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In Reply to: Re: Was he THAT good as an actor? posted by Gee LP on July 02, 2004 at 16:11:31:
probing, factual, fair, and ultimately sympathetic to the man--I learned a lot. Are you some kind of movie critic?
Follow Ups:
Thank you C.B., for your kind words. I'm sorry that it has taken me a while to find a moment to respond.I am not a movie critic. I am a middle-aged college student who is studying English and Social Studies at a small university in the South with the idea of becoming first a high school teacher, then (hopefully) a college instructor. But film and theatre have always been tremendous enthusiasms of mine, and in my much younger days I spent a (too short) period of time in New York around several people who knew Brando quite well. Since the news of Brando's death broke Friday morning, many memories of that time have resurfaced.
My local paper printed Bob Thomas' obituary of Brando from the Los Angeles Times. It is frustrating to think that this is what his friends and co-workers in Hollywood read on Saturday morning. I counted 2 inaccurate statements in one paragraph alone!
It is unfair to call Brando "the greatest actor ever". There are many stage actors that many people have either never seen or no longer remember, and there are many great actors in other countries that are just as influential in their circles as Brando was in his.
(I am sure Victor and Patrick could help me out here on some names!)
But it is fair to call Brando "as good as they get". He WAS that good. And to the list of moments that I indicated earlier, from his later films (his early ones being so iconic--"Stella! Whaddya got? I coulda had class!"), let me add 3 more:The wry irony of his lawyer in "A Dry White Season"
Skating on the ice in "The Freshman"
...and a moment every acting student should study:
Wiping the makeup off of his dead wife's face in "Last Tango". Shattering.He may not have been a good husband. He may not have been a good father. He may not have been the most congenial worker, especially late in his career. But who judges a chair by the character of the worker who built it? (Uh oh, this could be dangerous: Wagner territory dead ahead!)
Jack Nicholson said, "When Brando goes, we all move up one step." Knowing his opinion of Brando, I am certain that he is sorry that today he can take that step.
Movie actors were what Jeans are to fine clothes, just second choice. The real thing was Theater. So it did start in the Thirties when Cinema became fashionable. In the mean time the facility and vulgarity ( often ) offered by movies have swept over the classical stage. Like pop music over classical. These did happen in the late Fities, whose children we still are.
Movies actors are the " illegitimes " children of theater actors.
Look at the history in England or Germany or France, and of course, of America too, on this field.
I cannot comment expertly on acting in Europe, although I love the fact that an actor in England can do a television show, a movie, and a season in rep in one year, and there is apparently no caste system between "TV actors" and "the Stage". In America there is still a bit of the caste system between "TV actors" and "Movie actors" (and now between them and "People from Reality TV Shows"). Today, young actors usually learn their chops and pay their dues by doing theatre. But few return to the stage once they've started working in films. In another generation or two, who will be the illegitimate children of whom?
Who knows?Michel Simon I should not forget in the field of the very best. ( knows mainly in your country for his role in L ´Atalante from J.Vigo . a MUST to see if you have not )
L'Atalante!A great, great film! I saw it in a small college auditorium when a local film society brought the movie to town a few years ago. I love it very much...I wish I could see "Zero for Conduct"!
Why not?
Just go to Amazon...and buy it.
I wish I could, but I am a student now. Many lusts, few fulfillments...just like the first time I was in college! Only now my lusts are more for DVDs and CDs and vinyl...lots and lots of vinyl.My wife tells me, "Only a year and a half to go!"
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