Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship
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- Create Date：2021-06-14 19:31:05
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- Author：Charles Casillo
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Summary
Violet-eyed siren Elizabeth Taylor and classically handsome Montgomery Clift were the most gorgeous screen couple of their time。 Over two decades of friendship they made， separately and together， some of the era’s defining movies—including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof， The Misfits， Suddenly， Last Summer， and Cleopatra。 Yet the relationship between these two figures—one a dazzling， larger-than-life star， the other hugely talented yet fatally troubled—has never truly been explored until now。
“Monty， Elizabeth likes me， but she loves you。” -Richard Burton
When Elizabeth Taylor was cast opposite Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun， he was already a movie idol， with a natural sensitivity that set him apart。 At seventeen， Elizabeth was known for her ravishing beauty rather than her talent。 Directors treated her like a glamorous prop。 But Monty took her seriously， inspiring and encouraging her。 In her words， “That’s when I began to act。”
To Monty， she was “Bessie Mae，” a name he coined for her earthy， private side。 The press clamored for a wedding， convinced this was more than friendship。 The truth was even more complex。 Monty was drawn to women but sexually attracted to men—a fact that， if made public， would destroy his career。 But he found acceptance and kinship with Elizabeth。 Her devotion was never clearer than after his devastating car crash near her Hollywood home， when she crawled into the wreckage and saved him from choking。
Monty’s accident shattered his face and left him in constant pain。 As he sank into alcoholism and addiction， Elizabeth used her power to keep him working。 In turn， through scandals and multiple marriages， he was her constant。 Their relationship endured until his death in 1966， right before he was to star with her in Reflections in a Golden Eye。 His influence continued in her outspoken support for the gay community， especially during the AIDS crisis。
Far more than the story of two icons， this is a unique and extraordinary love story that shines new light on both stars， revealing their triumphs， demons—and the loyalty that united them to the end。
“Monty， Elizabeth likes me， but she loves you。” -Richard Burton
When Elizabeth Taylor was cast opposite Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun， he was already a movie idol， with a natural sensitivity that set him apart。 At seventeen， Elizabeth was known for her ravishing beauty rather than her talent。 Directors treated her like a glamorous prop。 But Monty took her seriously， inspiring and encouraging her。 In her words， “That’s when I began to act。”
To Monty， she was “Bessie Mae，” a name he coined for her earthy， private side。 The press clamored for a wedding， convinced this was more than friendship。 The truth was even more complex。 Monty was drawn to women but sexually attracted to men—a fact that， if made public， would destroy his career。 But he found acceptance and kinship with Elizabeth。 Her devotion was never clearer than after his devastating car crash near her Hollywood home， when she crawled into the wreckage and saved him from choking。
Monty’s accident shattered his face and left him in constant pain。 As he sank into alcoholism and addiction， Elizabeth used her power to keep him working。 In turn， through scandals and multiple marriages， he was her constant。 Their relationship endured until his death in 1966， right before he was to star with her in Reflections in a Golden Eye。 His influence continued in her outspoken support for the gay community， especially during the AIDS crisis。
Far more than the story of two icons， this is a unique and extraordinary love story that shines new light on both stars， revealing their triumphs， demons—and the loyalty that united them to the end。
Reviews
Robert Swanson
，
Thoroughly enjoyed this book。 While I knew a lot about Elizabeth Taylor， I didn't know too much about Montgomery Clift or their incredible relationship。 The book is well written， a bit salacious but both of these actors were all about scandal。 Thoroughly enjoyed this book。 While I knew a lot about Elizabeth Taylor， I didn't know too much about Montgomery Clift or their incredible relationship。 The book is well written， a bit salacious but both of these actors were all about scandal。 。。。more
Heather
，
A huge fan of biographies， autobiography and memoirs this didn’t disappoint。 Vintage Hollywood was a different time not all of it should be remembered as a positive experience but we should look back on it so we don’t make the same mistakes。
Sara
，
Here's the thing: I wanted to love this book。 Charles Casillo compiled research and interviews for twenty years and spoke with hugely important figures， including Mira Rostova， Shelley Winters， Jack Larson， Eva Marie Saint， Kevin McCarthy。。。 and the impressive list goes on。 I respect that tremendously。 Unfortunately， if you're more than a casual fan， none of this information （chiefly gossip）， good or bad， will strike you as "untold" or particularly revelatory。Those familiar with Elizabeth Taylor Here's the thing: I wanted to love this book。 Charles Casillo compiled research and interviews for twenty years and spoke with hugely important figures， including Mira Rostova， Shelley Winters， Jack Larson， Eva Marie Saint， Kevin McCarthy。。。 and the impressive list goes on。 I respect that tremendously。 Unfortunately， if you're more than a casual fan， none of this information （chiefly gossip）， good or bad， will strike you as "untold" or particularly revelatory。Those familiar with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift should scan the bibliography before choosing to read this。 You might find that there aren't any books， articles， documentaries， or interviews you haven't encountered before。 Furthermore， if you read critically， you will recognize some sources as more reputable than others。 