RED RIVER(1948). Dir: Howard Hawks. Starring: John Wayne, Walter Brennan & Noah Beery Jnr.
Oscar nomination: Original story (Borden Chase).

Widely considered one of the best westerns of the 40s, Red River is the story of how the ChisholmTrail was developed as a cattle drive. Wayne plays Clift's adopted father, a man determined to drive his cattle to market against all the odds.

As the epic adventure develops, however, Wayne reveals himself to be a ruthless bully and it is left to a reluctant Clift (Matt Garth) to force him aside - a confrontation which leaves Wayne vowing deadly revenge. The film concludes with a bloody fist-fight.

Clift and Wayne didn't get on during the shoot, the older actor telling a journalist that Clift was "an arrogant little bastard". But this was an impressive debut and the critics raved about his performance. One said he had that rare combination of acting talent and screen personality.

Clift, privately, was cool about the film, claiming the script had been watered down and calling his own performance mediocre. But here was one of the few examples where he chose to play 'one of the boys' - not the loner for which he would become so identified.

Read more on Red River here

THE SEARCH (1948). Dir: Fred Zinnemann. Starring: Aline MacMahon, Ivan Jandl & Wendell Corey.
Oscar: Original story.Oscar nominations: Screenplay, director, actor (Clift)

In post-war Europe, an American GI (Ralph) finds himself responsible for the care and rehabilitation of a young war orphan Karel (Jandl) - who was sent to Auschwitz with his mother during the Nazi terror. The boy and his mother are separated after the conflict and it is while he is foraging in the streets that Ralph meets him. He wants to adopt him and take him back to America but the boy senses his mother is still alive...

The Search was the first film featuring Clift to be released and he immediately won buckets of praise. One critic said he was "superb". Others thought he was so good in the role they believed him to be a professional soldier.

Clift, in fact, contributed more than his acting skills to the film. As with some of his other films, he extensively re-wrote many of his scenes to the consternation of the writers and producers. One of his favourite tricks was to cut dialogue to the bone for he believed in acting as much with his body as with words. Zinnemann knew he had a talent on his hands and gave Clift free rein.

THE HEIRESS(1949). Dir: William Wyler. Starring: Olivia de Havilland, Ralph Richardson & Miriam Hopkins.
Oscars:Score (Aaron Copeland), actress (de Havilland). Oscar nominations: Picture, director, cinematography, Ralph Richardson.

Set in New York in the 1850s, plain but wealthy young Catherine Sloper (de Havilland) takes revenge on her lover - a cold-hearted fortune seeker called Morris Townsend (Clift). Was he after her money or truly in love?

Based on Henry James' Washington Square, the film was directed by the dictatorial Wyler and won de Havilland her second Oscar.

But Clift didn't enjoy making it and struggled to get along with his co-stars.

Nor did he get the free-rein with the script and set-ups Zinnemann had given him on The Search - an experience which had thrilled and stimulated him and which he would always remember fondly.

Clift hated his performance and the critics were mixed.

Bosley Crowther said he was a bit too glib and modern in his approach. But Howard Barnes described him as "superb". The film didn't do well at the box office but won many awards.

THE BIG LIFT(1950). Dir: George Seaton. Starring: Paul Douglas, Cornell Borchers & O E Hasse.

Monty plays Danny, a liberal-minded flight engineer who is part of the American forces involved in the post-war Berlin airlift. Douglas is the contrast - a cynical and crude sergeant.

In Seaton's script, the light-hearted Danny fails to understand the appalling moral corruption Hitler and the war has had on Germany and ordinary Germans. It doesn't hit home until he falls in love - and is then betrayed.

Clift initially got on with Seaton but problems soon developed - and the prime cause was his ever-present acting coach Mira Ristova. Monty had a habit of always looking to her for approval after each take, regardless of the views of his director.

This only succeeded in vexing Seaton to the point of distraction and annoying his co-stars.

The film received mixed reviews on opening although Clift's performance was, generally, praised.

"...and heroes don't come easy..."
Monty Got a Raw Deal, Automatic for the People, REM