the misfits

finally something came on the tv that seemed remotely worth watching. it was an early 60's movie, i think, with marilyn monroe and clark gable called "the misfits", perhaps the last movie for them both, but i admit i'm not sure. i think marilyn monroe was then married to the playwrite arthur miller, whose work i have a tendency to admire; and i also think he may have written or at least worked on the script for that movie. it was fairly engrossing, filmed in black and white, but not a great showcase for either of the actors. gable was apparently pretty advanced in years at the time. what did strike me as odd was his character's name in the movie, gaylord or often simply "gay" which indicated to me that it probably predated the vernacular use of the term "gay" to indicate homosexuality. of course there are many other uses of the word "gay". i had an acquaintence in high school named gay. but i don't think there's been a lot of that at least since the late 60's. i first heard that usage in new york in the mid-sixties among relatively covert homosexuals. i did not have a high opinion of the usage at the time and frankly i still do not today. as has often been noted, it seems somewhat contradictory; and then it besmirches what was once a perfectly good English word, frequently used by Shakespeare. but i know it's way past reformation now. i recorded the movie, bt i haven't actually watched all of it yet. it made me think of another movie, "they shoot horses, don't they". and it made me think just a little of tennessee williams, whose plays i also like. perhaps i'll look for one or two of those to watch on youtube. i did find a complete version of the 1962 film, "david and lisa" which i want to watch some night...not the 90's color remake, but the old black and white. i wathed a french movie from the period recently, "sundays and cybele" and once again enjoyed it very much.