Robert LaGuardia （someone who has been discredited by numerous first-hand sources since his notorious biography of Monty was published）， Barney Hoskyns （an author I've previously derided for his unprofessional， bizarrely Tom Cruise-centric biography of Monty）， IMDb trivia pages， and The Daily Mail are a few that somehow made the cut。Besides rehashing poor scholarship， Casillo also gets simple facts wrong （like stating that Joseph Cotten， not Richard Widmark， played the prosecuting attorney in Judgment at Nuremberg。 How did that egregious error make it past the editors？） So， what does this say about the credibility of the rest of the book？ Drama is more important than the facts， and even then it's a gamble？Yes， the lives of Elizabeth and Monty have more than their fair share of drama， but this book adds nothing to their legacy。 It lacks critical engagement—and， at times， respect for its subjects and their work—opting instead for derision and sensationalism。 One instance that comes to mind is during Casillo's critique of Lonelyhearts: he calls the character Adam White's name "as bland and unimaginative as the rest of the movie" rather than acknowledging its symbolism within the context of the film。 That's not criticism; that's lazy。Elizabeth's friendship with Monty was sacred to her throughout her entire life， and she honored his memory until her death。 While I appreciate the idea of intertwining their biographies and Casillo's register of distinguished interviewees， this book doesn't "honor" as much as it exploits。 。。。more
Lea Columbus
，
I am a huge fan of movies and books about movie stars。 That is I was delighted to request and receive this ARC of Elizabeth and Monty from NetGalley and Kensington Books。 I want to thank both NetGalley and Kensington Books for the chance to read this in return for a review。 I have read several books in the past about Elizabeth Taylor， as well as Montgomery Clift。 While much of the information was familiar to me， there was still new nuggets to be gleaned， as well as a different perspective， given I am a huge fan of movies and books about movie stars。 That is I was delighted to request and receive this ARC of Elizabeth and Monty from NetGalley and Kensington Books。 I want to thank both NetGalley and Kensington Books for the chance to read this in return for a review。 I have read several books in the past about Elizabeth Taylor， as well as Montgomery Clift。 While much of the information was familiar to me， there was still new nuggets to be gleaned， as well as a different perspective， given the years since both screen icons have died。 It is good to remember that things were different in the 50's both for the good and bad。 The bad- people who were gay were closeted and not respected。 The good- while there were gossip columnists and magazines， we did not have the constant barrage of "entertainment news " that we have today。 The studio system very much ran things， no indie movies ， no regional film festivals。 The studios and critics were feared and favored。 The book give a good overview of those times as well。 The friendship between Elizabeth and Monty begins when they made the movie- A Place in the Sun。 It ends with his death。 The book gives a lot of good detail in their lives ， careers and loves。 It also gives a bit of an epilogue re Elizabeth in her later years。 There were no pictures， in the version that I read， which was a bit disappointing。 However， it is a good solid well researched book about 2 iconic Hollywood figures。 。。。more
Susan
，
What a dreary book。 While ostensibly it was about the friendship between Taylor and Clift， it really turned out to be a more graphic description of the descent into the madness， alcoholism and drug addiction of Clift。 Elizabeth Taylor's life story is more well known to most so not a whole lot new to learn。 But Montgomery Clift was a truly troubled man and kudos for Elizabeth Taylor for continuing that support and friendship throughout his life。 The typos and grammatical errors were truly annoyin What a dreary book。 While ostensibly it was about the friendship between Taylor and Clift， it really turned out to be a more graphic description of the descent into the madness， alcoholism and drug addiction of Clift。 Elizabeth Taylor's life story is more well known to most so not a whole lot new to learn。 But Montgomery Clift was a truly troubled man and kudos for Elizabeth Taylor for continuing that support and friendship throughout his life。 The typos and grammatical errors were truly annoying。 In one sentence the author writes "the principles of the film" when he meant principals and then went on to use the word correctly at the end of the sentence。 How does crap like that happen in published books？ 。。。more
Annie
，
I absolutely loved this book！ Casillo's book opens with a powerful scene that illustrates the deep love and affection Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift had for each other。 The book exquisitely details the trajectory of their lives and how they intertwine throughout the years。 The chapters alternate between Monty's life and Elizabeth's life but the thread throughout is their life-long friendship。 Friendship is probably not strong enough a word -- platonic romance may be a better description a I absolutely loved this book！ Casillo's book opens with a powerful scene that illustrates the deep love and affection Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift had for each other。 The book exquisitely details the trajectory of their lives and how they intertwine throughout the years。 The chapters alternate between Monty's life and Elizabeth's life but the thread throughout is their life-long friendship。 Friendship is probably not strong enough a word -- platonic romance may be a better description as Casillo reveals throughout the book。I have read biographies about both stars （and indeed Casillo draws on source material such as Patricia Bosworth who wrote a wonderful biography on Clift and who sadly died of Coronavirus last year）。 But Casillo also conducted his own interviews including one with Patricia Bosworth among others who knew the stars。 Even though I have read about Taylor and Clift in the past， I learned new information about them in this book。 What also makes this book a real treat is the way Casillo really brings their relationship to life。 I could not put this book down I was so engrossed！I highly recommend this book！ 。。。more
