Top 10 Most Iconic Marlon Brando Films

With the upcoming Digital and DVD/Blu-Ray release of Stevan Riley’s hit documentary ‘Listen To Me Marlon’ on 30th November, we explore Marlon Brando’s most significant and unforgettable on-scene moments. All excerpts below are in his own words and taken directly from the film.

A Streetcar Named Desire

It was a very explosive part. And it electrified everybody. And then your life changes. Suddenly there’s a lot
more girls saying “Hi, Mar”.

This 1951 drama written by Tennessee Williams is arguably the film that put Marlon Brando on the Hollywood radar. With elements of film noir, the film shows Brando as the threatening Stanley who makes life for his sister-in-law a living hell. The film marked the first of Brando’s four consecutive Academy Award nominations
for Best Actor, and in 1999, A Streetcar Named Desire was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant”.

Julius Caesar
In this definitive 1953 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adaptation of the infamous Shakespeare classic, Brando’s casting was met with some scepticism. Cast as Mark Antony, he had earned the nickname of ‘The Mumbler’ in previous roles and felt he had something to prove. His performance turned out so well that the New York Times proclaimed “In him a major talent has emerged.” He would later be offered a role in Hamlet following the success of Julian Caesar, a role which he would surprisingly turn down.

The Wild One
Labelled as the original outlaw biker film, The Wild One is most noted for Marlon Brando’s character, Johnny Strabler, whose persona became a cultural icon of the 1950’s. Always one to make an impact, Brando’s haircut in the film inspired a new craze for the side burn, which was later emulated by James Dean and Elvis Presley.     The biker jackets worn by Brando and his Triumph Thunderbird 6T motorcycle eschewed society’s expectations and established the “rebel” biker image. Significantly, the film was banned in the UK by the British Board of Film Censors for fourteen years, before receiving an X certificate in the 60’s. It was finally seen in the UK at the 59 Club in Paddington in 1968.

On The Waterfront

It’s a very strange thing this business of story-telling. The person up on the screen is doing all the things that
you want to do. They’re kissing the woman you want to kiss. Being braver in a way that you wanna be
brave. The audience does the work.

Winning the role of Terry Malloy over Frank Sinatra, Brando’s role in On the Waterfront was ‘a critical and commercial success’. Winning an Oscar for his performance, the film has proven symbolic in American culture. Receiving 12 Academy Award nominations, On The Waterfront was ranked by the American Film Institute as the eighth-greatest American movie of all time.

Mutiny on the Bounty

Mutiny On The Bounty’ was perhaps my very worst experience of making a motion picture. I never wanna do
that kind of picture again as long as I live.

Set in Tahiti, Brando’s favourite part of the world, Mutiny on the Bounty proved more difficult than previous titles. Many felt that Brando de-railed the film, and that he wasn’t the right actor for the part. Nevertheless, this 1962 historical drama proves significant for Brando, as he fell in love with not only the setting, but also his co-star Movita Castaneda would later become his wife.

Last Tango in Paris

‘Last Tango In Paris’ was a very hard film for me. I realised, you know, You’re naked, Marlon

In perhaps his most emotional role to date, Last Tango in Paris oozes sensuality and erotic drama. Emotional turmoil and sexual violence meant that the film had various scenes initially cut, causing controversy in the USA. Brando infamously decided not to learn his lines for the role, and insisted on placing cue cards around the set making it difficult for the director to hide them from the picture frame.

Superman

I have made as much as $14 million for 12 days’ work … … on a rather silly movie. I used to paste the cue card
on actors’ faces. It saved me a lot of time …

When Brando was cast as Jor-El in the 1978 hit Superman, he knew he was a real star – and so did the rest of the world. He was paid millions for the role, and the film went on to break box office records, making $300  million in its initial theatrical run.

Apocalypse Now

I re-wrote the entire script … … and I have it all on tape. I have a tape of everything. He should be
mysterious. A mythological figure. He is the heart of darkness.

Apocalypse Now is known to many critics as being ‘one of the greatest movies of all time’. Marlon, however, proved to be difficult and demanding on set. He had put on weight, shaved his head and hadn’t learnt any of his lines. In fact, he had been creating his own script behind the scenes! Despite this, the film is a significant attribute to the film industry and was honoured with the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival.

