THE Brando and films

AL PACINO says: "I sat in the theatres when I was a kid just watching him. Now I'm playing a scene with him. He's God, man." [Referring to Brando]

"The only reason I'm here in Hollywood is because I don't have the moral courage to refuse the money"
i wrote this topic cause i was surprised how a lot of ppl dont realize what is marlon brando and how he is a legend

Marlon Brando: the most daring, gutsy, repulsive, controvertial, strongest, the hunk and one of the best actors in cinema
Because of him , today legends like AlPacino, REobert Deniro, Martin Scorsese, James Dean and other famous figures exist, EVERYONE WANTD TO BE BRANDO.
Marlon Brando is the essence and the most person people wanted to be him, he is very attractive in personality, he is a very
very very very very intellegent, emotional and ambitous person...this is a story of a legend.
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On April 3rd 1924, Marlon Brando is born in Omaha, Nebraska, the third and last child of Dorothy Pennebaker Brando and Marlon Brando, Senior; sisters Jocelyn and Frances; descended from Irish immigrants.

In 1935, his parents separate, and his mother move with her 3 children to Santa Ana in Orange County, California.

In 1937, his parents are reconciled again, and the family moves to Libertyville, Illinois, north of Chicago near lake Michigan.

In 1940, he is sent to a military boarding school - Shattuck Military Academy in Fairbult, Minnesota, from which he is eventually expelled for insubordination.

In 1943, Brando arrives in New York; he enrolls in a course at the Dramatic Workshop of the New School for Social Research, directed by German emigrant Erwin Piscator. His teacher at the Workshop is Stella Adler. Stella Adler had lived in Moscow in the early 1930s, and hd studied with Konstantin Stanislavsky at the Moscow Arts Theatre. On returning to America, she taught the members of the left-wing Group Theatre using Stanislavsky's "method", according to which actors have to develop every part they play out of the emotion of their own personality - a method also later taught by Lee Strasberg, from whom Brando explicitly distances himself.

In 1944, Brando has his stage debut at the Dramatic Workshops as Jesus in Gerhart Hauptmann's play Hannele. During the same the same year, Brando gets his first engagement with the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway production of "I Remember Mama", by John Van Druten; it is very successful and runs for 2 years.

In 1946, Brando plays in Maxwell Anderson's Truckline Café, then in George Bernard Shaw's Candida, and in the fall of the same year has a part in A Flag Is Born, a play by Ben Hecht, about the founding of the state of Israel. Powerfully impressed by the reports and pictures of Nazi concentration camps, he joins the American League for a Free Palestine, and collects money for a radical Jewish underground movement. This first experience of political commitment is a first sign of the pattern of his spontaneous expression of his sense of justice, which is later to lead to his lifelong commitment to the political rights of the American Indians.

In 1947, Elia Kazan suggests him for the part of Stanley Kowalski in Tennesse Williams's
"A Streetcar Named Desire". Just after his brakethrough in a street car named desire, he was called a GOD among actor

Between 1950 and 1955, Brando acts in landmark/memorable movies like The Men (1950, his first), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Viva Zapata! (1952), The Wild One (1953), On the Waterfront (1954) and Guys and Dolls (1955).

Awards: 1952: Cannes Film Festival, Best Actor Award, Viva Zapata!
British Film Academy Award, Best Foreign Actor, Viva Zapata!

1953: British Film Academy Award, Best Foreign Actor, Julius Caesar.

On March 31st 1954, Brando's mother dies at the age of 57.

In 1955, Brando receives his first Oscar for his part as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront.

1954: New York Film Critics Circle Award, Best Actor Golden Globe Award, Best Actor
British Film Academy Award, Best Foreign Actor Cannes Film Festival, Best Actor Award - for On the Waterfront.

1955: Golden Globe Award, World Film Favorite, Male.

In the spring of 1955, Brando founds his own production company, calling it "Pennebaker Productions", after his mother's maiden name.

On October 11th 1957, Brando marries the actress Anna Kashfi, from Wales. His second marriage is to Mexican actress Movita Castaneda, in 1960.

In 1961, Brando makes his directorial debut in One-Eyed Jacks. In 1960-61, during the shooting of Mutiny on the Bounty in Tahiti, he discovers the coral atoll Teti'aroa, which he will purchase in 1966.

In the spring of 1965, his father dies.

1960s, Brando comes up with a string of poor movies. During that time he makes a contribution toward ending racial discrimination and social injustice by involving in the Civil Rights Movement.

During the 1970s, Brando would resurface with powerful acting in memorable roles - marking his come back!

In 1972, Marlon Brando marks his come back and gives the world audience a lasting taste of his acting genius with his portrayal of Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather, for which he receives his second Oscar award.

Brando is represented by an Indian, Sasheen Littlefeather, at the Oscar ceremony on March 27th 1973 and she makes the following declaration: "To his great regret Marlon Brando feels unable to accept his award. The reasons lie in the treatment of the Indian in TV and the movies in this country, and in the recent events at Wounded Knee."

1970s, also saw Brando's very strong performance in Burn! (Brando's personal favorite), The Nightcomers and Last Tango in Paris.

In 1979, Brando makes a brief appearance as Major Kurtz in Francis Ford Coppola's, yet another epic, Apocalypse Now.
In 1990, after yet another long absence, Brando comes back with a thump in The Freshman, in his portrayal of Carmine Sabatini - a parody of the role, Don Vito Corleone, he played in The Godfather.

In 1994, Brando publishes his autobiography "Songs My Mother Taught Me ".
In 1995, Brando comes up with another memorable role, as Dr. Jack Mickler, in Don Juan DeMarco .

Year 2001, expects the release of Marlon Brando's latest movie - "The Score" and "Autumn Of The Patriarch", written by Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez, directed by Sean Penn.

Marlon Brando the legend has captivated the audience and shall captivate the audience for generations to come. Marlon Brando's contribution to the art of Acting and to the Film Industry is indescribable and shall always be remembered not only for for his priceless contribution to the Film Industry, but, also for his support and dedication for the Civil Rights Movement and for the Native American Indians.
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QUICK FACTS
Ranked #13 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]

Brother of actress Jocelyn Brando, who appeared with him in Ugly American, The (1963).

Seven children: Christian Devi (aka Gary Brown (I)), Miko, Rebecca, Simon Tehotu, Cheyenne (deceased), Ninna Priscilla, Stefano (aka Stephen Blackehart).

Department of strange coincidences: Brando's second wife, the actress Movita, portrayed the island girl Tehanni in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935). And, Brando's later wife, the actress Tarita (I), portrayed the island girl Miamiti in Mutiny on the Bounty (1962).

Brando balked at the prospect of Burt Reynolds in the role of Sonny Corleone in Godfather, The (1972). Brando got his way. And James Caan got the part.

Oldest son was arrested for murdering his sister's boyfriend in 1990. He was sentenced to 10 years in March 1991 and released in January of 1996.

Worked as a department store elevator operator for four days before he was famous. He quit after four days due to his embarrassment in having to call out the lingerie floor.

Was roommates with Wally Cox (I) during his theatrical training in New York City.

Father of Gary Brown (I).

Father of Stephen Blackehart.

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#14). [1995]

Two years before Brando declined his Oscar for Best Actor in the 1972 movie, "The Godfather", he'd applied to the Academy to replace the one he'd won for "On the Waterfront" (1954), which had been stolen.

Youngest of three children.

Has owned a private island off the Pacific coast, the Polynesian atoll known as Tetiaroa, since 1966.

In 1995, as a guest on Larry King Live, kissed Larry King on the mouth.

Native of Omaha, Nebraska. His mother once gave stage lessons to Henry Fonda, another Nebraska native.

Lives on infamous "Bad Boy Drive", Muholland Drive in Beverly Hills, California, which received its nickname because its residents are famous "bad boy" actors: Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty and Brando.

Admitted to an LA hospital with pneumonia. [April 2001]

The name Brando came from the Dutch name, Brandeis.

Son of Marlon Brando Sr.

His son Miko Brando was once a bodyguard for Michael Jackson. Jackson and Brando have remained good friends since.

Born to alcoholic parents, Brando was left alone much of the time as a child.

While filming Score, The (2001), he refused to be on the set at the same time as director Frank Oz.

Brother of actress Jocelyn Brando, who appeared with him in Ugly American, The (1963) and Chase, The (1966).

Daughter Cheyenne committed suicide in 1995.

Refused to take a religious oath at his son's murder trial, citing reasons that he is an atheist.

On the set of The Score (2001) he referred to former Muppets director Frank Oz as "Miss Piggy".

In April, 2002, a woman filed a $100 million palimony lawsuit in California against Brando, claiming he fathered her three children during a 14-year romantic relationship. Maria Cristina Ruiz, 43, filed the breach of contract suit demanding damages and living expenses.

Was scheduled to appear in the David Lean-directed "Nostromo" in 1991, before Lean died, and the production came to a halt.

Ranked #12 in Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Entertainers of All Time (2000)

Received more money for his short appearance as Jor-El in "Superman" (1978) than Christopher Reeve did in the title role.

Uses cue cards in many of his movies because he refuses to memorize his lines. His lines were written on the diaper of baby Kal-El in Superman (1978)

Appears on sleeve of The Beatles' "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club

One of the innovators of the Method acting technique in American film.

Was mentioned in Dolce vita, La (1960), in a discussion about salary paid to film stars.

Adopted child: Petra Barrett Brando, whose biological father is author James Clavell.

Marlon's son chris went to jail for killing his sister;s husband and Brando's sister commited suicide...he had gone through a devistating period

Personal quotes
"The more sensitive you are, the more likely you are to be brutalised, develop scabs and never evolve. Never allow yourself to feel anything because you always feel too much."

"The only thing an actor owes his public is not to bore them."

"An actor is at most a poet and at least an entertainer."

"Would people applaud me if I were a good plumber?"

"I don't know what people expect when they meet me. They seem to be afraid that I'm going to piss in the potted palm and slap them on the ass."

"I put on an act sometimes, and people think I'm insensitive. Really, it's like a kind of armour because I'm too sensitive. If there are two hundred people in a room and one of them doesn't like me, I've got to get out."

"If you're successful, acting is about as soft a job as anybody could ever wish for. But if you're unsuccessful, it's worse than having a skin disease."

"Kowalski was always right, and never afraid. He never wondered, he never doubted. His ego was very secure. And he had the kind of brutal agressiveness that I hate. I'm afraid of it. I detest the character." (his feelings about one of his most famous characters, Stanley Kowalski from 'A Streetcar Named Desire')

"I don't want to spread the peanut butter of my personality on the mouldy bread of the commercial press."

"The most repulsive thing you could ever imagine is the inside of a camel's mouth. That and watching a girl eat octopus or squid."

"With women, I've got a long bamboo pole with a leather loop on the end. I slip the loop around their necks so they can't get away or come too close. Like catching snakes."

"The only reason I'm here in Hollywood is because I don't have the moral courage to refuse the money."

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BRANDO UNFORGETABLE MOVIES

1- A STREET CAR NAMED DESIRE (1951)

comment: famous writer TENESEE WILLIAMS story, a great great great film with great cast and performance, marlon first oscar nomination
Plot: Set in the French Quarter of New Orleans during the restless years following World War Two, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is the story of Blanche DuBois, a fragile and neurotic woman on a desperate prowl for someplace in the world to call her own. After being exiled from her hometown of Laurel, Mississippi for seducing a seventeen-year-old boy at the school where she taught English, Blanche explains her unexpected appearance on Stanley and Stella's (Blanche's sister) doorstep as nervous exhaustion. This, she claims, is the result of a series of financial calamities which have recently claimed the family plantation, Belle Reve. Suspicious, Stanley points out that "under Louisiana's napoleonic code what belongs to the wife belongs to the husband." Stanley, a sinewy and brutish man, is as territorial as a panther. He tells Blanche he doesn't like to be swindled and demands to see the bill of sale. This encounter defines Stanley and Blanche's relationship. They are opposing camps and Stella is caught in no-man's-land. But Stanley and Stella are deeply in love. Blanche's efforts to impose herself between them only enrages the animal inside Stanley. When Mitch -- a card-playing buddy of Stanley's -- arrives on the scene, Blanche begins to see a way out of her predicament. Mitch, himself alone in the world, reveres Blanche as a beautiful and refined woman. Yet, as rumors of Blanche's past in Laurel begin to catch up to her, her circumstances become unbearable.


cast:
Vivien Leigh .... Blanche DuBois
Marlon Brando .... Stanley Kowalski
Kim Hunter .... Stella Kowalski
Directed by: Elia Kazan
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2- ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)

comment: this film became brando's breakthourgh, marlon won Academy Award for best actor, first oscar
plot:Terry Malloy dreams about being a prize fighter, while tending his pigeons and running errands at the docks for Johnny Friendly, the corrupt boss of the dockers union. Terry witnesses a murder by two of Johnny's thugs, and later meets the dead man's sister and feels responsible for his death. She introduces him to Father Barry, who tries to force him to provide information for the courts that will smash the dock racketeers.




Cast:
Marlon Brando .... Terry Malloy
Karl Malden .... Father Barry
Lee J. Cobb .... Johnny Friendly
Rod Steiger .... Charley Malloy/Charley The Gent
Directed by: Elia Kazan
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th period in the middle marlong got married, bought an island and did a lot of bad movies b.c of his ego
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3- THE GODFATHER (1972) (only the best movie of all time)

comment: some might call it, well most ppl call it THE BEST FILM OF ALL TIME, and im one of those people, the godfather to me is the best cinematic art ever profected
with the best cast, joinging and making stars.
The surprises about the godfather, Marlon DID NOT GET PLAYED TO PLAY THE ROLE, Francis Coppola the director hated working on it, and the day marlon oscar was announced
to win best actors in the oscar, an american indian went up and said "im here to speak on behalf of Marlon Brando to say he is refusing this award b/c of the agreesion
and mistreatment of american indians in the united states" that moment gave everybody a jaw dropping effect and surprise and Marlon Brando became the first person in
history to refuse wining the oscar and the most controversial person in the world since he also joined the american indians movments.
Plot: Don Vito Corleone is the head of a New York Mafia "family". Problems arise when a gangster supported by another Mafia family, Sollozzo, announces his intentions to start selling drugs all over New York. Don Vito hates the idea of drugs, and he is quite happy with the gambling/protection etc. that make him money, so an attempt is made on his life. Sollozzo then kidnaps one of Don Vitos advisors, and tries to make him force Don Vitos son to agree to sell drugs, but the plan goes wrong when Sollozzo finds out that Don Vito is still alive.


Cast:
Marlon Brando .... Don Vito Corleone
Al Pacino .... Michael Corleone
James Caan .... Sonny Corleone
Richard S. Castellano .... Peter Clemenza
Robert Duvall .... Tom Hagen
Sterling Hayden .... Captain McCluskey
John Marley .... Jack Woltz
Richard Conte .... Barzini
Al Lettieri .... Sollozzo
Diane Keaton .... Kay Adams
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
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4- SUPERMAN (1978)

plot: Unable to convince the ruling council of Krypton that their world will destroy itself soon, scientist Jor-El takes drastic measures to preserve the Kryptonian race: He sends his infant son Kal-El to Earth. There, gaining great powers under Earth's yellow sun, he will become a champion of truth and justice. Raised by the Kents, an elderly farm couple, Clark Kent learns that his abilities must be used for good. The adult Clark travels to Metropolis, where he becomes a mild-mannered reporter for the Daily Planet...and a caped wonder whose amazing feats stun the city: Superman! Meanwhile, Lex Luthor, the world's greatest criminal mind, is plotting the greatest real estate swindle of all time. Can't even the Man of Steel stop this nefarious scheme?


Cast:
Marlon Brando .... Jor-El
Gene Hackman .... Lex Luthor
Christopher Reeve .... Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El
Ned Beatty .... Otis
Jackie Cooper .... Perry White
Directed by: Richard Donner
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5- APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)

comment: Brando's 2nd team up with The godfather director, Apocalypse now is a greeeeeeat film about vietnam with excellent plot and cast, a must see
plot:Based on Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness, this is a controversial addition to the multitude of Vietnam war movies in existence. We follow Captain Willard on his mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade Green Beret who has set himself up as a God among a local tribe. Notes taken by Coppola's wife have recently been used to create "Hearts Of Darkness" - a fascinating and revealing account of the making of this movie.

Cast:
Marlon Brando .... Col. Walter E. Kurtz
Robert Duvall .... Lt. Col. William 'Bill' Kilgore
Martin Sheen .... Capt. Benjamin L. Willard/Narrator
Frederic Forrest .... Engineman 2nd Class (EN2) Jay Hicks/'Chef'
Albert Hall (I) .... Chief Quartermaster (QMC) Phillips
Sam Bottoms .... Gunner's Mate 3rd Class (GM3) Lance B. Johnson
Laurence Fishburne .... Gunner's Mate 3rd Class (GM3) Tyrone Miller/'Mr. Clean' (as Larry Fishburne)
Dennis Hopper .... Photo Journalist
G.D. Spradlin .... Gen. R. Corman
Harrison Ford .... Col. G. Lucas
Jerry Ziesmer .... Civilian (Jerry)
Scott Glenn .... Capt. Richard Colby
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
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AWARDS RECOGNITIONS
Best Actor (nom) A Streetcar Named Desire 1951 Academy
Best Actor A Streetcar Named Desire 1951 New York Film Critics Circle
Best Actor (nom) Viva Zapata! 1952 Academy
Best Foreign Actor Viva Zapata! 1952 British Academy Awards
Best Male Performance (win) Viva Zapata! 1952 Cannes Film Festival
Best Actor Viva Zapata! 1952 New York Film Critics Circle
Best Actor (nom) Julius Caesar 1953 Academy
Best Foreign Actor (win) Julius Caesar 1953 British Academy Awards
Best Actor (win) On the Waterfront 1954 Academy
Best Foreign Actor (win) On the Waterfront 1954 British Academy Awards
Best Actor - Drama (win) On the Waterfront 1954 Golden Globe
Best Actor (win) On the Waterfront 1954 New York Film Critics Circle
Henrietta Award (World Film Favorites) (win) 1955 Golden Globe
Best Actor - Musical and Comedy (nom) The Teahouse of the August Moon 1956 Golden Globe
Best Actor (nom) Sayonara 1957 Academy
Best Actor - Drama (nom) Sayonara 1957 Golden Globe
Best Actor Sayonara 1957 New York Film Critics Circle
Best Director (nom) One-Eyed Jacks 1961 Directors Guild of America
Best Actor - Drama (nom) The Ugly American 1963 Golden Globe
Best Actor (win) The Godfather 1972 Academy
Best Actor - Drama (win) The Godfather 1972 Golden Globe
Henrietta Award (World Film Favorites) (win) 1972 Golden Globe
Best Actor (nom) The Godfather 1972 New York Film Critics Circle
Best Actor (nom) Last Tango in Paris 1973 Academy
Henrietta Award (World FIlm Favorties) (win) 1973 Golden Globe
Best Actor (win) Last Tango in Paris 1973 New York Film Critics Circle
Best Supporting Actor (nom) A Dry White Season 1989 Academy
Best Supporting Actor (nom) A Dry White Season 1990 Golden Globe
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ONLINE CLIPS AND IMPORTANT SCENES
http://i.timeinc.net/time/time100/ar...waterfront.mov
classic scene: http://i.timeinc.net/time/time100/ar...andostella.mov
http://i.timeinc.net/time/time100/ar...ogodfather.mov
http://i.timeinc.net/time/time100/ar...apocalypse.mov
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history of a legend...everybody wnat to be brando , and if u didnt see brando u need to see brando...i wish i was a marlon brando

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T h e G o d f a t h e r

MULHOLLAND DR.
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
Stanley Kubrick
Alexander the great moveis
Marlon Brando

Yeah, the godfather of method acting. I think he's at least one of the three best actors ever.

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The novelist does not long to see the lion eat grass. He realizes that one and the same God created the wolf and the lamb, then smiled, "seeing that his work was good".

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They had temporarily escaped the factories, the warehouses, the slaughterhouses, the car washes - they'd be back in captivity the next day but now they were out - they were wild with freedom. They weren't thinking about the slavery of poverty. Or the slavery of welfare and food stamps. The rest of us would be all right until the poor learned how to make atom bombs in their basements.

Man I love the guy and his films. For an excellent read on his tumultuous life pick up BRANDO- by Peter Manso or SONGS MY MOTHERS NEVER TAUGHT ME_ which is his autobiography.

His pressence on screen is captivating and his understanding of body language and facial subtelties is unequalled. A superb actor all round, here are some of my fave films of his.

Aside from the usual suspects- SUPERMAN, GODFATHER, APOCALYPSE NOW, ON THE WATERFRONT, THE WILD ONE & STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE which are all must see. Here are a few of my faves that certainly have performances on Par with these.





Stanley Kramer's THE MEN- Long before Born On The Fourth of July and Coming Home , brando went all out to create a believable enactment of a wheel chair bound vet and IMO does the best job ever commited to celluloid.

Marlon Brando ONE EYED JACKS- Brando as director/actor on this film is something to behold, A superb moody western that Brando worked with Stanley Kubrick on for a year before taking it all for himself. A cinematic achievmnet.

Bernardo Bertolucci's LAST TANGO IN PARIS- Controversial, introverted and voyuristic this film is well worth woth a look and ranks as one of the finest erotic explorations ever captured on film. Some say this is very close to the real Brando we see exposed onscreen.

Arthur Penn's THE MISSOURI BREAKS- Brando adn Jack Nicholson together, need I say more??

Elia Kazan's VIVA ZIPATA- Brando is completly unrecognisable as the revolutionary leader. Amnn incredible performance.

Edward Dymtrx THE YOUNG LIONS- Montgomery Clift and Dean Martin support Brando in this war film that incorporates the German perspective

Arthur Penn's THE CHASE- Featuringa very young Robert Redford this is a nice little small town Sherriff against the world tale that has a smoldering atmosphere.

John G Avildsen's THE FORMULA-Nice little thriller with George C Scott backing up our man Brando.

Sidney Lumet THE FUGITIVE KIND- Lumet reinterpruts Tenesse Williams and delivers and alternate angle on the Brando persona.

Joseph L Mankewicz's JULIUS CEASAR- Great version of the bard's play with an all star cast and Brando in top form.


All these films are great examples of why Brando is a legend and IMO DON JUAN DE MARCO with Johnny Depp was a mighty fine return to form for the myth that is Marlon.

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******"The Majority Is Always Wrong" Steve Mcqueen in Enemy Of The People******

thanx for sharing
i do love LAST TANGO IN PARIS..the character was extrodinary vividing....what can i say..brando is the man

Brando is my number one favorite actor... my acting idol, and I think the greatest performer in the history of cinema. I've seen 30 of his films so far.

My 10 favorite films of his are...

01. The Godfather (1972)
02. On the Waterfront (1954)
03. Apocalypse Now (1979)
04. Last Tango in Paris (1972)
05. Viva Zapata! (1952)
06. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
07. The Young Lions (1958)
08. Morituri (1965)
09. The Fugitive Kind (1959)
10. Burn! (1969)

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SUPERMAN, GODFATHER, APOCALYPSE NOW, ON THE WATERFRONT, THE WILD ONE & STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

The wild one is the only brando in this list that i never seen. Is it good?

Obviously, The Wild One is "good", but since it's also the archetypal motorcycle gang flick, it's a liitle bit dated, but not enough for anybody not to be completely wowed by Brando, Lee Marvin and BRMC.

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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

Yeah, he said it pretty well. It hasn't aged well, but Brando is so brilliant in it, and his iconic persona in it had a huge impact on James Dean in particular. I like the film a lot, and Brando once said the character was probably the most similar to him as a person out of all the roles he played.

Here's the complete list of Brando films I've seen, with ratings, for anyone interested:

The Men (1950) ****
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) *****
Viva Zapata! (1952) *****
Julius Caesar (1953) ****1/2
The Wild One (1953) ***1/2
On the Waterfront (1954) *****
Guys and Dolls (1955) *****
The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956) ****
Sayonara (1957) ***1/2
The Young Lions (1958) *****
The Fugitive Kind (1959) *****
One-Eyed Jacks (1961) ****
Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) ****1/2
The Ugly American (1963) ****
Morituri (1965) *****
The Chase (1966) ***1/2
The Appaloosa (1966) ****
A Countess from Hong Kong (1967) ***1/2
Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967) ***
The Night of the Following Day (1968) ***1/2
Burn! (1969) ****1/2
The Nightcomers (1970) *1/2
The Godfather (1972) *****
Last Tango in Paris (1972) *****
The Missouri Breaks (1976) ***1/2
Apocalypse Now (1979) *****
The Formula (1980) **
A Dry White Season (1989) **1/2
Don Juan DeMarco (1994) ***1/2
The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) 1/2
The Brave (1997) ***
The Score (2001) ****

Like the poetic little girl with the cute little curl on her forehead, when he was good, Brando was very, very good, but when he was bad, he was horrid. How is it that the guy hailed as the greatest actor (1) uses cue-cards because he doesn't want to learn his lines, (2) refuses to be on the set with the director of a film, (3) refuses to be on the same set with actor Dennis Hopper in what was supposed to be a shared scene (Hopper says they had to film him and Brando separately saying their lines and then edit them together because Brando wouldn't appear with him), (4) says he's only making movies because he hasn't the moral courage to turn down the money. I mean, actors are suppose to learn their lines--it's part of the trade. He learned lines when he was working on stage and in his early films, but he apparently sold out in later years, hence the "I'm only in it for the money" crack.

Like I said, Brando was a damn good actor when he wanted to be, but certainly no god.

Uh-oh. Here come an argument...

He didn't want to lose the naturalism of dialogue in memorization. His personalized technique called for him to act sponaneously. He was "behaving" rather than "performing". He actually only used cue-cards on a few films, just to clarify, and he still turned in immaculate work.

I don't know where you're getting this information, but coming from a guy who has read four books on Brando, this is false. Besides, there are countless actors who don't always cooperate or get along with their directors.

Hopper was extremely difficult to work with on that film, and Brando obviously had personal reasons for making this decision. Regardless, his portrait in Apocalypse Now is legendary and all that stuff that went on behind camera is irrelevant, as far as I'm concerned.

His views on acting played into his self-depracating complex, which is what made him so human and so original. His personal opinions on the industry are never visible in his performances, so they're unrelated to his degree of talent.

Obviously, Brando got away with breaking the rules. Once again, a lot of your favorite actors are probably a lot less ideal to work with than you believe.

Well, as a young actor, I view him as a god in his craft.

Marlon brando rocks!!

Yes. Yes he does.

Oh, no argument, simply a discussion, voicing a different opinions. I'm certainly not trying to change your mind about Brando. Just wondering out loud why some of his actions appear at odds with his chosen profession.

I'll gladly concede you've read more about Brando than I have or ever will. For instance, I've read no books about him, just this news report:

"NEW YORK (AP) - Marlon Brando's off-screen antics during filming of The Score were high drama.

Brando would refuse to come to the set if director Frank Oz was present, leaving co-star Robert DeNiro to direct one of Brando's scenes. Oz watched from an offsite monitor and sent instructions to DeNiro via an assistant director, Time magazine reported in its July 16 issue.

When they were in the same room, Brando called Oz 'Miss Piggy,' and at one point said, 'I bet you wish I was a puppet so you could ... make me do what you want,' Time reported."

I'll gladly grant, too, Brando wasn't the only difficult actor in Hollywood. But I don't believe I've ever heard of another actor who refused to be on the set with the director of a picture or with another actor with whom they were sharing a scene. That seems to be unique to Brando. Lawrence Oliver didn't like Marilyn Monroe, yet played love scenes with her. Bette Davis and Joan Crawford hated each other but still made Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. It's my impression that most actors take a certain pride in being able to perform despite their personal feelings--to be able to laugh as the role requires, even when they're crying inside.

Would Brando's performance have suffered had he learned his lines, taken direction from Oz, appeared with Hopper? We'll never know, nor can we know if that was art or just Brando being difficult for the hell of it. Still, it's interesting that DeNiro, who attended the same acting school and studied the same method that Brando utilized, apparently learned his lines and worked with director Oz.

It just strikes me as odd that in his early years while building his career in the movies, Brando didn't have to use cue cards or snub directors and other actors to be so good at his craft. Wonder why that came only after he was knocking down that huge salary for a few minutes work in Superman?

It's no skin off my nose either way, but it does seem odd that someone that self-indulgent is "god" above actors who usually learn lines, and share sets with directors and other actors.

As I said before, Brando was very good when he wanted to be.

Well, that's one school of thought. Of course, Brando didn't just burst fullblown on the scene like Venus rising from the sea. There were some actors and directors who set the stage for him. Like John Garfield, for instance, who was first choice for the role of Stanley Kowalski in the Broadway play. Garfield studied the Stanislavski method under Maria Ousponskaya, as did Stella Adler (Brando's teacher) and her brother, the remarkable Luther Adler. And as did Elia Kazan, who directed Brando in his biggest early successes, and Clifford Odets, who wrote several roles specifically for Garfield.

There was also Paul Muni, one of the greatest actors ever on film, who came out of the same Yiddish Theater as Garfield and the Adlers. Muni was reportedly one of only 6 actors ever nominated for the Academy's Best Actor award for his first screen appearance--the others were Orson Welles (also considered a pioneer in the Brando mode), Lawrence Tibbett, Alan Arkin, James Dean, and Montgomery Clift. Muni and Dean also are reported to be the only actors who got Academy nominations for both their first and last movie performances.

Montgomery Clift started in the movies about the same time as Brando, and the two were considered close rivals early on. Clift's appearance with Liz Taylor in A Place in the Sun (1951) was said at the time to set a new standard for romance in the cinema. One can compare Clift's and Brando's acting abilities in The Young Lions.

Dean probably does owe something--maybe a lot--to Brando, but from what I've read, Dean's primary role model was Monty Clift, who he was said to call up "just to hear his voice."

Not trying to shoot down your hero. Just saying there were some good actors--established stars when Brando made his first film--who were equally good and helped pave the way for Brando.

I think Marlon Brando is hot. I am very fascinated by him. I wish I had met him.

Hey Sexy, you do realize that michaelcorleone's avatar is Marlon Brando? It's the cover of his autobiography which I own.

This is one of the most mature comments I've ever read on any film forum. Hats off to you for being able to debate diplomatically. I'm going to dispute some of your further points, but only because I enjoy a good discussion.

I hope you don't mind my debating your points in segments. Some people don't like when I pick their posts apart, but I'm not doing it to intentionally annoy you. I promise!



Right off the bat, you're making a mistake by citing the press as an accurate source for documenting Brando's bad behavior. He was given a negative image by the press ever since quite early into his career, because of his open distaste for publicity. He would admit to his shortcomings and disagreeable actions, and he does so multiple times in his auobiography. I don't buy this article for a second. Time magazine also wrote a completely bulls**t article about DiCaprio at one point that made him sound like a different person, so I always take that publication with a grain of salt. Yes, seriously.

Originally Posted by rufnek

I'll gladly grant, too, Brando wasn't the only difficult actor in Hollywood. But I don't believe I've ever heard of another actor who refused to be on the set with the director of a picture or with another actor with whom they were sharing a scene.

Well, Steve McQueen was prone to riding off on his motorcycle halfway through filming... so I don't know if that's any better. It's all relative. There are countless other examples of famous celebrity "misbehaving". I think what's more important is whether or not that attitude is visible in the result. With Brando, his acting was always outstanding, so his antics on set are irrelevant. What really aggravates me is that Christian Bale is allowed to viciously bully crew members on set, and people don't seem to mind, but they apply different standards to other actors. Sort of off topic, but it came to mind for some reason...

Originally Posted by rufnek

That seems to be unique to Brando. Lawrence Oliver didn't like Marilyn Monroe, yet played love scenes with her. Bette Davis and Joan Crawford hated each other but still made Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. It's my impression that most actors take a certain pride in being able to perform despite their personal feelings--to be able to laugh as the role requires, even when they're crying inside.

Brando was able to perform despite his personal feelings, obviously He had as much going on in his life as anybody. If you know anything about his upbringing and personal history, he definitely didn't have it easy. He performed beautifully regardless of the stage he was at during his life, and the evidence of that is in his film performances. Like Davis and Crawford in your example, he performed exceedingly well despite creative differences. For example, Glenn Ford was very condescending to him and constantly trying to upstage him while shooting The Teahouse of the August Moon. Brando laughed it off and turned in a fantastic comedic performance.

Originally Posted by rufnek

Would Brando's performance have suffered had he learned his lines, taken direction from Oz, appeared with Hopper? We'll never know, nor can we know if that was art or just Brando being difficult for the hell of it. Still, it's interesting that DeNiro, who attended the same acting school and studied the same method that Brando utilized, apparently learned his lines and worked with director Oz.

People are different, my friend. Just because two people went to Harvard, it doesn't mean both of them are going to function the exact same in the workplace. Brando's technique didn't encourage him to be belligerent. He was a very emotionally wounded man who distrusted people (especially in positions of authority). Forgive me for sounding melodramatic, but he used his acting as a manifestation of his own inner turmoil. He didn't always handle his issues ideally, because he was human. But that has nothing to do with how great of an actor he was.

Originally Posted by rufnek

It just strikes me as odd that in his early years while building his career in the movies, Brando didn't have to use cue cards or snub directors and other actors to be so good at his craft. Wonder why that came only after he was knocking down that huge salary for a few minutes work in Superman?

He didn't use that behavior as an excuse for being "good at his craft". You're misunderstanding why Brando behaved the way he did. I think I summarized it pretty well in my response above, but if you want clarification I can give it.

Originally Posted by rufnek

It's no skin off my nose either way, but it does seem odd that someone that self-indulgent is "god" above actors who usually learn lines, and share sets with directors and other actors.

Originally Posted by rufnek

As I said before, Brando was very good when he wanted to be.

I look at the work of an artist, not the artist himself as a form of judgment. When I look at Brando's body of work, I see legendary art.

Brando was the first American screen actor to deliver a performance like Streetcar. Of course, any shift in art is a gradual process, but Brando was the one who set the method movement into motion. Of course, he was trained to do what he did, but that doesn't make it any less remarkable.

Muni was a great actor, but he was part of a different species. Muni was still acting on screen. Welles was the same way. Brando was behaving. He brought a new approach and a new psychology to cinema performance.

Yes, Clift was also an innovator, and a truly great actor. I would put him in the same league as Brando, but he still wasn't Brando. He never had a Streetcar or a Last Tango in Paris. He delivered a lot of remarkable performances, but he never quite made it like Marlon did.

Actually, Dean was constantly calling/sending letters to Marlon Brando as well, but Brando didn't respond because he didn't know him and found it off-putting. Dean not only imitated Brando's acting, but also what he believed to be his lifestyle. He idolized both Clift and Brando, but the fact that he had more than one icon doesn't diminish the amount of influence that either one of them had.

For the record, I also consider James Dean one of the best American film actors of all time.

Well, Brando paved the way for De Niro, Pacino, Nicholson, Depp, DiCaprio, etc., etc. That doesn't make any of them any less great.

Great book, isn't it? It's one of my favorites.

Naw, I don't mind the segments. Helps keep everything in order so everyone knows which point is being addressed.

You and I are bound to have a different assessment of the press since I've been reporting for newspapers and magazines more than 30 years. Real news, not movie magazines although I have encountered a few actors and singers along the way.

Considering the turnover in people and assignments I've seen over the years, it's hard for me to understand why some actors and their fans think the collective "media" has either the time or interest to "go after" any celebrity. Politicians and actors come and go, wait a minute and there will be another one along. It's just a job--nothing to get emotional about.

But I understand some actors--Sinatra, Welles, many others--have a h*rd-on for the press. Maybe they think they have cause, but reporters as a rule are more detached. So Sinatra calls one journalist a whore. Big deal. I've had sheriffs and judges threaten to jail me, and I don't even remember their names.

Yes, I know... I sort of bought three copies of his autobiography, Songs My Mother Taught Me, within the past year.

I couldn't help it. I couldn't find it anywhere, then I finally found a copy at a used book store for really cheap, then I found two more copies at a ridiculously cheap price (50 cents!) and I'm a hoarder. It's a good book.

I just picked up The Wild One today on VHS for $1.00. I'm gonna watch it and transfer it to DVD.