Annie Garvey
，
Well， written and poignant
Susan
，
Although this purports to be a book about Elizabeth Taylor and Montogomery Clift， I came away remembering only Elizabeth Taylor。 I am a Montgomery Clift fan， but the author， I think did not do him justice。 Taylor comes off as a great friend and a diva--but she is Elizabeth Taylor。
Loretta Edlow
，
My 2centsOutstanding - a vivid account of the lives of these talented troubled people。 Told with honesty and sensitivity。。。must read this book！
Samsbookspot
，
Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor were loyal to each other until the end and were friends that shared their triumphs and life’s upheavals。 This book explores their friendship。What a fantastic read， this book gave you a glimpse into the Hollywood glamour of the time while also telling the tale of two stars who become firm friends。This biography is well researched and easy to read that gives a new insight into the two stars。Would recommend this book to anyone who loves old Hollywood。Thank you Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor were loyal to each other until the end and were friends that shared their triumphs and life’s upheavals。 This book explores their friendship。What a fantastic read， this book gave you a glimpse into the Hollywood glamour of the time while also telling the tale of two stars who become firm friends。This biography is well researched and easy to read that gives a new insight into the two stars。Would recommend this book to anyone who loves old Hollywood。Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review。 。。。more
Amanda
，
The devoted friendship between Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift is one of the most famous relationships in Hollywood history so I was very excited to get my hands on a book that focused on it。 It quickly became apparent that the title is misleading in two ways: first， most chapters are about Taylor *or* Clift; and second， basically everything Casillo writes about has been covered in other biographies of the actors。What we have here is mostly repeated rumors （did we *really* need *another* b The devoted friendship between Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift is one of the most famous relationships in Hollywood history so I was very excited to get my hands on a book that focused on it。 It quickly became apparent that the title is misleading in two ways: first， most chapters are about Taylor *or* Clift; and second， basically everything Casillo writes about has been covered in other biographies of the actors。What we have here is mostly repeated rumors （did we *really* need *another* book speculating on the size of Clift's genitals？）， highlights of Taylor's romantic entanglements， salacious gossip about Clift's sex life and his years-long decline， amateurish "insights，" and repeated statements about the stars' physical attractiveness， with the occasional chapter about Taylor's and Clift's friendship thrown in。 The only thing that keeps this book from being another Hollywood Babylon is Casillo's obvious sympathy for his subjects， but that's really not enough to recommend it。Received via NetGalley。 。。。more
enjoyingbooksagain
，
I like reading stories about old Hollywood talent and I’ve always been a fan of Elizabeth Taylor I’ve read about her before but not so much about Monty。 What a wonderful story this is about their friendship we should all be so lucky to have a friendship like theirs。
C。G。 Twiles
，
Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor had a fascinating relationship。 They often said they were the male/female complements of each other and that indeed seemed to be true。 Both were preternaturally beautiful， both with dark hair and unusually blue eyes， both slight in stature with heavily defined eyebrows， both child-like， drug dependent and sexually promiscuous， as well as deeply sensitive and empathetic。 They both too had complicated， toxic relationships with their mothers， and were the victi Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor had a fascinating relationship。 They often said they were the male/female complements of each other and that indeed seemed to be true。 Both were preternaturally beautiful， both with dark hair and unusually blue eyes， both slight in stature with heavily defined eyebrows， both child-like， drug dependent and sexually promiscuous， as well as deeply sensitive and empathetic。 They both too had complicated， toxic relationships with their mothers， and were the victims of awful tragedies and physical maladies。 One of them， however， was a force of nature that no amount of tragedy could squash （Elizabeth） and one proved to be too tragic for this world （Monty）。One of the main tragedies of this pair is that they were quite in love - but with Monty begin a confirmed homosexual， and Liz being a confirmed lover of sex with men - well， that wasn't going to work out。 It's to their credit that the pair were able to develop a deep lifelong friendship， Especially Liz， who fell in love with Monty at the tender age of 18， and was able to set aside the fact that he led her on for many months during their filming of the classic A Place in the Sun， then confused her repeatedly by bringing male lovers around her until she was finally able to piece together why he wouldn't get physical with her。 At a time when homosexuality was a crime and could easily destroy a career， it's understandable why he broke the news in such a roundabout and insensitive way。 But I'm not sure many would have been able to forgive him。The book gives tons of fascinating insight not only into the pair's dynamic， but each of them separately。 