Rent The Misfits (1961)

Star Power with Bruises Underneath - The Misfits review by griggs

It’s set in a Nevada that’s basically dust, heat, and too much open space — the kind of place where people talk like they’re being honest, even when they’re kidding themselves. Arthur Miller’s script is doing the heavy lifting: romantic, sad, and not remotely shy about how people can hurt each other while insisting they’re “fine”.

The cast is the real hook. Marilyn Monroe is terrific — funny, bruised, and far more grounded than her icon status suggests. Thelma Ritter turns plain talk into truth without even trying, Montgomery Clift brings that fractured vulnerability he does so well, Clark Gable surprised me by being properly solid, and Eli Wallach is the standout: restless, charming, and a little dangerous.

What it keeps circling is the tug-of-war between commitment and escape, and the way masculinity turns into a performance — loud, proud, and oddly fragile. It got under my skin in a sneaky way, because the film never begs for sympathy; it just lets people keep making the wrong call.

The only thing stopping it being a total knockout is Huston’s tone. He can’t quite find the balance: is this meant to be an outright Billy Wilder-style comedy, or a melancholic western about people realising their lives don’t fit anymore? It keeps wobbling between the two, so scenes sometimes land with a shrug when they should land with a sting. Still, The Misfits is absolutely worth your time: star power with real bruises underneath.