The Godfather

I thought it would be interesting to play a gangster not from the point of view that he was the bad guy but
that he was very gentle. A hero.

After a series of controversial films, Marlon Brando came back to brilliance in his role for The Godfather. Creating the perfect mob look, Brando stuffed cotton balls in his cheeks and smoothed shoe polish in his hair. The film was a critical hit, and Marlon again shocked the nation when he declined to accept his Oscar award. Instead, he sent an American Indian Rights activist to the stage, in a demonstration to highlight his concerns for the treatment of American Indians in Hollywood.

Listen To Me Marlon

From British director Stevan Riley (Fire in Babylon, Everything or Nothing) and award-winning producer John Battsek (Searching for Sugarman, Restrepo) comes LISTEN TO ME MARLON – an insightful, captivating portrait of one of the most iconic and complex individuals of this century. LISTEN TO ME MARLON is a creative odyssey into the mind and motivations of Marlon Brando. Brando’s own voice leads the storytelling, making this the most honest portrayal of a screen legend we have ever seen. The film’s undercurrent and final note will be one of celebration, homage to a creative genius. The film is emotionally complex, revealing and insightful, but ultimately playful and surprising, moving between harmonious and discordant notes with eccentric virtuosity. An homage to Marlon himself, this film sees his best role to date.

‘Listen To Me Marlon’ is out now in UK cinemas and on Digital HD, and will be out on DVD and Blu-Ray from 30th November.

British Independent Film Awards Nominations 2015

The British Independent Film Awards 2015 Nominations lists were announced in London by Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Gemma Chan.

Films such as Macbeth, 45 Years, High-Rise, Ex Machina, The Lobster and Amy were among the independent productions dominating across a number of categories this year.Check out a  full list of nominees across all categories below:

Best British Independent Film

45 Years
Amy
Ex Machina
The Lobster
Macbeth

Best Director
ANDREW HAIGH 45 Years
ASIF KAPADIA Amy
ALEX GARLAND Ex Machina
YORGOS LANTHIMOS The Lobster
JUSTIN KURZEL Macbeth

Best Screenplay 
45 Years Andrew Haigh
Brooklyn Nick Hornby
Ex Machina Alex Garland
High-Rise Amy Jump
The Lobster Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou

Best Actress
MARION COTILLARD Macbeth
CAREY MULLIGAN Suffragette
CHARLOTTE RAMPLING 45 Years
SAOIRSE RONAN Brooklyn
ALICIA VIKANDER The Danish Girl

Best Actor
TOM COURTENAY 45 Years
COLIN FARRELL The Lobster
MICHAEL FASSBENDER Macbeth
TOM HARDY Legend
TOM HIDDLESTON High-Rise

Best Supporting Actress
HELENA BONHAM CARTER Suffragette
OLIVIA COLMAN The Lobster
ANNE-MARIE DUFF Suffragette
SIENNA MILLER High-Rise
JULIE WALTERS Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor
LUKE EVANS High-Rise
BRENDAN GLEESON Suffragette
DOMHNALL GLEESON Brooklyn
SEAN HARRIS Macbeth
BEN WHISHAW The Lobster

Most Promising Newcomer
ABIGAIL HARDINGHAM Nina Forever
AGYNESS DEYN Sunset Song
BEL POWLEY A Royal Night Out
MIA GOTH The Survivalist
MILO PARKER Mr Holmes

Debut Director
CORIN HARDY The Hallows
PAUL KATIS Kajaki: The True Story
CHRIS & BEN BLAINE Nina Forever
JOHN MACLEAN Slow West
STEPHEN FINGLETON The Survivalist

Producer of the Year
45 Years
Amu
Kajaki: The True Story
The Lobster
The Violators

Outstanding Achievement in Craft
Editing Chris King – Amy
Casting Fiona Weir – Brooklyn
Production Design Mark Digby – Ex Machina
VFX Andrew Whitehurst – Ex Machina

Discovery Award
Aaaaaaah!
Burn Burn Burn
Orion: The Man Who Would Be King
The Return
Winter

Best British Short
Balcony
Crack
Edmond
Love Is Blind
MANoMAN

Best International Independent Film
Carol
Force Majeure
Girlhood
Room
Son of Saul

Best Documentary
Amy
Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance
How To Change The World
Palio
A Syrian Love Story

The Moët British Independent Film Awards will take place in London on December 6.