It is truly sad to read at times， especially with Monty determined to self-destruct， and his many friends and lovers - and even fellow concerned actors like Marlon Brando - desperately trying to intervene， and all failing。 Such talent， such beauty， such success。。。 and yet a crippling sense of depression and doom， and a horrific drug dependence， all conspired to bring Monty down in what should have been his prime。I take a star off for a couple of reasons - one， as others have mentioned， the book is riddled with editorial errors。 Not just typos， which is expected in an ARC， but even faults of logic， such as that a woman who is five feet eleven inches tall is "short of stature。" This goes so far beyond the usual typos。 I hope the author and editor take another couple of intense passes on this book， because Monty and Liz deserve better。Also， the book has a tendency to dip into salaciousness once too often。 While celebrity bios are by their nature often salacious - these people tended to live big， dramatic， gossip-worthy lives - there were quite a few times that it seemed as if "facts" were actually rumors。 And there is one piece of information about Monty's manhood that I'm pretty certain none of us needed to know。 Yes， it may have been yet another thing that contributed to his dark state of mind - but all of us are reading this book are his fans， and as fans， this isn't something we want in our heads when we're watching his divine movie performances。 At least， I don't。 As Monty once said when this bit of trivia about his manhood made the tabloids， "Is nothing sacred？！"Otherwise， Monty and Liz fans should find this an intriguing bio， well worth the read。Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC。 。。。more
Kristine
，
Elizabeth and Monty by Charles Casillo is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in late May。This is a twinned and spiraled-apart biography between the two troubled， semi-dramatic， sometimes tragic and notorious stars。 They share themes of emotional and physical pain， being misunderstood， dieting to challenge their bodies and be camera-ready， moral downfalls， relying hard on smoking， drink， pills， and the care of others， and getting into life-altering accidents。 It has the overall appearance of a bi Elizabeth and Monty by Charles Casillo is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in late May。This is a twinned and spiraled-apart biography between the two troubled， semi-dramatic， sometimes tragic and notorious stars。 They share themes of emotional and physical pain， being misunderstood， dieting to challenge their bodies and be camera-ready， moral downfalls， relying hard on smoking， drink， pills， and the care of others， and getting into life-altering accidents。 It has the overall appearance of a biography standing on the foundation of a series of movie synopses。 。。。more
Kevin
，
This dual biography of Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift by Charles Casillo （"Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon"） is so jammed packed with sex， pill-popping， alcoholism， affairs， breakdowns， suicide attempts and multiple brushes with death that most readers will want to read it in one greedy， high-caloric gulp。 Readers may come for the nonstop scandals but what will keep them reading is Casillo's deeply empathetic and nuanced portrait of two Hollywood stars who forged a lovin This dual biography of Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift by Charles Casillo （"Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon"） is so jammed packed with sex， pill-popping， alcoholism， affairs， breakdowns， suicide attempts and multiple brushes with death that most readers will want to read it in one greedy， high-caloric gulp。 Readers may come for the nonstop scandals but what will keep them reading is Casillo's deeply empathetic and nuanced portrait of two Hollywood stars who forged a loving and loyal friendship。The two met while filming 1951's A PLACE IN THE SUN， and their chemistry was striking。 Clift was gay and Taylor was a teenage virgin， but onscreen they generated heat。 Off-screen， they formed a strong friendship。 "She feels like the other half of me，" Clift said。 The two were reunited six years later in RAINTREE COUNTRY。 Midway through filming， Clift was in a near-fatal car accident。 Taylor saved his life by climbing inside the wrecked car and pulled broken teeth from his throat。 The accident partially paralyzed his face and left him addicted to alcohol and painkillers。 When he made THE MISFITS in 1960， he was in such bad shape， no film company would insure him。 Costar Marilyn Monroe said Clift was "the only person I know who is in worse shape than I am。"Both Taylor and Clift have numerous biographies devoted to them， but Casillo's dual biography admirably laces their dramatic lives together。 Much like A STAR IS BORN， with one star rising as the other declines， these two life stories make riveting reading。 Charles Casillo's dual biography of Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift is the movie star bio of the year， told with empathy and insight。 。。。more
Adriana
，
There are stars from a certain era in Hollywood that always make one thing that their lives were nothing but glamour and wonder。 They're the definition of true movie stars。 Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift are among them。 I grew up knowing their names from movies I love to watch， but aside from a few tidbits about Taylor， who I knew more for her AIDS work， I didn't really know much about their lives outside of the characters they portrayed。 This book goes deep into all of their secrets， hea There are stars from a certain era in Hollywood that always make one thing that their lives were nothing but glamour and wonder。 They're the definition of true movie stars。 Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift are among them。 I grew up knowing their names from movies I love to watch， but aside from a few tidbits about Taylor， who I knew more for her AIDS work， I didn't really know much about their lives outside of the characters they portrayed。 