What do you think?
Rate this book
Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship
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.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 25, 2021
About the author
Charles Casillo
6 books55 followersSometimes while sitting darkly in the far corner of a corner bar, sipping a martini with three olives, or just strolling down a city street with shadowy, hidden secrets, this author's mind wanders to his many interests and obsessions: Tragic figures, film noir, Marilyn Monroe, sex, eccentric personalities, extraordinarily talented individuals, and antidotes for insomnia, loneliness, and insecurity. He has written about some of these subjects in his books "The Marilyn Diaries," "Outlaw: The Lives and Careers of John Rechy," "The Fame Game," "Boys, Lost & Found," the comprehensive biography "Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon," and his latest book "Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship." Often he might scribble some of his musings on a cocktail napkin or the back of a newspaper and find it wadded up in the morning--crumpled, torn, and almost illegible but usually with the seed of a thought that might lead to something new.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
March 14, 2021
A wonderful biography of Old Hollywood stars Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. I’ve read several books on Taylor, but Clift is more elusive to know. So I was glad to read this and learn more about him and their strong friendship. They were so close, were they just friends? It was a time in the industry where it was forbidden to openly be gay, if you wanted a career anyway. Clift had an affinity for women, he loved being in their company, and was very close to several, which really kept people guessing. When Clift met the actress Elizabeth Taylor, she was still a minor. Yet when they began acting together, they really bonded and found they liked being around one another.
The older, more experienced actor from the stage in New York, Clift even began coaching Taylor, helping her with her acting. They had similar mothers who were stage mothers in the worst sense. This cemented their friendship for the remainder of Clift’s life. I got a lot from this book and enjoyed it as well. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Charles Castillo, and the publisher.
The older, more experienced actor from the stage in New York, Clift even began coaching Taylor, helping her with her acting. They had similar mothers who were stage mothers in the worst sense. This cemented their friendship for the remainder of Clift’s life. I got a lot from this book and enjoyed it as well. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Charles Castillo, and the publisher.
May 25, 2021
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.
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.
February 13, 2021
I love old Hollywood stars and I love biographies, so this was for me the perfect match.
A deep look into these two legends'friendship and the story of lifetime loyalty.
Beautiful book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A deep look into these two legends'friendship and the story of lifetime loyalty.
Beautiful book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2021
My thanks to Kensington books, Charles Casillo and Netgalley. I love old Hollywood. I prefer them to be dead awhile though, before I read anything about them. I still haven't read anything about Johnny Carson! "Love his late show, but I'm not ready to read about him being a complete jerkface yet!" However, I've seen quite a few Montgomery "Monty" Clift movies. I always thought he was fantastic. I suppose I thought he was a good looking man, but he never hit that googah status. For me anyways. I just liked his acting. I've seen most of his movies, and I was never appalled or really even noticed his facial or body difference. That's probably because he died before I was born. Maybe I would have noticed the changes. I'm trying to think of an actor I love. One I may have seen changes in, but..I don't give a poop about any! I loved Gene Kelly, Dean Martin and Clift. But, because I loved these actors, I've never read about them. Until now. Monty and his story made me heartsick. He was a fantastic actor, and his last year's must have been hell. A hell of his own making, but still. Elizabeth Taylor. That's somebody I never thought I'd read about! I'm not an Elizabeth Taylor fan. But, that movie "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof?" That's some good stuff! I watched for Paul Newman. I stayed for Taylor! Truth is I always thought Liz wore too much make-up. I can't hate her because of the jewelry. That would make me a hypocrite! I adore jewelry. I've quite a bit myself! I never quite understood how someone could marry so many times! I guess that made her seem a bit shallow to me. After reading this though, I've changed my mind. Yes, I still believe she was shallow. But, she also had great depths. She loved being in love. I agree! I'm the same. I love the new. Tingles, chills and all! I just never married everyone I felt that with. "Thank my lucky stars!" But, I get how Liz was like that. Her childhood and upbringing in Hollywood tells a million tales! I especially liked her heart. She seems to have had a lot of it. "Except for that whole Michael Jackson thing." Still, what do I know? I ended up loving this book. I'm happy to have read it. I will probably end up watching more Taylor movies. Of course Clift is always watchable!
May 19, 2021
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.
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.
May 27, 2021
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.
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.
June 24, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.
I so wanted to love this book but it skims the surface with use of rumour and innuendo. Not for me!
I so wanted to love this book but it skims the surface with use of rumour and innuendo. Not for me!
September 9, 2023
4.5 stars.
