Review of The Misfits (1961) by Robert C — 28 Aug 2008

I enjoyed this film much more then I expected to.

It's one of those films that doesn't immediately grab you...but that when you just sit back and allow the story to unfold...it really sucks you in.

By the end of the film I was pleasantly surprised and quite moved. More so by Marilyn's performance, then by the story itself.

It's not a perfect film by any means. There were several issues that I had with it. One specific thing was sound related. It seemed that there many instances (usually while filming outdoors) where the dialog wasn't picked up properly. This resulted in an over abundance of what sounded like voice-over work being done by the actors after the fact (often without adding back in the apropriate ambient sounds) which often distracted from the flow of the film.

Marilyn (like Gable) has a very distinct style of acting. While this is (sadly) her final film, I think it is definately her best work. She is still the sexy, breathy blond bombshell...but she really brings a depth to her character that proves (in my opinion) that had she lived long enough (and/or been given the opportunity)...we might have been surprised by what she was capable of.

The rest of the cast are good as well, but on a much more "just what you'd expect" level. No big surprises there.