Watched the movie tonight, saw in it many years ago in a theater. Clark Gable, M.M. & Montgomery Clift. Big box office draw. Didn't realize it was so slanted towards saving the wild horses in Nevada. Used to be for dog food now have protected status. Last time I hunted in Nevada [2009] for deer there was more horses than ever. Horse manure all over even in our campground.Ruined the range for cattle, stomped down all vegetation. My son in law took a little fork fork buck first day & I never fired my rifle. Seems like the tree huggers have infitrated to Fish & Game Dept's all over the West. No game to hunt so no reason to own firearms. Clark Gable was a hunter & a good fisherman, wonder why he made this his last movie? Just wondering. Any ideas?
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The Misfits
- Thread starter Old 44 Guy
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At the time (1961) nobody knew the word ecology, there was no environmental movement, and the idea that humans might want to tread more lightly and less exploitatively in the natural world was fairly new and, because of its novelty, intriguing. Here we are 50 years later, and the information explosion has shown us that unbridled protection of some species or ecological environments can be manifestations of another form of exploitation. Different world. We can't judge people a half a century back by today's concerns or levels of knowledge. Or we can, but we should never criticize them for not knowing then what we think we know now.
Besides that, Clark Gable was a total professional. He was hired to play a role in what looked like a serious movie as opposed to a throwaway programmer, and he showed up for work. Good cast, good director, good script -- what was there to run away from?
I saw the movie a couple of years ago and found it melodramatic and preachy. I feel that way about a lot of other late '50s/early '60s movies about characters whose lives were more tragic than they knew. But it's a creation of its time, and I try to evaluate it by the standards of its day. Anyway, it wasn't a movie about horses, who were just a dramatic convenience. It was a movie about a bunch of handsome, tragic losers with not much of a past and with even less of a future -- you know, kind of like those horses running around in the background.
Maybe the Coen Brothers will do a remake.
Besides that, Clark Gable was a total professional. He was hired to play a role in what looked like a serious movie as opposed to a throwaway programmer, and he showed up for work. Good cast, good director, good script -- what was there to run away from?
I saw the movie a couple of years ago and found it melodramatic and preachy. I feel that way about a lot of other late '50s/early '60s movies about characters whose lives were more tragic than they knew. But it's a creation of its time, and I try to evaluate it by the standards of its day. Anyway, it wasn't a movie about horses, who were just a dramatic convenience. It was a movie about a bunch of handsome, tragic losers with not much of a past and with even less of a future -- you know, kind of like those horses running around in the background.
Maybe the Coen Brothers will do a remake.
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Saw it earlier too. It was his last movie and then he died. He didn't pick it as his last movie. M.M. died soon after and her last movie also. He was an actor, and actors act for money. Just my 2 cents, but guess we will never know for sure.
NFrameFred
Member
It's easy to forget that many times actors take parts in movies (or refuse them) based on what their perception of the success of the project will be, only to be proven totally wrong. And as has been mentioned, actors act - and perhaps to Gable it really was simply another paying job.
I believe Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford both have been quoted as saying something to the effect that their initial impression was that "Star Wars" was likely to be a small time loser and that they never foresaw what that has turned into.
And Frank Sinatra turned down the role of Harry Callahan. Maybe (probably) that whole series would have fizzled with Frank; it definitely would not have gone the way it did with Eastwood nor (I believe) attained it's mythic status.
Film has, since it's inception, always been a vehicle for social statements by many. One need only look at some of the beliefs, standards, dress, etc., of the 1960's to see how quickly something can become "dated" and of quaint or obscure relevance a few decades later.
As far as saving wild horses, another idea not necessarily bad in itself but taken to extremes by those who like the power to inflict their vision on others when they get it.
I believe Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford both have been quoted as saying something to the effect that their initial impression was that "Star Wars" was likely to be a small time loser and that they never foresaw what that has turned into.
And Frank Sinatra turned down the role of Harry Callahan. Maybe (probably) that whole series would have fizzled with Frank; it definitely would not have gone the way it did with Eastwood nor (I believe) attained it's mythic status.
Film has, since it's inception, always been a vehicle for social statements by many. One need only look at some of the beliefs, standards, dress, etc., of the 1960's to see how quickly something can become "dated" and of quaint or obscure relevance a few decades later.
As far as saving wild horses, another idea not necessarily bad in itself but taken to extremes by those who like the power to inflict their vision on others when they get it.
Wonder why Clark Gable made this movie? Clark was paid and worked with Marilyn Monroe!
Wyatt Burp
Member
I have that movie and just look at it as a great character study. It's a day in the life of a group of people partying one day and getting drunk. Gable and Clift are just happy go lucky cowboys and M.M. was a great looking fragile flake. Talk about high maitenance. Clift is down and out but rodeo guys in movies are always portrayed that way. Look at Steve McQueen, Scott Glenn, and James Coburn.They all played that role.
Watch Clark Gable standing in his garden with M.M. doing dialogue with her and all the while he's either loading or unloading a shotgun with his hands without looking like he knew what he was doing, which, of course he did. The horse issue was secondary to me.
Watch Clark Gable standing in his garden with M.M. doing dialogue with her and all the while he's either loading or unloading a shotgun with his hands without looking like he knew what he was doing, which, of course he did. The horse issue was secondary to me.