This book goes deep into all of their secrets， heartbreaks， traumas， and triumphs。 I don't think there's an actor out there with a story quite as tragic as Clift's。 From childhood onward， he definitely suffered， almost as if in payment for his talent and beauty。 Beauty he lost in a tragic accident at which Taylor was present。 That is what opens the book before Casillo takes the reader back to both star's childhoods and to the moment they met and began a lifelong friendship。 It's a very well-developed and well-researched book。 Casillo found quotes， letters， comments， old reports， and articles to fill in moments from the different stages of both actor's lives from birth to meteoric rise to tragic descent to eventual reinvention。 It's a roller coaster of excess and emotions that sometimes reads like a sopa opera more than something that anyone could live through。 I'm walking away from this book with an even bigger appreciation of the work of both actors and with a desire to find a friendship as special as the one Liz and Monty had， but hopefully without all the horrible bumps the hit along the way。 Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the early read！I also got a copy through Goodreads' First Reads in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Living Like Lindsey ~Librarian in Training~
，
This book chronicles the life of two stars from birth to death and perfectly captures the highs and lows so much so that you feel like you were there。 4 stars Appeal Terms: Storyline and Pace: sweeping and intensifyingTone: bittersweet， gossipy， high-drama， mildly sensuous， Writing Style: candid， journalisticI tend to steer away from nonfiction as I would much rather hear someone talk about their life or watch a ridiculous biopic about them。 However， I thoroughly enjoyed this deep-dive in This book chronicles the life of two stars from birth to death and perfectly captures the highs and lows so much so that you feel like you were there。 4 stars Appeal Terms: Storyline and Pace: sweeping and intensifyingTone: bittersweet， gossipy， high-drama， mildly sensuous， Writing Style: candid， journalisticI tend to steer away from nonfiction as I would much rather hear someone talk about their life or watch a ridiculous biopic about them。 However， I thoroughly enjoyed this deep-dive into the troublesome life of Monty and the salacious starlet Elizabeth。 Truthfully， I knew little to nothing about the two of them， though I walked away feeling as if I got a lot of insight into the two of them。 Would we have gotten along？ Probably not， but I still enjoyed reading about their crazy antics！ I want to read more by Charles Casillo since he has this unique way of making these stars larger than life but still incredibly human。 ~NetGalley Review~ 。。。more
Verity W
，
*****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review******So， this is a weird one。 I’m not sure I learned that much new about Elizabeth Taylor - but it’s not that long since I read Furious Love about her and Richard Burton so perhaps that’s the reason why。 I learned a lot more about Montgomery Clift， but there are frustratingly few conclusions here about the whys and wherefore as of his self destructive behaviour - even before the car crash。 If you like old Hollywood， go for it， it’s readable *****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review******So， this is a weird one。 I’m not sure I learned that much new about Elizabeth Taylor - but it’s not that long since I read Furious Love about her and Richard Burton so perhaps that’s the reason why。 I learned a lot more about Montgomery Clift， but there are frustratingly few conclusions here about the whys and wherefore as of his self destructive behaviour - even before the car crash。 If you like old Hollywood， go for it， it’s readable but imperfect。 。。。more
Frances Thomas
，
I appreciate receiving a free ARC to review。 Judging by the endnotes， this was well researched， but the tabloid style writing is a turn off。 My conclusion is Liz and Monty were beautiful on the outside only。 Their characters and hygiene left much to be desired。
Dianne
，
I am adding to this review to mention that I did finally finish this book， it gets somewhat better in the middle。 I am going to keep it at 2 stars because this was just a gossip re-hash。 Nothing new here。 Salacious is the word for this book。 I learned more about the sex lives of these characters than I really ever wanted to know。 This is one of the reasons I stay away from biographies-I find that the author/s usually have their own agenda and I'm generally not going to embrace it。I am reading th I am adding to this review to mention that I did finally finish this book， it gets somewhat better in the middle。 I am going to keep it at 2 stars because this was just a gossip re-hash。 Nothing new here。 Salacious is the word for this book。 I learned more about the sex lives of these characters than I really ever wanted to know。 This is one of the reasons I stay away from biographies-I find that the author/s usually have their own agenda and I'm generally not going to embrace it。I am reading this as an ARC and wonder if the editing got any better with the books that the Goodreads winners have gotten？ I know I'm not supposed to be mentioning editing problems （because this is an ARC）， but at this late date， the book should have been somewhat readable。 I've even found inconsistent dates that are extremely important。 I genuinely hope that this book eventually finds a competent editor， or at least I hope the author invested in Grammarly to help out！！！ This book was one of the biggest disappointments in reading that I have ever come across。 Had I known that this would be only about Montgomery Clift and his many， many lovers， addictions， and all-around disgusting behavior， with so much less about Elizabeth Taylor， I would never have picked up this biography。 If you like sex in all of its down and dirty ways， if you like hearing the sordid gossip of old-time dead actors who are also drug addicts and mentally deficient， then this is the read you have been waiting for。 Now I know why I have always stayed away from gossip rags while I was younger （and still do） - I don't want to know who is screwing who and how。 I don't want to know about the stars' penis size or actually the lack of such。I have made it to the 30% mark， and I don't know how I will get any further。 I will rewrite my review if the book gets any better/clearer。 。。。more
