Marilyn Monroe is a woman who needs no introduction. One of the most popular actresses of all time, almost everyone knows who Marilyn is, even if they’ve never seen any of her movies. I remember a time when I would go to a store and find memorabilia with Marilyn’s picture or likeness on it, from metal wall signs to Christmas ornaments. I even recall a church named after her in the 1975 movie, Tommy. But when the Marilyn Monroe – 100^th Birthday Anniversary Blogathon was announced, I remembered one of her films was recommended to me. That film is 1961’s The Misfits, suggested by Eric Binford (from Diary of a Movie Maniac)! On my blog’s Year-Long Bingo Card, one of the squares is labeled “Review a movie from the Western genre”. This became another reason why I chose to review The Misfits, as the movie is classified as a “contemporary western”. However, I had no idea Marilyn ever starred in a western genre picture until I selected the 1961 title for the blogathon. My aforementioned reasons, including the fact I don’t review western genre movies often, finally gave me an opportunity to write about The Misfits!

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: Throughout my years of watching and reviewing movies, I’ve heard Marilyn Monroe receive titles like “icon” and “sex symbol”. But as I reflect on her performance in The Misfits, I feel those titles do her acting talents a huge disservice. Toward the beginning of the 1961 film, Marilyn’s character, Roslyn, is questioning what her life will look like after her recent divorce. She’s hunched over her drink and her hands are folded, appearing as if she’s lost in thought. Roslyn’s eyes show how she’s trying to make a thousand decisions in a single moment, but not in a way that makes her look overwhelmed. She’s carefully processing what her new steps will be, coming up with a strategy that will prevent her from repeating her mistakes. As I watched this scene unfold, I was so focused on Roslyn and what decisions she was going to make, I had completely forgotten I was watching an actress portray a character. This is just one example of how Marilyn’s performance was one of the best parts of The Misfits!

Clark Gable is an actor I am definitely familiar with. Not only have I seen Gone with the Wind, I reviewed China Seas back in 2021. His portrayal of Gaylord in The Misfits is quite different from his two previously mentioned roles. That’s because it didn’t feel like Gaylord had something to prove, yet was emotionally versatile. One of the saddest scenes is when Gaylord is trying to find his children. As he drunkenly stumbles throughout and out of the saloon, he calls out his children’s names. A mixture of pain, confusion, and longing can be heard in his voice. Even his eyes were filled to the brim with sadness. In that scene, I, honestly, couldn’t help feeling sorry for Gaylord. Clark’s solid performance certainly contributed to that.

While I’m on the subject of the acting performances in The Misfits, I want to bring up Eli Wallach and Montgomery Clift. As I watched this movie, I was impressed by Eli’s portrayal of Gaylord’s friend, Guido, as well as Montgomery’s portrayal of a rodeo rider named Perce. One stand-out moment was when Guido is talking to Roslyn about his deceased wife. His voice quivers during the conversation and his eyes even appear on the verge of tears. Eli’s performance presents one of those times where a character can say so much as they say very little. In a different conversation with Roslyn, Perce shares his life story with her. Throughout his reflections, his wide eyes look like they’re searching for something. But it’s not because he’s lost, it’s because he’s trying to find something to focus on after a recent head injury. Montgomery’s expressive eyes are one of the reasons why his performance was captivating to watch!

The dialogue: Sometimes, a movie’s dialogue can be so thoughtfully written, it sounds profound without trying too hard to be. That was definitely the case for The Misfits! Honestly, it’s difficult to choose a favorite quote because several quotes were so thought-provoking. But I will provide a few examples to prove my previously stated point. At one moment in the movie, Isabelle, Roslyn’s former landlady and current friend, claims to know Nevada’s slogan. She says it’s “Anything goes, but don’t complain if it went”. Poignant reminders of how unpredictable life is and how some things were or were not meant to be are shared in that one line. During a conversation with Roslyn, Guido tells her, “You have the gift for life, Roslyn. The rest of us, we’re just looking for a place to hide and watch it all go by”. This piece of dialogue simply, yet effectively, differentiates between people who allow life to pass them by and those who fearlessly grab the steering wheel.

Providing creativity to the western genre: When it comes to means of travel within the western genre, horseback riding, horse drawn carriages/wagons, and trains are typically shown on screen. These modes of travel provide a stone in the western genre’s foundation, making the genre itself what it is. But what if I told you there was a plane in The Misfits? In the 1961 movie, Guido says he was a pilot in the war, likely referring to World War II. He uses his piloting skills to not only fly a plane, but to also wrangle a group of wild horses with that same plane. I bring this up because, prior to reviewing The Misfits, I had never seen, let alone heard of, a plane in a western genre film. Incorporating any aircraft into the movie added creativity to the western genre. It also gave The Misfits a unique identity.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Guido’s unaddressed jealousy: At Guido’s house, Roslyn and Gaylord share a dance together. When Guido sees Gaylord and Roslyn together, the look on Guido’s face appears to be that of jealousy. But throughout The Misfits, this apparent jealousy wasn’t addressed. I honestly thought it was going to lead to a love triangle or Guido and Gaylord fighting for Roslyn’s love. Looking back on the 1961 movie, I wonder what the purpose was of showing Guido looking jealous if that feeling didn’t play a role in the story? Guido’s apparent jealousy could have led to an interesting conflict within the script had that feeling been acknowledged.

The run-time: IMDB lists The Misfits’ run-time as a little over two hours. Personally, I think that run-time is a bit excessive. Not only is the story pretty straightforward and easier to follow, the cast is smaller, which helps the audience remember who is who. These elements should have led to a tighter script. Plus, some scenes were drawn out too long, such as when Gaylord, Guido, and Perce wrangle the wild horses. If scenes like the one I brought up were trimmed down, the run-time of The Misfits could (and should) have been, at least, an hour and thirty to forty minutes. Important points in the story could have been reached sooner as well.

Perce’s underutilized backstory: In my opinion, Perce was the most interesting character in The Misfits. His backstory, along with his phone conversation with his mother, made him intriguing. I was genuinely curious about where Perce’s part of the story would go. But, unfortunately, his backstory became underutilized. During a conversation with Roslyn, Perce brings up how he was denied inheriting his father’s ranch. This could have provided Perce with a motive to carry his story forward. After his conversation with Roslyn, however, this detail is barely brought up again. In fact, Perce’s backstory becomes an afterthought as the movie progresses.

My overall impression:

Have you ever watched a movie where you didn’t know what the movie’s creative team was trying to say? That was my experience watching The Misfits. I think I know what the film was supposed to tell me. But I don’t know for certain if that’s what The Misfits’ creative team wanted to tell their audience. However, I don’t believe the 1961 movie is bad. In fact, I thought it was just ok. The acting performances, including Marilyn Monroe’s, were certainly worth watching. Not only was the dialogue, at times, thought-provoking, the inclusion of a plane added creativity to the western genre. But there were flaws that held The Misfits back from being a stronger movie. I didn’t like how Perce’s backstory was underutilized and how Guido’s jealousy was unaddressed. Plus, the run-time was, in my opinion, a bit excessive. Despite those flaws, I am thankful to have received an opportunity to finally watch (and review) The Misfits!

Overall score: 6 out of 10

Have you seen The Misfits? Which film from Marilyn Monroe’s filmography would you like to see me review next? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen