The Misfits

Introduced by Jake Perlin

Dir. John Huston. 1961, 125 mins. DCP. With Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter, Eli Wallach, Kevin McCarthy. Huston’s psychologically rich, exquisitely shot and acted neo-western, featuring a screenplay by Arthur Miller, based on his own short story, gave Monroe one of her finest dramatic roles—and it would also be her last. She portrays Roslyn, in Reno, Nevada, filing for divorce from an inattentive husband (McCarthy). While there she meets a weary aging cowboy (Gable, also in his last film) and his down-on-his-luck friend (Clift), with whom she forms an unlikely, melancholy bond. Elegiac yet entertaining in its complexity of character, The Misfits is a quintessential early sixties American drama about outcasts, and its spirit can be felt throughout Asteroid City, in both the flavor of the setting and in Scarlett Johansson’s role. It was also one of the most documented film sets of its era, as Magnum was given an exclusive deal with Huston to photograph the shoot. DO NOT DETONATE… features a selection of images from the set of the film, including by Eve Arnold, Dennis Stock, Inge Morath, Elliott Erwitt and Bruce Davidson. The book also contains writing on the film by Serge Toubiana and Jonas Mekas. 

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.