Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1963)

Continued from page 37 Marlons refutation: “I’m anxious to tell you about my family because I want to blow sky-high the lies that have been told about them. Some people have spread it around that they were just a lot of nogoods. One columnist even said that the reason why I didn’t drink was because my father and mother were alcoholics. That’s a rotten thing to say. “Even if it were true, it would be a rotten thing to spread around. But it isn’t true, it’s just a lie. Mom and Dad were no more than social drinkers— a cocktail before dinner, probably as many as two before a party. And that’s all.” Legend No. 2: Marlon was born in poverty, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Marlons refutation: “Maybe that’s the usual romance they spin about an actor. Well. I’m sorry to kill the Cinderella legend, but the truth is that we Brandos were what you would call ‘pretty well off.’ We lived in a nice house with five bedrooms and we always had enough of everything.” Legend No. 3: Marlon was a rebel from the moment he learned to talk; his first word was undoubtedly “No.” Marlon s refutation: “From high school I went on to the Shattuck Military School in Minnesota. I hated it so much that I didn’t stay the full course. Maybe that’s where the legend was born of Marlon Brando being an out-and-out rebel.” Legend No. 4: Marlon was a bum; in fact for a while he’d actually been a hobo. Marlons refutation: “After Military School I dug ditches for two weeks. Perhaps the legend was born then . . . the one of ‘Marlon the Hobo.’ The truth is that the idea of strenuous open-air toil seemed attractive and grown-up, as it does to any sane and hearty youngster.” But Brando’s point-by-point demolishment of these myths served only to inspire the myth-makers to still more fantastic ones. Helplessly, he lapsed back into silence, breaking it only occasionally with such cries of protest as, “Now in New York, people are really interested in acting as acting. But not in Hollywood. All they want to know here is about my girl friends and how many suits I have. This thing about jeans. I’ve grown sick and tired of that fake ‘Bum in Blue Jeans’ legend.” Yet neither refutations, silences nor outbursts had any effect on the alleged liars; so Marlon, like a turtle avoiding attack, pulled his head completely into his shell and tried to ignore the press. Jessica Tandy, the actress, once brought one of Hollywood’s most famous women reporters to Marlon’s dressing room. Brando, not knowing or not caring that this woman prided herself on her youthful appearance, although her youth was far behind her, said to Jessica, “Ah, this must be your mother.” Much later, Marlon denied that he was being boorish or wilfully cruel. “I admit that I did make a mistake with that writer. Jessica Tandy brought her to my dressing room in New York while we were doing ‘Streetcar,’ and I blurted out — before they got close enough for me to see clearly — ‘Jess, your mother!’ I learned afterwards that the woman was very sensitive about her age, and she’s been angry about that ever since and thought I did it on purpose. But in the shadows, they did look alike.” Then Katherine Hepburn, who had admired him on Broadway, asked to meet him. When they were introduced on the West Coast, Marlon’s sensitive antennae, always feeling out for real or imagined hostility, thought they detected a patronizing attitude. “Who are you?” he blurted out. “And what do you do?” Brando always defended his compulsive, sometimes brutal honesty by asserting, “I am myself, and if I have to hit my head against a brick wall to remain true to myself— I will do it.” And in truth it must be said that Marlon spared himself least of all in puncturing sham and hypocrisy with knives of truth. When he agreed to leave the Broadway stage to star in Hollywood’s “The Men,” he admitted, “The only reason I’m here is because I don’t have the moral strength to turn down the money.” After he made the film version of “Streetcar” and played the lead in “Zapata,” he said to a friend, “I’ve been in three motion pictures. In the first I played a cripple, in the second I played a creep and in the third I played a kreplach. Every creep part that comes along, someone says: ‘This is just right for Brando.’ If I could crawl on all fours, they’d put my face on Lassie and write a part for me.” Although many critics praised him for his performance in “The Wild One,” Marlon stated, “The film was a failure. Instead of finding out why young people tend to bunch in groups that seek expression in violence, all we did was show the violence.” Even his Academy Award winning acting in “On the Waterfront” did not satisfy him. “I was disappointed in it,” he said. “But as for standing up celery-straight and walking out — I did not.” About “Desiree,” in which he portrayed Napoleon, he was equally outspoken. “Most of the time,” he confessed, “I just let the make-up play the part.” Seldom pleases himself His self-criticism of his acting in “Teahouse of the August Moon” was of the same pattern. “I’m not fully satisfied with my performance. I think the make-up helped considerably,” he said. After completing “The Fugitive Kind,” he was asked whether he’d ever be willing to act with Anna Magnani again. “Only with a rock in my fist,” he mumbled. He evaluated “One-Eyed Jacks,” in which he was both director and star, with the same uncompromising honesty. When asked about his opinion of the finished film, he countered with his own question: “Do you really think it matters?” On another occasion, he was more direct: “I’m not pleased with the interpretation Paramount imposed on the story after they took me off it. I was over-budget by $1,500,000. Until then it was my picture, but when I went over-budget they had control.” He gave “One-Eyed Jacks” the Brando kiss of death. “It’s a potboiler.” Yet how could this man who was quick Vote Today— A Gift Is Waiting For You! We’ll put your name on one of 400 prizes — and all you have to do is fill out and mail this ballot. This month, the prize — for the first 400 ballots we receive — is “First Lady,” by Charlotte Curtis, an exciting new Pyramid Book giving an up-to-theminute account of Jacqueline Kennedy’s life in the White House. Be sure to mail your ballot today to win this appealing book. Paste this ballot on a postcard and send it to Reader's Poll , Box 1374, Grand Central Station, New York 17, New York. MY FAVORITES ARE: MALE STAR: 1. 2. 3. FEMALE STAR: 1. 2. 3. FAVORITE STORY IN THIS ISSUE: 1. 2. 3. THE NEWCOMER I’D LIKE MOST TO READ ABOUT: THE FAMOUS PERSON, NOT IN SHOW BUSINESS, I’D LIKE TO READ ABOUT: J Name.... ■ f ; Address Age 5-63 68