Marlon Brando

From Philosopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Brando1.jpg

Brando, Marlon (3 April 1924 - 1 July 2004)

On 16 May 1990, homicide detectives arrived at the Beverly Hills, California, house of actor Marlon Brando Jr.

Christian Brando, Marlon’s thirty-two-year-old son, blurted out to the police that he had, in an accident, killed his pregnant half-sister Cheyenne’s Tahitian boyfriend. Marlon Brando explained to a detective that Cheyenne, her mother, Tarita, and her boyfriend, Dag Drollet, had at his invitation been living in the house, that he had brought Cheyenne from Tahiti to Beverly Hills a week prior in order to see a psychiatrist, that he had not heard any shot, but that he found Christian holding a large handgun, and his son had told him he had just shot and killed Dag. (In 1995, a heartbroken Cheyenne, age twenty-five, hanged herself at her mother’s home in Tahiti. Called a troubled girl whose life was plagued by drugs and who was intrigued by mysticism, she upon previous occasions had tried to commit suicide, once trying to hang herself with a dog chain. Accusing her father of conspiring with her brother to kill Drollet, Cheyenne claimed on a television program that Brando had molested her as a child. Tahitian authorities were unable to question him, because Brando refused to return to the island.) When called to testify at his son’s trial, the more than 300-pound Marlon Brando strode to the witness stand. The clerk recited the oath, followed by “so help you God?”

  • No, I will not swear on God. I will not swear on God, because I don’t believe it in the conceptional sense and in this nonsense. What I will swear on is my children and my grandchildren.

The judge interceded quickly, “We have a different oath we can give him,” and Brando then affirmed that what he was about to state was the whole truth and nothing but the truth. In the courtroom was Jacques Drollet, the victim’s Tahitian father, who heard Brando describe how, when Dag’s body was brought out, “I asked some officers to unzip the bag, and I wanted to say good-bye and admire him properly. I kissed him, told him I loved him, and that is all.”

Christian Brando

Christian was eventually sentenced to six years for voluntary manslaughter and an additional four years because a gun was used in the commission of the crime which, according to Peter Manso in Brando: The Biography (1994), meant the son would be eligible for parole in about four and a half years. Christian (11 May 1958 - 26 January 2008), who was living on welfare, died in Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, a city hospital. In April 2008, the Los Angeles County coroner's office confirmed that Christian had died of pneumonia.

Brando, as was the case with his son, never finished tenth grade, and he is not known to have written his views concerning philosophy. Married several times and reportedly the father of nine children, he admitted to the judge upon winning custody of Christian’s son, “I think, perhaps, I failed as a father.”

Marlon Brando Sr., a calcium carbonate salesman, and his wife Dorothy had three children; Joselyn, an actress, took after her mother, who as an actress in amateur theatricals was mentored by a then-unknown Henry Fonda; Frannie, a visual artist; and "Bud" Brando, who left what he thought was a cold and distant father and took off in 1943 for New York City to study acting - he was a high school dropout, having been booted out of Shattuck Military Academy because of his alleged incorrigibility.

Brando was then mentored by Stella Adler and followed the "emotional memory" technique of Constantin Stanislavsky, a method in which actors were instructed to "Think of your own experiences and use them truthfully." By 1944, Brando had made his debut in I Remember Mama. Although disliking the term "The Method," he became regarded as the foremost practitioner of method acting, the sensation who in Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire (1947) starred not only on Broadway but also in the film. His famous cry, “Stella!”, which brought his character Stanley’s wife back into his arms, is cited as having firmly established his reputation as a major actor.

Sent to Tahiti to play Fletcher Christian in Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), Brando earned his first big money although MGM was having financial problems at the time. According to biographer Peter Manso, “There was also talk that Brando had tried to add homosexual overtones to the role of Fletcher Christian. Brando’s foppish portrayal annoyed Richard Harris, particularly during a scene in which Brando was supposed to slap Harris in the face. Brando merely flicked his wrist.”

In Paris in 1976, Brando responded to contentions that The Missouri Breaks was pervaded with homosexuality: Brando replied, “Homosexuality is so much in fashion it no longer makes news. Like a large number of men, I, too, have had homosexual experiences and I am not ashamed.” Gossip columnists hastened to add that Brando and Wally “Mr. Peepers” Cox had been a lifetime item, adding that Brando was basically bisexual with an interest in Tahitian women who would not “tie him down.” However, biographer Manso categorically denies the Cox gossip, although he adds about his subject, who was “deemed too ‘pretty’ ” at the start of his career to wearing size fifty-two underwear, “There’s no doubt he’s been bisexual.” Manso delights in reporting that “people claimed” to have seen a photograph in which Brando was performing fellatio on an unidentified man, then adds “word had it” that the picture was some unexplained practical joke. Critics have complained that Manso asserts much but proves little.