Stanley McShane
，
Read the full review on Rosepoint Publishing。Classic Hollywood—the era of the huge stars—beautiful and tragic。 Guess that would describe both of these Hollywood legends。I have to give it to author Casillo for all the research that went into this biography。 Monty Clift was a successful Broadway actor when sixteen year old Elizabeth met him。 Two polar opposites drawn to each other initially by their common experience of having stage mothers。The chapters trade off alternately Taylor’s experiences Read the full review on Rosepoint Publishing。Classic Hollywood—the era of the huge stars—beautiful and tragic。 Guess that would describe both of these Hollywood legends。I have to give it to author Casillo for all the research that went into this biography。 Monty Clift was a successful Broadway actor when sixteen year old Elizabeth met him。 Two polar opposites drawn to each other initially by their common experience of having stage mothers。The chapters trade off alternately Taylor’s experiences and then Clift’s experiences。 There was a LOT of name dropping， most names easily recognizable， as well as some fascinating behind the scenes tidbits about films， particularly those in which both starred。There is a great deal of description which is then repeated， portions spun， rinsed and repeated。 With so many names involved in the narrative perhaps dropping a name more than once was appropriate。 However， I got the point the first time。We knew about Elizabeth’s penchant for men， the excitement， the thrill of the conquests （eight marriages）， the tragedies， the drinking， the pills。 We knew that Monty Clift was gay when it was dangerous to be so。 We didn’t know of his destructive nature， the booze， the drugs， the pills and his propensity to go off the deep end into unnaturally offensive behavior。 He was exhibiting self-destructive behavior， however， before a horrific accident changed forever his face。 3。5 starsFTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary uncorrected review copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley。 These are my honest thoughts。 。。。more
Peggy Jaeger
，
I am a huge fan of when movies were actually fun to go to because the story and acting were so damn good。 Liz Taylor and Montgomery Clift were two of the biggest stars in the world during their time and I was excited to read this tale of their lifelong friendship。Unfortunately， the book is so poorly edited and written that all I felt after reading is tired and bored。Salacious gossip does not a good biography make。 The author never gets to the true heart of why Montgomery Clift lived the life he I am a huge fan of when movies were actually fun to go to because the story and acting were so damn good。 Liz Taylor and Montgomery Clift were two of the biggest stars in the world during their time and I was excited to read this tale of their lifelong friendship。Unfortunately， the book is so poorly edited and written that all I felt after reading is tired and bored。Salacious gossip does not a good biography make。 The author never gets to the true heart of why Montgomery Clift lived the life he did， preferring instead to quote old rumors and repeat stories more than once in the book。Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if hadn't been for the page after page of editing issues。 So many times words were left out of sentences， or the opposite- words repeated。 I understand the need to give out arcs for review prior to publication， but wouldn't it be better to have them at least be mostly error free？This book was a disappointment and I'm sorry I wasted almost a week reading it。 。。。more
Michaela
，
I´m a fan of old Hollywood， so this book seemed to be right。 It´s is a double biography of Montgomery "Monty" Clift and Elizabeth Taylor。 It doesn´t only describe their films together， but also their personal life， his lovers， her husbands， their alcoholism and drug abuse and all the people around them。 They both were child stars， pushed by their respective mothers。 Monty helped his "Bessie Mae" to act more than "beautiful"， and Elizabeth helped him in his sad life and to find roles when his sta I´m a fan of old Hollywood， so this book seemed to be right。 It´s is a double biography of Montgomery "Monty" Clift and Elizabeth Taylor。 It doesn´t only describe their films together， but also their personal life， his lovers， her husbands， their alcoholism and drug abuse and all the people around them。 They both were child stars， pushed by their respective mothers。 Monty helped his "Bessie Mae" to act more than "beautiful"， and Elizabeth helped him in his sad life and to find roles when his star already sank。This book was easy to read in the beginning， but dragged in the middle， the language very simple and superficial。 I´m not sure how much of it is believable， as the sources are mostly interviews by famous （or less famous） people around Hollywood。 It reads more like an endless gossip， and it could have been more critical regarding the sources and life in Hollywood。I read the kindle edition， so the book might contain photos which would help。Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Mary Hess
