The Misfits

Released Feb 1, 1961

2h 4m

Western

Drama

List

97%

31 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

While filing for a divorce, beautiful ex-stripper Roslyn Taber (Marilyn Monroe) ends up meeting aging cowboy-turned-gambler Gay Langland (Clark Gable) and former World War II aviator Guido Racanelli (Eli Wallach). The two men instantly become infatuated with Roslyn and, on a whim, the three decide to move into Guido's half-finished desert home together. When grizzled ex-rodeo rider Perce Howland (Montgomery Clift) arrives, the unlikely foursome strike up a business capturing wild horses.

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TheAsteri1

Gable's acting talent was of the highest, and he very much did deserve an Oscar .

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/24

Full Review

Alec B

A fascinating movie that bridges old and new Hollywood. It also functions, both as accident and design, as meta commentary. We definitely missed out on more cranky old man performances from Gable and, obviously, more serious work from Monroe.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/20/24

Full Review

nick s

The movie does seem to flounder a bit. A vacuous blond is wooed by a couple of leery cowboys and you start to wonder if it's going anywhere. But the ending is strong so it's worth hanging in there. Wonderful performances. And the blond has a deeper impact than you'd expect.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/14/23

Full Review

Joe R

Meta upon meta. The screenplay was written by Arthur Miller who had been married to Marlyn Monroe, and divorced from her before writing the screenplay. This film is about the failure to connect with others due to among other things self deception and the resulting regrets of what has been missed in life. The acting is phenomenal, these great actors have put their hearts and souls into this film. When watching it you need to realize that what may look like a simplified emotional utterance is has really a symbolic meaning. I am not giving you BS, I not Faulkner and have trouble giving you in words the significance of what's happening in this film. This film is a masterpiece.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/18/23

Full Review

Real R

This movie had no plot whatsoever, the characters were annoying at best, the scenes and time frames changed without clarity, and Marilyn Monroe's acting was terrible. The main characters spend more than half the movie plastered and the only other female character dropped out of the "storyline" abruptly with no explanation. This movie lacks everything that makes a movie enjoyable. There is no plot, no suspense, no likable characters, and no humor. Anyone who thinks this is a brilliant classic is either reading way more into it than remotely exists, or is living in a drug induced fantasy (much like Marilyn was while mailing this film).

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/18/23

Full Review

Steve D

Overshadowed by the sad reality surrounding the filming.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/27/23

Full Review

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John Huston

Director

Clark Gable

Gay Langland

Marilyn Monroe

Roslyn Taber

Montgomery Clift

Perce Howland

Thelma Ritter

Isabelle Steers, Roslyn's Landlady

Eli Wallach

Guido aka Pilot

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The Misfits: Official Clip - Perce Frees the Horses

2:13

The Misfits: Official Clip - The Rodeo

2:12

The Misfits: Official Clip - Sad Words

1:42

The Misfits: Official Clip - Three Dead Men

2:02

The Misfits: Official Clip - Paddle Ball

2:15

The Misfits: Official Clip - Everything Keeps Changing

1:51

The Misfits: Official Clip - The Saddest Girl

2:06

The Misfits: Official Clip - Lone Wrangler

2:12

The Misfits: Official Clip - Ropin' a Dream

2:14

The Misfits: Official Clip - How Gay Lives

2:16

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Guardian

Talent, controversy and accident have combined to make The Misfits an unusually interesting film if not an outstandingly good one.

Mar 21, 2018

Full Review

Kate Cameron

New York Daily News

Gable has never done anything better on the screen, nor has Miss Monroe. Gable's acting is vibrant and lusty, hers true to the character as written by Miller.

Jan 18, 2018

Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

Against all odds, [Monroe] gives an extraordinary performance.

Rated: 5/5

Jun 18, 2015

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

With this film, signed with a script by Arthur Miller and weighed down by problems during filming, Huston creates a very dramatic portrait of lonely lives. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

Jul 15, 2020

Full Review

Dwight MacDonald

Esquire Magazine

Like so many Hollywood films, this begins wonderfully and then the life slowly leaks out. Begins well because all is fresh, no mistakes have been made, brisk technique is in command; but when it has to grow up, it sogs.

Jul 30, 2019

Full Review

Adrian Turner

Radio Times

Somehow the flat, arid Nevada landscape mirrors the characters' bleak existence and sets the overall mood of despair and depression.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 11, 2015

Full Review

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Synopsis

While filing for a divorce, beautiful ex-stripper Roslyn Taber (Marilyn Monroe) ends up meeting aging cowboy-turned-gambler Gay Langland (Clark Gable) and former World War II aviator Guido Racanelli (Eli Wallach). The two men instantly become infatuated with Roslyn and, on a whim, the three decide to move into Guido's half-finished desert home together. When grizzled ex-rodeo rider Perce Howland (Montgomery Clift) arrives, the unlikely foursome strike up a business capturing wild horses.

Director: John Huston
Screenwriter: Arthur Miller
Distributor: CBS/Fox, United Artists, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Seven Arts Pictures
Genre: Western, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 1, 1961, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 2h 4m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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