The Misfits (1961 film)

The Misfits is a 1961 American contemporary Western film directed by John Huston and written by Arthur Miller, based on his 1957 short story of the same name. The film stars Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and Montgomery Clift, with supporting performances by Thelma Ritter and Eli Wallach. The narrative follows a recently divorced woman who becomes entangled in the lives of three men—an aging cowboy, his pilot-mechanic friend, and a quiet rodeo rider—while staying in Reno, Nevada.

The film was released theatrically in the United States on February 1, 1961, by United Artists. Though a commercial failure upon release, it was praised for its screenplay and performances. Over time, The Misfits has been reappraised by critics and is now regarded as a classic of American cinema. It marked the final completed screen appearances for both Gable and Monroe, who died shortly after the film’s release. The film’s title later inspired the name of the punk rock band Misfits, formed in 1977.