Montgomery Clift by Patricia Bosworth (Limelight Editions) Originally published in 1978, Bosworth's book is one of the better of the bunch. It's an enjoyable, entertaining and sometimes depressing read but it has its weaknesses. It concentrates mostly on his private life and his relationships with friends and colleagues in the industry.

There is less here about Monty's motivations, about the reasons why he chose some roles over others. Bosworth blames Monty's confused sexuality for his downfall - an increasingly suspect view - and many Monty experts are now questioning her research methods and conclusions.

Letters to Montgomery Clift by Noel Alumit This is a novel, published in 2002, which features Monty as a key figure. It's set in the Philippines and is billed as a novel of endurance and hope as well as a tale of growing up, coming out and going home. The story centres on Bong Bong Luwad, who is living with his Auntie Yuna in Los Angeles, far from his Philippine village, the Marcos regime and his mother who helped him escape but who has disappeared. One night Bong Bong finds a new saint while watching a late night movie: Montgomery Clift. He's playing a soldier who helps a lost boy find his mother in The Search. Can Monty do the same for him?

Montgomery Clift, A Bio-Bibliography by Mary C Kalfatovic (Greenwood) This is an invaluable work for anyone who wants to know what Monty did and where you can find references to him. It's not a biography - although Kalfatovic gives us a brief overview of his life and career.

She lists Monty's stage and film appearances with plot and production notes along with selected critical comments. Also featured are his radio and television works and references to him in books, periodicals and other media. There is an appendix featuring the movie roles he rejected and those he was considered for but not offered. It's expensive but worth the investment.

The Misfits by Serge Toubiana A glossy new book on Monty's great movie The Misfits with a wealth of photos from the celebrated Magnum photographic agency. While most of the pix concentrate on Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable, the book gives us a great behind the scenes look at one of my favourite Monty films. The book also features an essay by Serge Toubiana and an interview with screenwriter Arthur Miller.

Montgomery Clift by Maurice Leonard (Sceptre) The most recent biography of Monty is also one of the most disappointing. It adds little to our knowledge of the star and, indeed, seems mainly to have been drawn from other works, with little original source material. It's not particularly well written and there are a number of silly mistakes. The main interest comes from Leonard's claim to have had a brief sexual relationship with Monty, which began on one of the star's visits to London.

Beautiful Loser by Barney Hoskyns (Bloomsbury) This 1991 publication features an extensive collection of stunning photographs and, in his essay-like approach, Hoskyns pads out his theory encapsulated in the title of his work. Out of print now but well worth tracking down.

Monty, A Biography of Montgomery Clift by Robert LaGuardia Published in 1977, this was the earliest major biography of the star and is my favourite of the books available. Some condemned it for being sensationalist but LaGuardia really gets under the skin of his subject and writes both compellingly and movingly. Always available cheaply second hand on www.ebay.com.

Rebel Males by Graham McCann McCann is a biographer of, among others, Cary Grant and is, by profession, an academic. In this work, published in 1991, he turns his attention to Clift, Marlon Brando and James Dean and examines them as representatives of American masculinity. A varied and curious book, you might find the author's conclusions rather difficult to accept.

The Films of Montgomery Clift by Judith M Kass As the title suggests, this book concentrates primarily on Monty's films but also includes a short biography, plenty of pictures, a foreword by Monty's brother Brooks and an essay on Monty's place in film history. First published in 1979.