Friendships between famous actors have the ability to shape the film industry and culture itself. James Stewart and Henry Fonda, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda--these friendships have inspired cinematic works that moviegoers are still enjoying. The bond between Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift is perhaps the most enigmatic of these pairings. The ascension of Taylor's celebrity into the pantheon of the gods dwarfs Clift's aborted career. And while there's no shortage of books, documentaries, films, and other works that chronicle every moment of Taylor's life, the world still knows very little about Montgomery Clift and the demons that possessed him. Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship attempts to correct this while simultaneously shedding light on the enigmatic kinship between these two cinematic legends.
A better title for this book would have been Bessie Mae and Monty, in reference to the people Taylor and Clift were off camera. This book carefully structures Taylor's and Clift's lives and the three films that occasioned them to work together. (A fourth collaboration, for the film Reflections in a Golden Eye didn't happen because of Clift's untimely death at forty-six.) Just looking at these two raven-haired beauties, Taylor and Clift seemed like a natural fit for one another, and one wonders what their lives would have been like if Clift had been straight and they were able to have a romantic love affair. Yet the bond they felt for one another trascended anything that could have happened between them sexually. Charles Casillo presents each actor's biography in straightforward terms, but only readers who aren't die-hard fans or cinephiles won't know the particulars of their lives, especially Elizabeth's Taylor's.
The real reason to read this book is Montgomery Clift. While Patrica Bosworth's biography is still the definitive work on Montgomery Clift--and I strongly recommend it--Casillo's book provides stunning detail into the actor's mania, though I question how much of what was conveyed is fact and how much is rumor. Clift was part Dorian Grey and part Sebastian Venable (Suddenly, Last Summer), a gay actor so tortured by his sexuality and his place within the industry that he was on a campaign to destory himself even before the tragic car crash that altered his looks, though, personally, I think he was still handsome after the crash. Tales of his gross, inebriated behavior--eating off other people's plates, acting like a dog in public, verbally abusing friends and acquaintances--will shock fans, as these exhibitions demonstrate just how fiercely his addictions gripped him. But Taylor's equally fierce loyalty to him, even when he was at his most debased, speaks volumes about the value of her relationships and presages her commitment to the gay community in the coming years.
While Elizabeth and Monty could have been twice as long and twice as deep, it gives a decent account of why these stars matter, both individually and as a pair. I wish Casillo had provided an author's note or listed his souces, but interested readers should also consult the Bosworth biography and watch a few of the short bios on Montgomery Clift available on YouTube. As for more info on Liz, take your pick. There's LOTS to choose from.
Friendships between famous actors have the ability to shape the film industry and culture itself. James Stewart and Henry Fonda, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda--these friendships have inspired cinematic works that moviegoers are still enjoying. The bond between Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift is perhaps the most enigmatic of these pairings. The ascension of Taylor's celebrity into the pantheon of the gods dwarfs Clift's aborted career. And while there's no shortage of books, documentaries, films, and other works that chronicle every moment of Taylor's life, the world still knows very little about Montgomery Clift and the demons that possessed him. Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship attempts to correct this while simultaneously shedding light on the enigmatic kinship between these two cinematic legends.
A better title for this book would have been Bessie Mae and Monty, in reference to the people Taylor and Clift were off camera. This book carefully structures Taylor's and Clift's lives and the three films that occasioned them to work together. (A fourth collaboration, for the film Reflections in a Golden Eye didn't happen because of Clift's untimely death at forty-six.) Just looking at these two raven-haired beauties, Taylor and Clift seemed like a natural fit for one another, and one wonders what their lives would have been like if Clift had been straight and they were able to have a romantic love affair. Yet the bond they felt for one another trascended anything that could have happened between them sexually. Charles Casillo presents each actor's biography in straightforward terms, but only readers who aren't die-hard fans or cinephiles won't know the particulars of their lives, especially Elizabeth's Taylor's.
The real reason to read this book is Montgomery Clift. While Patrica Bosworth's biography is still the definitive work on Montgomery Clift--and I strongly recommend it--Casillo's book provides stunning detail into the actor's mania, though I question how much of what was conveyed is fact and how much is rumor. Clift was part Dorian Grey and part Sebastian Venable (Suddenly, Last Summer), a gay actor so tortured by his sexuality and his place within the industry that he was on a campaign to destory himself even before the tragic car crash that altered his looks, though, personally, I think he was still handsome after the crash. Tales of his gross, inebriated behavior--eating off other people's plates, acting like a dog in public, verbally abusing friends and acquaintances--will shock fans, as these exhibitions demonstrate just how fiercely his addictions gripped him. But Taylor's equally fierce loyalty to him, even when he was at his most debased, speaks volumes about the value of her relationships and presages her commitment to the gay community in the coming years.
While Elizabeth and Monty could have been twice as long and twice as deep, it gives a decent account of why these stars matter, both individually and as a pair. I wish Casillo had provided an author's note or listed his souces, but interested readers should also consult the Bosworth biography and watch a few of the short bios on Montgomery Clift available on YouTube. As for more info on Liz, take your pick. There's LOTS to choose from.