After hitting the $1 million salary level with The Fugitive Kind, Brando was to continue with such 1972 hits as Last Tango in Paris and The Godfather.

Marlon Brando as Don Corleone in The Godfather

At the 1973 Academy Awards ceremony, when Liv Ullmann and Roger Moore announced that Brando had won over nominees Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, and Paul Winfield, an Apache Indian, Sacheen Littlefeather, approached and announced, “I’m representing Marlon Brando this evening, and he has asked me to tell you . . . that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. And the reasons for this are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry and on television in movie reruns.”

Brando's very presence excited people, who could not forget the table-clearing in A Streetcar Named Desire or the explosive “No!” shouted at his mother-in-law in Last Tango in Paris. For more than a decade beginning in the early 1960s, Brando committed himself to protesting social injustice. A 1994 autobiography, Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me, ghostwritten with Robert Lindsey and revealing little which was new, did not mention his children or their problems but did include, “Whatever grains of optimism survive in me about the evolution of mankind are centered in the belief that genetic alteration, however fraught with danger, is the only possible solution.”

Although some have termed Brando an inhumanist because of the alleged bad treatment of his children, Brando is a freethinker in his philosophic outlook.

{Peter Manso, Brando: The Biography (1994)}

Contents

Controversy

In the infamous Playboy interview of January 1979, Brando was charged with anti-Semitism in regard to his opinion on double-standards set by Jews in Hollywood with respect to racial and cultural stereotyping. "You've seen every single race besmirched, but you never saw an unfavorable image of the Kike because the Jews were ever so watchful for that. They never allowed it to be shown on screen."

Brando again attracted controversy by making similar allegations on Larry King Live in April 1996, saying "Hollywood is run by Jews; it is owned by Jews, and they should have a greater sensitivity about the issue of - of people who are suffering. Because they've exploited - we have seen the - we have seen the Nigger and Greaseball, we've seen the Chink, we've seen the slit-eyed dangerous Jap, we have seen the wily Filipino, we've seen everything but we never saw the Kike. Because they knew perfectly well, that that is where you draw the wagons around." King replied, "When you say - when you say something like that you are playing right in, though, to anti-Semitic people who say the Jews are -" at which point Brando interrupted, "No, no, because I will be the first one who will appraise the Jews honestly and say 'Thank God for the Jews.' "

Trivia

Following are some examples taken from Wikipedia and elsewhere:

  • Despite his later obesity, Brando would diet, run and lift weights to keep in shape in his early to mid career. He started to lift weights while in high school.
  • A biopic is currently in development written by new-comer Johnny Bas, up for the role to fill the shoes are Ryan Phillipe and Billy Zane.
  • Turned down the title role in Lawrence of Arabia (1962).
  • Turned down Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) in order to make Burn! (1969).
  • Reportedly was interested in playing psychiatrist Martin Dysart in Equus (1977). The role went to Richard Burton.
  • He had eleven straight commercial disappointments between 1959's The Fugitive Kind until 1972's The Godfather and Last Tango in Paris.
  • Made "Top 10 stars of the year", 5 times. 1954, 1955, 1958, 1972, 1973.
  • When making Superman, Brando was paid $3.7 million, plus 16.86% of the gross. The film made $300 million worldwide, making his earnings $14 million for 12 days work.
  • Brando's height was always listed as 5'10" (177 cm). However, many people believe he was closer to 5'8", and in later films at least he was known to wear elevator shoes.
  • Brando frequently used cue cards in his films because he refused to memorize his lines. In "The Island of Dr. Moreau," he even wore a small radio receiver to help him with his lines.
  • Brando was paid $1 million to appear briefly at the Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary concert a few days before the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
  • Brando is mentioned in the song "Pocahontas" by Neil Young, "China Girl" by David Bowie and Iggy Pop, "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel, "Vogue" by Madonna, "Advertising Space" by Robbie Williams, "Eyeless" by Slipknot, "Sly" by The Cat Empire and The Ballad of Michael Valentine by The Killers. Songs directly about him are "I'm Stuck In a Condo (With Marlon Brando)" by The Dickies and "I Wanna Be Marlon Brando" by Russell Crowe.
  • Frank Sinatra loathed the non-singing Brando for getting the starring role in Guys and Dolls, whereas Frank got a lesser part. Frank's nickname for the sometimes barely coherent Brando was "Mumbles." It was said that there were personality clashes on the set of the film, with the perfectionist Brando preferring to undergo retakes of shots effectively irritating the impatient one-take style of Sinatra.
  • Only made two television appearances in his career. 1979's Roots: The Next Generations for which he won an Emmy and in 1949 on "Actor's Studio" in the episode "I'm no Hero".
  • In a Channel 4 television poll voted for by his fellow actors, Brando was named the "World's Greatest Actor"
  • A computer rendition of Brando features in a 2006 video game: "The Godfather: The Game" published by EA Games. His voice was to be used in the game, but his failing health and the oxygen tanks affected his speech, and an impersonator was used instead. (However, his voice was used in a section of the game where Michael Corleone is comforting Vito Corleone when in his hospital bed. The oxygen tanks and his failing health added to the atmosphere of the hospital room and situation so it was used.)
  • Brando was paid $1 million to play the priest in the The Exorcist spoof at the beginning of the film, Scary Movie 2. He took the money and accepted the role, but got pneumonia a few days before shooting his scenes. He dropped out of the project, but was still allowed to keep the money, and was replaced by James Woods.
  • In April 1996 on a Larry King Live television show, Brando said, "Hollywood is run by Jews; it is owned by Jews, and they should have a greater sensitivity about the issue of — of people who are suffering. Because they've exploited — we have seen the — we have seen the Nigger and Greaseball, we've seen the Chink, we've seen the slit-eyed dangerous Jap, we have seen the wily Filipino, we've seen everything but we never saw the Kike. Because they knew perfectly well, that that is where you draw the wagons around." King replied, "When you say — when you say something like that you are playing right in, though, to anti-Semitic people who say the Jews are — " at which point Brando interrupted, "No, no, because I will be the first one who will appraise the Jews honestly and say "Thank God for the Jews."

