LISTEN TO ME, MARLON
US, 2015, 103 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Stevan Riley.
As time passes, 20th century actor, Marlon Brando, and more and more of cinema history. Not that he wasn’t part of cinema history while it is a and being seen on screen.
Left a rather large heritage of audio tapes, a strong basis for this documentary. Also made remarks about digital lighting documentation on tape and the film uses the device of creating a kind of holographic image of his talking head.
The film offers a portrait of Brando over the decades as well as an outline of his career, especially in film.
There is some detail that his life in Nebraska, his alcoholic mother, his harsh father, his moving to New York City, his success on stage, his move into a film career, excerpt from his films in the first half of the 1950s, especially with his Oscar-winning performance in On the Waterfront. (It is an omission, whether edited for television release or not covered, the period from the mid-1950s, after Guys and Dolls, moving to The Mutiny on the Bounty – with no reference to such films as sayonara, Teahouse of the August Moon, The Young Lions and his directing and acting in One-Eyed? Jacks.
There is also his divorce, the birth of his son, his preoccupation with Tahiti the, his disdain for Mutiny on the Bounty. His marrying, the birth of his daughter. There is an emphasis on his social concern in the latter part of the 1960s.
However, there is a great deal on his comeback with The Godfather and his winning an Oscar, the impact of his making Last Tango in Paris.
While there is reference to his further career, Superman, his clashes with Coppola for Apocalypse now, The Formula, the main part of the film at this stage concerns the trial of his son and its effect on him, his testimony, the suicide of his daughter.
Brando’s life and career told off, a very large, but still left fine heritage of theatre, cinema performances – a most significant figure of 20th century cinema.
1. Audience response to Marlon Brando, esteem for him, questions about him?
2. Marlon Brando’s reputation, in his younger days, during his film career, latter years, court cases, career collapse, personal collapse?
3. The 20th century portrait, American, from the midwest, alcoholic parents, harsh father, studies, to New York, immediate success in the theatre, reputation, moving to films, his significant career roles, Oscar? The meeting with and Anna Kafshi, the relationship, stormy, their son? The importance of Tahiti, filming there, his relationships, his daughter? His becoming troublesome? Fewer film roles? His social concern, Native Americans? The comeback with The Godfather, Last Tango? The ups and downs of his personal life, relationships, the court cases and his son? The suicide of his daughter? The clashes with Coppola and Apocalypse Now? His gross appearance, manner, failing film roles?
4. The film with the range of photos from all periods of his life, appearances on the media, film clips?
5. The importance of the audio, the title, the images of the digital face and his comment on this? Being used throughout the film, reminders of the audiotapes and his living through them? The skill of the editing and the effect of Brando’s voice?
6. The portrait of his family, his mother and drinking, his severe father, the meeting after his winning his Oscar, his father’s comments?
7. Brando as a person, attractive to people, his relationships, casual, permissiveness? Children?
8. The background of his success, his look, stage career, his status in the 50s and comments on him? (The film and no treatment of his life and films from the mid 50s to 1960, including significant roles and directing One-Eyed? Jacks?)
9. The lack of roles in the 1960s, his personal life in Tahiti, his criticisms of Mutiny on the Bounty, of working with Charles Chaplin?
10. His social work, the audio interviews about this? His Oscar for The Godfather and the Indian coming to refuse the Oscar and voice his social concerns?
11. The sequences from The Godfather, his tests, performance, winning? The clash with Coppola and Apocalypse Now?
12. His son, the court case, his presence, speeches? The suicide of his daughter?
13. The final years, decline in film roles, decline in age, weight? A low-key and to his life and career?