May 14, 2021
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.
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.
June 13, 2021
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.
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.
June 27, 2021
What an enjoyable read! This well-researched and well-told biography of two of Hollywood's most iconic stars was very hard to put down. I almost read it cover to cover in one sitting. It's full of fascinating details of lives lived in the public eye. Like all good stories, this one combines tragedy with comedy and has generous doses of longing, love, repression and making good and bad choices. Highly recommended!
April 8, 2024
I didn’t know much about Elizabeth Taylor beyond the perfume ads I saw on TV as a kid, and to be honest I had never heard of Montgomery Clift. And in a way, I’m glad, because I was able to follow their incredible, intertwining life stories without knowing where it would go, and I found it equally as enthralling as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (which must certainly have been inspired by these two Hollywood stars).
From the first chapters about their childhoods, to their early successes, through all the ups and downs, scandals and tragedies, their stories are told with a special kind of tenderness and empathy that had me rooting for them all the way. In spite of all the sadness and heartbreak, I’m happy they were at least lucky enough to be able to count on each other.
And now I’m absolutely itching to watch their movies!
From the first chapters about their childhoods, to their early successes, through all the ups and downs, scandals and tragedies, their stories are told with a special kind of tenderness and empathy that had me rooting for them all the way. In spite of all the sadness and heartbreak, I’m happy they were at least lucky enough to be able to count on each other.
And now I’m absolutely itching to watch their movies!
June 19, 2022
2.5 This was good at giving an overall superficial and gossipy overview of Liz and Monty’s careers and lives and where those things intertwine. There was more talk about sex and penis size than I would wish for in a biography about two beloved actors.
September 19, 2021
An interesting look of when you truly do find your soulmate. Not in a romantic way, but someone you make an everlasting connection with. The old Hollywood scandals and gossip stories are really interesting but it was the unique relationship they had that drew me in to this book. Two people who had lived through so much tragedy and success whose lives were forever intertwined until Monty’s untimely death.
June 5, 2024
What an incredible friend Liz Taylor was. Never thought of her that way. This was an enjoyable and eye-opening read.
August 6, 2022
This isn't a perfect book but I found the story of Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift very moving. And it's clear that Elizabeth Taylor was a person her friends were lucky to have in their lives. As a gay kid growing up in the midst of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s she was a celebrity who inspired me and gave me hope. Highly recommended.
April 23, 2021
I am always interested in any topic about classic Hollywood so ai was attracted to this friendship story. Elizabeth Taylor led a fascinated life but Montgomery‘so was quite sad. I learned more about him because Taylor’s life is already known and talked about in media outlets.
I did find a genuine friendship. And it helped understand how Elizabeth came to be an AIDS spokesperson in her later life.
This biography was easy to read, but very light in content. There were some questionable choices such as discussing sizes of penis. That was totally irrelevant and not needed. It made me doubt the seriousness of this biography.
I did find a genuine friendship. And it helped understand how Elizabeth came to be an AIDS spokesperson in her later life.
This biography was easy to read, but very light in content. There were some questionable choices such as discussing sizes of penis. That was totally irrelevant and not needed. It made me doubt the seriousness of this biography.
May 1, 2024
Read this in prep for the upcoming Liz & Monty film series at the Music Box and it did not disappoint. I’ve loved Liz Taylor since I was a teenager but never really had a cultural handle on Montgomery Clift’s film legacy despite seeing some of his most remembered performances. What a wonderful book about the power and frailty of the artist and what it means to truly love another flawed person through all of life’s challenges.
August 11, 2022
Told in the style of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" this flips back and forth between the lives of the two most attractive people who have ever lived - until they overlap and are interwoven forever. This was full of interesting stories I didn't know with just the right amount of old Hollywood scandal.
May 16, 2021
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.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book. I was not required to leave a positive review.
May 3, 2022
A fascinating double biography.
June 23, 2021
If you’re a movie buff and a fan of both Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift...you’ll enjoy this book. Perhaps Taylor is far more well known than Clift but that’s simply because she was given a life that went on 45 more years after his death. Their friendship was undeniable. She never wavered from his side. Thought perhaps because of his near fatal car accident leaving her home after a party, but she was there through the booze, the pills, the constant struggle with his being gay, and everything that went with being a star in 1950s Hollywood. They were and still are the most glamorous duo ever to be on the big screen. She was a female Monty and he was a male Elizabeth. Their beauty was undeniable. Their compassionate souls in a ruthless profession never left them. My recent love of old film brought me to see A Place In the Sun for the first time. Wow. Proves the saying “they don’t make movies like that anymore”. While Clift died at the young age of 45, Taylor when on to become the spokesperson AND activist for AIDS. For her it was her greatest achievement and what she wanted to be remembered for most. It took her closest and dearest friends and as she said herself, had Monty lived he would have easily contracted it. He was always with her and was her reason for confounding amfAR and establishing the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. if you’re a fan of either of these two, this book is for you. Genuine. Heartfelt. Tragic. yet their bond and friendship survived it all.
