A fragile Marilyn Monroe (on and off the set), an often bemused Montgomery Clift and ageing cowboy Clark Gable are a trio both literally and metaphorically out of time. This awkward, mood piece on the wilderness lives of walking, talking anachronisms was penned by Arthur Miller and despite early reluctance on the part of Gable he provides some of the shining moments with his interpretation of Miller's more introspective, 'arty' scenes. The 'misfit' mustangs, those horses too small for the ranch or rodeo, that Clift's character (Perce) decides to round up to sell for dog food, provide some poignant and resonant scenes of horse-breaking as well.
More notable for featuring the final performance of two of its stars (Monroe, Gable) than as a classic in its own right,The Misfits still achieves a certain resonance in its depiction of a collection of lost individuals in the twilight of the American frontier.