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Volume CXXXII, Number 13 |
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The Godfather of actors: Mr. Brando
DAVIN MICHAELS
COLUMNIST
In the history of films, there have been many Hollywood legends that have sent throngs of women to the theaters with their hearts on their sleeves. Actors such as Paul Newman, Cary Grant, Marlon Brando, James Dean, and Clark Gable brought a macho, suave presence to the screen that commanded the camera to notice them. Of the selected bunch, Marlon Brando stands out because of his enormous talent as an actor, a talent that accompanied his natural finesse as a man.
During his lifetime, Brando has made some 64 movies. Today many of them stick out as classics . One of Brando's first movies was A Streetcar Named Desire, which immediately asserted the actor's talent and gracefulness, his trademarks for the next fifty years.
The marvelous and powerful performance of Brando, portraying the sexy, brutal Stanley Kowalski in Tennesse Williams' brilliant play, was the highlight of the picture. This movie was directed by the genius filmmaker Elia Kazan, and remains today a very moving story of Blanche DuBois. Vivien Leight plays Stanley's fragile and neurotic sister-in-law who comes to visit her sister at her home New Orleans, where she attempts to regain a hold on her life.
Stanley serves as the judge, a detective, peeling off the hidden layers of lies that surround Blanche. As a result, he forces her to come to grips with her shameful past in addition to her mental instabilities.
Marlon Brando's forceful, dominant presence behind the camera is the key to his knockout performance. Kazan skillfully brings to life this world of chaos and confusion with beautiful photography and lighting that accompany his original skills and insights as a director. This film lost an academy award to Arthur Freed's An American in Paris and Marlon Brando was not recognized with an Oscar for his performance in this picture. However this can only be due to the fact that many other brilliant films were released the same year.
Another major highlight in Brando's career is one was On The Waterfront for which he received considerable notice. This film is, in my opinion, an unquestionable masterpiece. Brando only adds more to this film's brilliance. On The Waterfront tells the story of Terry Malloy (Brando) who is on his way to becoming a prize-winning boxer while simultaneously doing errands for the crime boss Johnny Friendly.
Unfortunately, the Waterfront Crime Commission is cracking down on crime in the area, and when Malloy gets mixed up in a murder, the mob tries to do all that they can to keep his mouth shut.
This movie is where we hear Marlon Brando speak the lines that have resonated throughout movie history, "I could have been a contender….I could have been somebody." This movie also includes a myriad of talented actors such as Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, and Karl Malden.
You might ask yourself, why is this movie so beautifully shot and so carefully constructed visually? That is because it is again Elia Kazan who directed this work of art. This time he won best director. In addition, Brando won Best Actor and the film won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1954. In the world of film, Marlon Brando was not just a contender but truly a winner.
Aside from the two already mentioned, Brando has appeared in several other well-known films. He played the character Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls. He also acted in some more obscure films such as The Appaloosa and Mutiny on the Bounty.
The big blockbuster movies-you know, the ones that include those legendary shots of the actor-are Apocalypse Now and The Godfather. Brando won Best Actor in 1972 for his portrayal of Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather, a series that is considered a crown achievement in the history of filmmaking and storytelling. Most recently, Brando can be spotted in the action film The Score, also starring Robert DeNiro and Edward Norton.
For all of his achievements in the world of film, Marlon Brando, is considered one of the greatest actors of his time, though he's notoriously difficult to work with. He undoubtedly brought a natural presence and overwhelming confidence to the big screen, and his works will be studied and cherished for all time. For those unfamiliar with many of the movies mentioned, it is more than worth your while to check them out and see the Don for yourself.
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