The Film
Everyone loves Marilyn Monroe, but she's still not too happy. I'm not talking about Marilyn herself (although I could be), but referring to a subplot involving Marilyn's character in The Misfits, the last official film for the iconic actress and another film legend, Clark Gable.
The two actors drink their way through the better part of the film's 125-minute runtime. When they aren't drinking, they are trying to round up wild Mustangs for dog food, with Montgomery Clift in tow.
The Misfits is a weird combination of western and Days of Wine and Roses. There's tons of on-screen drama, but what was going on behind the scenes was actually way more interesting. This was fairly close to the bottom for Monroe, and Clift had a whole host of personal and pill-related problems. It's also the only screenplay that then-husband Arthur Miller ever wrote for Monroe, and was directed by the hard-drinking (at the time) John Huston. Throw in the fact that Gable died just days after the film was completed, and this thing has urban legend written all over it.
The Picture
This 1.66:1 transfer is no misfit. It looks great, actually. That said, The Misfits is not without faults. It has a good share of flecks and even a bit of flicker throughout the film, especially when looking over the scenic backdrop. There are soft shots of Monroe, which were probably intentional due to her detox during filming. That said, it's a delightful presentation with a lot of organic film grain. It also offers solid black levels and a nice contrast between the blacks and the whites. This is absolutely the sharpest this movie has ever looked. It's a real treat.
The Sound
MGM has included a mono DTS-HD Master Audio track, which is more than sufficient for this dialogue-driven movie. Some of the dialogue seems a little muffled at points in the film, but it's never difficult to decipher.
The Extras
The Misfits comes packing its original theatrical trailer, and that's it. That's pretty typical for some of the catalog titles that MGM has been releasing lately. However, it's a real shame that this release doesn't have anything else attached, given its place in Hollywood history and the rumors and legends of what was going on behind the scenes.
Final Thoughts
The Misfits was a plagued production and the swan song for two Hollywood legends. How can you possibly pass up that kind of drama? It's not the best film from any of actors that are featured, but it's certainly worthy of your time to see them all up on screen in the same film. It's also a pretty decent ride from an A/V standpoint and may be the best this movie will ever look and sound, so saddle up and enjoy.
Product Details
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