CARLATA BRADLEY

The Misfits, a flawed but moving meditation on the vanishing
spirit of western independence, opened in theaters on
February 1, 1961.       

The Misfits had all the right ingredients to become a truly
great western. The director, John Huston, was one of the
most talented  in Hollywood. The screenwriter, Arthur
Miller, was a celebrated  playwright.      

       
The three stars—Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable and
Montgomery Clift—were among America’s brightest,
yet when the film opened in early 1961, the reviews
were mixed, and the public largely ignored the film.         

Audiences disliked the film in part because it failed to
offer a clear-cut hero with whom they could identify.     

The Misfits was the last completed film for both Gable
(who died three months before the premiere) and
Monroe (who died a year after its release).