Actor Spotlight: Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando was a legend. He established himself in performing on stage, but with Elia Kazan's film direction, he showcased his amazing character portrayals on film. His role in Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront cemented his acting credibility. Elia Kazan's portrayal of the mob on the docks in 1950s New York was melancholy, gritty, and spectacular. Brando surged forward with that role. Playing tough but sweet Terry Malloy, a former boxer turned docksman, he is forced to confront his mobster brother and his own role in the death of a friend. (My favorite quote: "I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am.") Up against the mob, this movie was a thinly-veiled story about a good vs. 'evil' trial that Elia Kazan faced when he turned over famous actors, directors & writers (including Arthur Miller) to the House of Un-American Activities Committee, run by Sen. McCarthy, in the 50s. With that frame of reference, the backstory makes the movie resonate on a whole other level. Quite amazing.

Getting back to Brando, most will remember him for his role as Don Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather. I like to think of him in his subtler roles. For example, he excelled in Bernando Bertolucci's 1972 film, Ultimo Tango A Parigi (Last Tango in Paris). In this movie all the sick & twisted parts of his character come out in a perfect portrayal of love, lust and sadness in Paris in the 1970s. Gorgeous!

[Commentary on Mutiny on the Bounty and Apocalypse Now coming soon!]


Scene from Last Tango in Paris is below: