time. He did this despite having made only two movies. This rare move kickstarted the scenario that changed the power dynamic between studios and stars at the time. 

Monty remained a mystery to many in the industry even after his death. 

“I was warned not to trust all the stories,” his nephew, Robert Clift, told Closer Weekly. 

He made a documentary in 2018 titled “Making Montgomery Clift” to oppose the negative labels ascribed to his late uncle. 

Robert told The Guardian: 

“For us, it seemed there was this big difference between what people thought about Monty in the public sphere and what people that knew him would say. I wanted to figure out why there was such a difference.”

Monty wanted to be free to do whatever movie he wanted, and he knew a contract would have inhibited him.

“He valued his independence and didn’t want to participate in a sham marriage,” Robert told Closer Weekly. “He rejected (the studio system) to maintain the freedom to see whom he wanted, and to live a life that included seeing people of the same sex.”

Monty signed a three-picture deal with Paramount Pictures that offered him the independence he sought. 

Robert opined that the assumption by many biographers that Monty was ashamed of his sexuality was false. The stories painted him as a gay or bisexual man who was unhappy and turned to prescription drugs and alcohol. However, Robert said that these notions were untrue. 

Amy Lawrence, author of "The Passion of Montgomery Clift," also affirmed it when she said, “He didn’t hide it like Rock Hudson, but he didn’t flaunt it.”  

Another person close to the actor, Jack Larson, renowned for the TV version of “Adventures of Superman,” recalled how Monty gave him a full-mouth kiss on their first meeting. 

“He was not worried (about being gay),” he said. 

Larson claimed Monty was a free spirit, contrary to the claims that he was unhappy and ashamed. 

“He wasn’t anything like people thought he was. He loved to have fun. He had a great sense of humor, Larson posited. “As a person, he was nearer to Jerry Lewis on screen than he was to Montgomery Clift.”

Another influential figure in Monty’s life was his friend and actress, Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor was a striking beauty treated as an exquisite prop by her studio until she met Monty. Charles Casillo, author of "Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship," told People more about their relationship. The duo co-starred in the 1951 drama, “A Place In The Sun,” and were instantly attracted to each other. 

Monty was different from the other men Taylor had met as they had only wanted her for her “physicality,” but Monty truly cared for her. He talked about what she liked and taught her how to act. She also unsuccessfully tried to seduce him, although they were often spotted smooching at the back of limousines. 

Monty eventually felt comfortable enough to tell Taylor he was gay, and she supported him. She even tried to match him with suitable people. He also stood by her through her many scandals and several marriages. 

“They were soulmates,” Casillo said of the pair. 

Monty and Taylor remained fast friends until he died from a heart attack in 1966 at 45. At the time, the actor had become a shadow of himself. He had an accident in 1956 while returning from a party at Taylor’s house that permanently affected him. He had taken two “downers” to help him fall asleep at home and was drowsy when he hit a telephone pole. 

Taylor reached into his throat and pulled out the two teeth that had broken and blocked his windpipe, thus saving him from choking. 

“Everyone on the scene said that she saved his life,” the author said. “Otherwise “he would have died right there.”

Monty suffered a broken jaw and nose and needed plastic surgery. He also looked a decade older. However, Taylor used her power to get Monty cast in several films. At the time, he had become dependent on painkillers and drugs and was unstable, but Taylor insisted on it. Despite his state, he acted in nine more films and was nominated for an Oscar for his role in “Judgment at Nuremberg.” Remarkably, Monty preferred his post-accident performances to the ones before. 

Many biographers claimed the accident ruined Monty and made him turn to drugs. However, Lawrence claimed he already had demons he was fighting before the accident and rejected the idea that that accident drove Monty to commit “a long, slow suicide.”

“He made 17 films and at least six or eight of them are great movies,” Lawrence said. “I think he’d like to be remembered for his work. Period.”

Have you watched any of Montgomery Clift’s work? Do you have any favorites? What do you think of the actor’s story and characterizations over the years? Let us know — and be sure to pass this on to fans of the actor. 

If you or anybody you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please call Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit Befrienders Worldwide - Global Suicide Prevention to find your local suicide prevention hotline. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.