May 14, 2021
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.
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.
December 20, 2021
If you watched A Place In The Sun and were captivated by the on screen romance, if you love Elizabeth Taylor, if you are intrigued by Montgomery Clift… then Elizabeth and Monty is a book for you. This was a great dual narrative of two huge classic Hollywood stars. The author was adept at merging their stories and experiences together to bring their strong one of a kind friendship to life.
This was an easy and enjoyable read. The complex lives of these two stars were summarized and retold in a way that was understandable and engaging. This was a complete biography of both Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. I absolutely loved learning how Clift’s approach to acting impressed Taylor during A Place In The Sun and prompted her to taking acting a little more seriously.
To be honest, the focus on Clift’s life was very dark and at times, hard for me to read. There was almost too much emphasis placed on Cliff’s homosexuality. To a point where it seemed to me that the author was discussing it in a negative way. His drug and alcohol abuse was also so very depressing to read about. The highlight here was Elizabeth the intensity she brought to acting, her marriages, and her long and unique friendship with Clift.
I really enjoyed reading about the details of their careers, making their movies, their personal lives, and their friendship. This was really well done.
This was an easy and enjoyable read. The complex lives of these two stars were summarized and retold in a way that was understandable and engaging. This was a complete biography of both Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. I absolutely loved learning how Clift’s approach to acting impressed Taylor during A Place In The Sun and prompted her to taking acting a little more seriously.
To be honest, the focus on Clift’s life was very dark and at times, hard for me to read. There was almost too much emphasis placed on Cliff’s homosexuality. To a point where it seemed to me that the author was discussing it in a negative way. His drug and alcohol abuse was also so very depressing to read about. The highlight here was Elizabeth the intensity she brought to acting, her marriages, and her long and unique friendship with Clift.
I really enjoyed reading about the details of their careers, making their movies, their personal lives, and their friendship. This was really well done.
August 8, 2021
I just finished and enjoyed the juicy new biography, Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship by Charles Casillo (2021). Part classic movie trivia, part juicy Hollywood gossip (an easy leap with Taylor's marriages), Casillo offers up a side-by-side comparison of Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor's lives. Chapters alternate between each actor. I love both of them, especially Monty and so this was an easy read, or in my case, listen since it was on audiobook - free from hoopla and your public library! There were a few very funny moments in the book, but the absolute funniest was the description of the Vatican inserting itself in to the Taylor (Richard) Burton affair. Both parties were married to other people at the time and Liz had just stolen Eddie Fisher three years prior from Debbie Reynolds. Think pre-internet - the world was scandalized in a good, salacious way by Liz and Dick; so much so that even the Vatican chimed in with what has be to one of the funniest dirtiest phrases I have ever heard. From an EW article,
The Vatican newspaper printed an Open Letter taking Taylor to task for “erotic vagrancy."
Of course god forbid the man was also vagrantly erotic, but still I want a t-shirt ASAP! And I hope Liz wore this as a badge of honor. Great scandalous read. 4 out of 5.
The Vatican newspaper printed an Open Letter taking Taylor to task for “erotic vagrancy."
Of course god forbid the man was also vagrantly erotic, but still I want a t-shirt ASAP! And I hope Liz wore this as a badge of honor. Great scandalous read. 4 out of 5.
May 17, 2021
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.
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.
April 16, 2021
Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift met when she was 16 and he was at the height of his career. Both had the looks that the camera loved. Monty was so generous with his acting talent and helped many at the start of their career including Elizabeth. Both formed a lifelong friendship the best friend we all search for. Unfortunately life on screen did not imitate real life. An accident at the peek of Monty’s career affected his future acting career which was everything to him. Elizabeth was constantly looking for love but was very loyal to her friends. This book very much delves into the offscreen lives which will still provide a few surprises. Two icons who lead extraordinary lives which might have been very different if it wasn’t for fate. A very emotional book to read but it is well worth it.
I was given an arc by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was given an arc by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2021
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.
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.
August 13, 2021
Golden Age of Hollywood. Elizabeth Taylor. Clifford Montgomery. Does this really need more selling? Yes? Well, okay then.....research is spot-on, intertwining their stories is magic, showcasing the privilege but also the personal misfortunes endears both to me even more, and finally - this dual-biography ties in with the anniversary of A Place in the Sun and is a must read! I grew up watching the classics, thanks Turner Classic! I wish I had known all of the background then but I'm so happy to rewatch these great movies after reading Casillo's book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews