Marlon Brando

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Actors, Film, Guys and Dolls, Marlon Brando, Movies

Marlon Brando is know as one of the great method actors during his time. Method acting is when an actor takes on the character’s feelings and thoughts in order to portray them in a real way. This was new for his time period and some admired him for it and some did not.

I will admit, as have many people, that I preferred the young Brando to the older one and though he has many duds movie-wise he also has many spectacular performances. Here are some of my favorites of his and some that are not my favorite but they were well done all the same:

photographed by Phil Stern

Guys and Dolls – One of my favorite films with Marlon Brando, yes I know it didn’t show his method acting and wasn’t his typical scene. When talking about his singing Brando stated that he sounded like “a mating call of a yak” and though his singing wasn’t award winning I still don’t think he was so bad. Brando starred with Frank Sinatra in this film which was a musical in New York involving gamblers, showgirls, and mission workers. Brando sings “Luck by a Lady”, “I’ll Know”, and “Woman in Love”.

On the Waterfront – Another favorite of mine and Brando actually won an Oscar for his performance in this film. Brando plays the part of a low down bum who gets “special” privileges from a mob-like union. After the union kills off a good man Brando’s character feels guilt and remorse and starts to reluctantly want change for the workers under the thumb of the union. Brando’s co-star and romantic interest in the film is played by Eva Marie Saint.

The Godfather – Not one of my favorite movies but I did like the stories idea. My favorite parts in the film is when Brando was on screen. Brando actually read most of his lines off cue cards instead of memorizing them but we still see a glimpse of the actor Brando used to be. The story is a long one about a crime family and war between mobs. It remains one of the greatest movies of all time.

The Wild One – Marlon plays the leader of a rowdy gang named Johnny. This is the Marlon Brando we all know and love. His gang comes to a small town and causes havoc wherever they are. The townspeople do not take kindly to them and decide to take matters into their own hands by striking back. They do not realize that that will just cause the gang to act and respond even worse.

The Freshman – Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick co star together in this suspense comedy. Brando brings back his Godfather character we all remember and enjoyed as Carmine.

A Streetcar Named Desire – A wonderful performance by Marlon Brando though not one of my favorite stories. Marlon Brando did such a good job that people thought that he actually was Stanley, the mumbling dirty harsh husband, or at least had the same personality. Brando hated that and strove to prove that he was different than that. Vivian Leigh, another favorite of mine, stars in this movie as a Blanche who appears to be a young refined teacher but the truth may be something else entirely.

Julius Caesar – After Streetcar Brando wanted to show his audience that he was not the mumbler he appeared to be by getting the role as Mark Antony in Julius Caesar. The story is a classic one by William Shakespeare about the assassination of Caesar by Brutus but Antony brings retribution for the murder.