Posts Tagged with Marilyn Monroe

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FANS REACT TO ARTHUR MILLER DOCUMENTARY

Last night, October 21st the Award Winning documentary “Arthur Miller: Writer” was screened on UK television for the first time.

Rebecca Miller’s film is a portrait of her father, his times and insights, built around impromptu interviews shot over many years in the family home. This celebration of the great American playwright is quite different from what the public has ever seen. It is a close consideration of a singular life shadowed by the tragedies of the Red Scare and the death of Marilyn Monroe; a bracing look at success and failure in the public eye; an honest accounting of human frailty; a tribute to one artist by another. Arthur Miller: Writer invites you to see how one of America’s sharpest social commentators formed his ideologies, how his life reflected his work, and, even in some small part, shaped the culture of our country in the twentieth century. —- HBO Documentary Films

Fans took to social media to express their thoughts and feelings on this insightful and personal account of the acclaimed writers life.

“Marilyn Remembered Fan Club” members had this to say:

“I watched it and loved it. Arthur has always been so guarded imo, and through this documentary I totally see why now. Beautifully made. So glad I watched it.” — Jackie

“It was brilliant!!!” — Paul

“I enjoyed it very much.”— Fraser

“I watched it. I think her fame stifled him, but I think he genuinely loved her intensely, you could see it in his eyes and hear the regret in his voice. Marilyn was a very complex woman with so many insecurities, who I don’t think anyone could have satisfied emotionally. I also felt that he blamed himself for not being enough for her and that in some way felt responsible for her death, but didn’t have the ability to save her.“ — Phillipa

“I watched it in March and I loved it.” — Mandy

“It’s a must see I think” — Jackie

“Beautiful documentary! A very soft Miller. Who couldn’t safe Marilyn. And felt bad about it. They both needed rescuing and they failed each other. But the love was very true.” — Metta

And over on Twitter:

“I watched the Rebecca Miller documentary about her father––” Arthur Miller: Writer” on Sky Atlantic yesterday evening. Went to bed feeling inspired. Highly recommend”. — Karin

“Beautiful & moving documentary ‘Arthur Miller: Writer’ produced by Rebecca Miller, finally showing in the U.K. on – definitely worth an hour & a half of your time.  Arthur & Marilyn were so valiant to try…but I’m glad he found his soul mate in Inge. Bravo to Rebecca Miller for producing this tribute to her father.” — Hazel

Published

“ARTHUR MILLER: WRITER” ON UK TV

Thanks to “Marilyn Remembered” Fan Club member Debbie Williams who has pointed out that the 2017 Award winning documentary “Arthur Miller: Writer” will make its debut on UK Television screens 21st October on Sky Atlantic.

From the HBO website:

Rebecca Miller’s film is a portrait of her father, his times and insights, built around impromptu interviews shot over many years in the family home. This celebration of the great American playwright is quite different from what the public has ever seen. It is a close consideration of a singular life shadowed by the tragedies of the Red Scare and the death of Marilyn Monroe; a bracing look at success and failure in the public eye; an honest accounting of human frailty; a tribute to one artist by another. Arthur Miller: Writer invites you to see how one of America’s sharpest social commentators formed his ideologies, how his life reflected his work, and, even in some small part, shaped the culture of our country in the twentieth century.

http://www.arthurmiller.org/documentary/

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONTGOMERY CLIFT

Today we are wishing American actor Montgomery Clift many happy returns on what would have been his 98th birthday.

Edward Montgomery “Monty” Clift  October 17, 1920 – July 23, 1966) was an American actor. His New York Times obituary noted his portrayal of “moody, sensitive young men”. He is best remembered for roles in Red River (1948), The Heiress (1949), A Place In The Sun (1951), Alfred Hitchcock’s I Confess (1953), From Here To Eternity (1953), The Young Lions (1958), and The Misfits (1961). He received four Academy Award nominations during his career: three for Best Actor and one for Best Supporting Actor.

Along with Marlon Brando and James Dean Clift was one of the original method actors in Hollywood; he was one of the first actors to be invited to study in the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan  He also executed a rare move by not signing a contract after arriving in Hollywood, only doing so after his first two films were a success. This was described as “a power differential that would go on to structure the star-studio relationship for the next 40 years”

Clift and Monroe worked together on the set of the 1961 John Huston production of “The Misfits” co starring Marilyn’s childhood hero Clark Gable and Eli Wallach.  It was written by Marilyn’s then husband Arthur Miller who dedicated the film to his wife as a valentine and wrote the character of Roslyn especially for her.  There are many similarities between Monroe and the character she played and a lot of her lines were things that Arthur had heard her say in person during their time together.


Clift described Marlyn as “the only person I know who’s in worse shape than I am” – was also accorded the Arthur Miller truth-in-script treatment: A chronic alcoholic who’s emotional instability stemmed in part from a love-hate relationship with his mother, Clift had his handsome face virtually reconstructed after a horrific 1957 car accident.  Now here he was, portraying alcoholic rodeo rider Perce Howland, who in his opening scene tells his mother on the phone, “My face is fine.  It’s all healed up.  It’s just as good as new.  You would too recognise me.”

Like Marilyn, Monty Clift had attended the Actor’s studio in New York, as had Eli Wallach, and their varied Method acting techniques flew in the face of the more conventional old-school approach employed by Clark Gable.  Nevertheless, according to Wallach, this was not among the sources of tension on the set.

“The first time he and I had a scene was in a truck, and I keep staring at him and he kept staring at me,”  Wallach recalled more than three decades later.  “Finally, Huston said. “What’s the matter with you two?  You’re like the boa constrictor and the rabbit: you keep staring at one another.  For Chrissakes, just say your lines!”  And both of us smiled because I was wary of the King Of Movies and he was wary of this man from New York with this mysterious method.”


Sources: Wikipedia and “Blonde Heat: The Sizzling Screen Career of Marilyn Monroe.”