Sunday, February 6, 2011

An Hour-long interview with MONTGOMERY CLIFT




Montgomery Clift, 1954 (above)
Montgomery Clift, 1965 (below)

I was unaware that this television interview existed until I recently stumbled upon it on YouTube (separated into five 10 minute segments). The interviewer is Hy Gardner, who was an entertainment columnist with the New York Herald Tribune (defunct) and hosted this, "The Hy Gardner Show". It was taped in January of 1963 when Clift was 42. The tape clearly comes from the Gardner estate, as his wife's name is plastered across the middle of the screen throughout the entire show, but you won't notice it after a while. 
The ravages of years of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as the disfiguring car accident he was involved in in 1956 are very apparent in this hour-long interview, the only "sit-down" television interview he ever gave. For that reason alone, it's a valuable piece of insight into the mind of this brilliant but tortured actor, who only lived for about three more years after this was taped. He's quite lucid here, though he does "fog over" a bit at times. Still, if you are interested in Clift, you're going to find this most illuminating.  Sad, but illuminating....
















9 comments:

  1. Fantastic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. Wow, just read Frank Langella's book, "Dropped Names," and looked up Montgomery Clift because he's mentioned in it. Great footage, and a taste of the times. Thanks for pointing these clips out.

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  3. This is a topic that's close to my heart... Best wishes! Where are your contact details though?

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  4. This is a REAL TREAT!!! Thank you so much for posting these videos all together. I posted the link to a little Monty group on Facebook; I hope you don't mind. It is to this blog page.
    Thanks again, and long live the great Montgomery Clift!!!

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  5. What a true talent, always made my heart beat faster. Thanks for this inside and frank interview. Mr. Clift you are so missed by those that saw your true spirit. What a hell of a man.

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  6. I'm a gay man and I thought the world of Montgomery Clift
    I only wish that I was in his time
    I would have sucked that man from head to toe
    Yes he aged overnight
    But that was because of all the drinking and the narcotics that he was taking
    But still if I had the opportunity to be with him sexually and to be his lover I would do anything in the world for him
    I love him so much

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