Books

  • Anna K. Brando and Richard A. Epstein, Brando for Breakfast, Berkley Pub Group, 1980.
  • Brando, Marlon with Lindsey, Robert. Songs My Mother Taught Me (book). New York: Random House, 1994.
  • Manso, Peter, Brando: The Biography NY: Hyperion Books, 1995
According to David C. Tucker in Library Journal: A scandal-loving biographer's dream, Marlon Brando has led a tumultuous life, complete with unhappy childhood, an active and varied sex life, troubled children of his own (son Christian is now in prison for killing daughter Cheyenne's lover), and a long history of eccentric behavior on and off the set. Surprisingly, Brando hasn't caught Kitty Kelley's eye, but journalist Manso (Mailer: His Life and Times, LJ 4/15/85) corrects that oversight with this massive tome. Based on seven years' research, Manso's biography is a treasure trove of juicy details that the star might prefer not to have revealed, but readers hoping for real insight into Brando's acting talent and career may be disappointed. The publicity surrounding Brando's own book-Songs My Mother Taught Me (Random, 1994), which the star is rumored to have penned in retaliation for Manso's work-will guarantee demand for this title as well, but Brando also has some value as the most complete, up-to-date biography currently available.
  • Schickel, Richard. Brando: A Life in Our Times. Pavilion Books, 1991, 2001
According to John Smothers in Library Journal: Many biographies of Marlon Brando have already been published (e.g., Gary Carey's Marlon Brando: The Only Contender, St. Martin's, 1985; Christopher Nickens's Brando: A Biography in Photographs, Doubleday, 1987), some written by sometime friends of Brando and others by biographers intent on detail and anecdote. As one might guess from the subtitle of his book, Schickel, senior movie reviewer for Time magazine and author of Disney Version ( LJ 4/15/68) and The Men Who Made the Movies ( LJ 6/1/75), attempts to paint a broader picture. He provides the outlines of Brando's life, but his primary concern is the reason much of a generation idolized and identified with Brando. Occasionally his philosophizing gets turgid, but Schickel is basically an intelligent and insightful writer. Recommended.
  • Bosworth, Patricia. Marlon Brando. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2001.
  • Bain, David Haward. The Old Iron Road: An Epic of Rails, Roads, and the Urge to Go West. New York: Penguin Books, 2004.
  • Brando, Marlon, and Donald Cammell. Fan-Tan. New York: Knopf, 2005.
  • Porter, Darwin. Brando Unzipped. New York: Blood Moon, 2006.
  • Pierpont, Claudia Roth. Method Man in New Yorker, 27 Oct 2008.
  • Kanfer, Stefan, Somebody: The Reckless Life and Remarkable Career of Marlon Brandon. NY: Knopf, 2008
New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani (9 December 2008) comments that unlike Schickel's and Bosworth's slim, illuminating books, Kanfer provides little new or original takes on the actor. "His biography remains indebted to those earlier works, and even more heavily reliant on Brando's quirky but vivid 1994 memoir, Songs My Mother Taught Me. Commented Kakutani about Brando, "He mumbled a lot and was often silent when you expected him to talk, but there was a drama to those pauses and a raw, animal physicality to his every move. When he was young, his beauty was a magnet to women and men alike, but it was his willingness to expose his own tortured conflicts in his work - his vulnerability and anger, his naivete and brooding melancholy - that made millions of strangers enshrine him as a symbol of a new rebellious generations, sick of the correct poses and posturings of the past and committed to an unvarnished authenticity and emotional truth."

Obituaries

Retrieved from "http://philosopedia.org/index.php/Marlon_Brando"
Personal tools