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This dual biography， an enthusiastic and affectionate portrait of both stars， focuses on their lifelong bond， formed as young performers in the waning years of Hollywood’s Golden Age on the set of George Stevens’ A Place in the Sun （ 1951）。 The author rightly focuses on the development of each as an artist， and as a former actor brings special insight to the narrative。 Taylor was described by critic Richard Schickel as “The Last Star” and her place in cinema history is assured。 Clift is more neg This dual biography， an enthusiastic and affectionate portrait of both stars， focuses on their lifelong bond， formed as young performers in the waning years of Hollywood’s Golden Age on the set of George Stevens’ A Place in the Sun （ 1951）。 The author rightly focuses on the development of each as an artist， and as a former actor brings special insight to the narrative。 Taylor was described by critic Richard Schickel as “The Last Star” and her place in cinema history is assured。 Clift is more neglected today， and this book attempts to fairly assess his career and do justice to his talent。。 Leaning too hard， however， on the trope of Clift’s ruined beauty in a tragic accident， recounted in graphic detail in the first chapter， detracts from that composite portrait， as Taylor’s own well-documented struggles with body image were cruelly explicit in the world’s press for decades and receives scant attention here。 Elizabeth Taylor’s resilience， her ability to survive addiction and fraught relationships is striking compared to the neediness and fragility of Clift， who was first to reach stardom and was dedicated to his art， yet fatally undone by illness and an unforgiving social climate。 Any gay actor had to negotiate a Hollywood that forced them to live dishonestly， in constant fear of snooping gossip columnists。 Hedda Hopper receives a well-earned drubbing here for her nastiness and cruelty: Clift contemptuously called her “the old gobbler。” Many colorful figures move in and out of the narrative， and some， who might have added needed context to this story of these passionate friends， are scarcely visible （e。g。 Rock Hudson， Richard Burton）。 The writing is lively， entertaining， and has many well reported accounts of life on and off camera。 There is unsparing detail of Clift’s decline: his multiple addictions to painkillers and alcohol， his tumultuous personal life， Taylor’s unselfish loyalty to her friends， but particularly to Monty， is the connecting thread， that and the love that sustained them both。 Clift said she was his “other half” - their parallel lives are weighed and analyzed in this sensitive treatment of a unique friendship。 。。。more
A
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I don't remember how it happened， or when， but once upon a time， I saw Monty Clift and was just fascinated。 I watched all his movies （there aren't that many， sadly） and read pretty much every biography I could get my hands on。 Pretty soon I realized that there was not just something special about him but also about his friendship with Elizabeth Taylor。 I wanted to know all about it。 So imagine how happy I was when I discovered this book！ I couldn't wait to start reading and find out more。 As som I don't remember how it happened， or when， but once upon a time， I saw Monty Clift and was just fascinated。 I watched all his movies （there aren't that many， sadly） and read pretty much every biography I could get my hands on。 Pretty soon I realized that there was not just something special about him but also about his friendship with Elizabeth Taylor。 I wanted to know all about it。 So imagine how happy I was when I discovered this book！ I couldn't wait to start reading and find out more。 As someone who's been interested in both of them， I could have done with less of the individual biographies; having read several about them， I knew almost all of what I was reading already。 I realize that it gives much needed background for everyone who hasn't read about them before。 However， my favorite parts， the ones where the book shines most， is when it's really about them and their strong bond。 Their friendship was something quite unique and who hasn't wondered how things might have turned for Monty had he lived longer。All in all， I really enjoyed reading it。 The book seems extremely well researched which gives it a very intimate feeling。 I enjoyed that。 Sometimes there were repetitions in the text that made me stumble。 As in there would be a statement and the same statement， just in different words， would be repeated a few lines further down。 That's why I'm giving the book only four stars instead of five。Other than that: a recommended read for everyone who is fascinated by the classic age of Hollywood！ Thanks NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Susan Snodgrass
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I loved the old movies。 In my opinion， they were so much better than the current ones。 I loved old movie stars， too。 But this book really bothered me in several ways。 I had no idea of Montgomery Clift's secret life。 I knew he did some good acting， but this other part was disturbing。 And there was some pretty nasty language here， too。 I would have preferred to remain ignorant of this。 As far as a good biography goes， this works well。 I was not impressed with the content。 My thanks to the publishe I loved the old movies。 In my opinion， they were so much better than the current ones。 I loved old movie stars， too。 But this book really bothered me in several ways。 I had no idea of Montgomery Clift's secret life。 I knew he did some good acting， but this other part was disturbing。 And there was some pretty nasty language here， too。 I would have preferred to remain ignorant of this。 As far as a good biography goes， this works well。 I was not impressed with the content。 My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book。 I was not required to leave a positive review。 。。。more
Poppy Marlowe
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as someone who rarely likes a movie made past 1967， this book was right up my alley。 Elizabeth and Monty would have made some beautiful children， had it been in the stars for them - Suddenly Last Summer may be my all-time favourite movie！ The biography was well researched， well presented and I am going to have my book club read it for one of their books this coming summer。 Imagine how different life would have been for him had it been "okay" for him to be gay like it is today。。。that is a prime t as someone who rarely likes a movie made past 1967， this book was right up my alley。 Elizabeth and Monty would have made some beautiful children， had it been in the stars for them - Suddenly Last Summer may be my all-time favourite movie！ The biography was well researched， well presented and I am going to have my book club read it for one of their books this coming summer。 Imagine how different life would have been for him had it been "okay" for him to be gay like it is today。。。that is a prime talking point for any one person and a book club to ponder。5/5 stars！ 。。。more
Dieter Moitzi
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This book has been provided by the editor via NetGalley for the purpose of a review。 This review has also been published on Rainbow Book Reviews。Who doesn’t know Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift—at least their names， that is？ Two Hollywood stars whose lights were shining most brilliantly in their day and keep on sparkling even now。 They were—and are—also two of the most fascinating characters one can study， and their life stories， made of countless ups and downs， moments of happiness and dr This book has been provided by the editor via NetGalley for the purpose of a review。 This review has also been published on Rainbow Book Reviews。Who doesn’t know Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift—at least their names， that is？ Two Hollywood stars whose lights were shining most brilliantly in their day and keep on sparkling even now。 They were—and are—also two of the most fascinating characters one can study， and their life stories， made of countless ups and downs， moments of happiness and dramas， read like strange fairy tales where one ends up doubting whether to envy them or pity them。To be fairly honest， like many people of my generation， I guess， I knew more about Elizabeth Taylor before reading this book than I did about Montgomery Clift， whose name I consciously became aware of through an R。E。M。 song called Monty Got a Raw Deal featured on their album Automatic for the People （one of my favorite albums ever）。 I also knew he was gay， which uelled my interest ever since I found out。 Only when reading this book did I realize I had even seen him in several films， mostly those of the end of his career （namely in Freud: The Secret Passion， which our psychology teacher made us watch in high school）。 It was therefore with unfeigned pleasure that I requested this double-biography， and with genuine pleasure， too， that I started reading it。And it was a fascinating tale I read。 Even more so as nothing in it is a tale but the story of two real persons’ lives—lives that showed some surprising similarities。 The author retraces their childhoods， talks about their dysfunctional families， their domineering mothers， and their meeting in the movie A Place in the Sun， where they immediately struck a strong friendship that lasted till the end。 He tells us about young Elizabeth’s unrequited infatuation for the dashing and drop-dead gorgeous actor， who had built the first part of his career on Broadway before heeding the call of the movie business out West。I won’t disclose more about the content of this book。 Movie aficionados probably already know everything there is to know about these two film stars; for all the others， the least hint or detail might be considered a spoiler。 All I want to say straight away is that I really enjoyed this book， which in long parts read like a novel， not because the author invented things， but allowed gaps to show where truths couldn’t be unearthed。 From what I understand， he gathered lots of data first-hand， through personal interviews and press clippings， and of course， there remain things open to conjecture and analysis， which he indulges in， but never without honestly telling the reader that ultimately， only those involved know for sure what happened and why。 All these bits and pieces the author wove into an interesting， riveting narrative with an untrembling hand， and he also succeeded in “fictionalizing” those parts that would have been dreary if written in a less intimate style。 The prose was therefore engaging and drew me in right from the start。What I enjoyed was that the book made me see both Elizabeth’s and Monty’s lives in all their glory and gloom， dwelling on the important steps of their careers and their personal lives， always coming back to the main focus: their lasting friendship。 In one word， a double-biography I highly recommend。 。。。more
Alena
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Some lives are more dramatics that movies， like the case of Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift。Wonderful biography is well documented， easy to read and focuses more than on drama and scandal， Casillo’s show us the vulnerable side of the two icons。Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift were child stars， both harassed by their mothers， when they meet， they click it off instantly， is the begin of a friendship that will last even after death。Life is not as glamorous as it seems。 They were the most Some lives are more dramatics that movies， like the case of Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift。Wonderful biography is well documented， easy to read and focuses more than on drama and scandal， Casillo’s show us the vulnerable side of the two icons。Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift were child stars， both harassed by their mothers， when they meet， they click it off instantly， is the begin of a friendship that will last even after death。Life is not as glamorous as it seems。 They were the most beautiful people in the world， very talented and loved by the public。 But they have problems， serious problems with alcohol， medication and mental health。 This is a （platonic） love story between two humans。 We see the behind the scenes of their legend。 They were real persons， not only actors， they have feelings， feel depressed and happy， want to be accepted and loved， like everyone else。Thanks NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC in exchange for a sincere review。 。。。more
Janet
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