Magnum Photographer Elliott Erwitt on Photographing on the Set of The Misfits

Update: Apparently the uploader has now disabled embedding. You can watch the video over on Vimeo.


Film Director John Huston was a good friend of Magnum co-founder Robert Capa, and as a result Magnum photographers often wound up working on his films. One such photographer is Elliott Erwitt, and in this video he talks about his well-known photo of some well-known folks: the people behind the 1961 movie The Misfits.

The photo captures all of the most important people on that project: from stars Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable to producer Frank Taylor, who is so important he’s often airbrushed out of the pic (minus the toes on his right foot).

It’s a great look, not only at the techniques Mr. Erwitt used in those days, but at the unique, almost candid perspective he had on each of his subjects. Sure, he was able to capture some famous people on film (or rather plates), but the beauty of this picture is that he captured each individual personality even as he put them all together in one shot.

Of course, in the end, he does get back to business. Excusing his crassness he says, quite simply: “I’m pleased with this picture because it sells a lot!”

Instant of Cinema by the Magnum photographers/Elliott Erwitt on The Misfits [Vimeo]

Discussion