It’s not an exaggeration to say that when Marlon Brando came along in the mid 1940s, he forever changed the nature of acting. A consummate professional in terms of his theatrical performances, Brando ushered in a new era for American film, one that emphasized naturalistic performances that blurred the line between scripted segments and improvised acting.
One of the most celebrated actors to ever grace the silver screen, Brando’s performances ranged from stereotypical teen heartthrobs to grizzled crime bosses with near-unintelligible accents. A trailblazer in terms of his method acting, Brando disappeared into each and every one of the roles he signed on to play, outfitting his characters with their own distinct quirks, habits, tics, and subtle idiosyncrasies.
From infamous Mafia leaders to jungle-dwelling U.S. Army colonels, here are some of Marlon Brando’s greatest cinematic performances, ranked from best to worst.
The Godfather
The film that Brando will forever be synonymous with, it’s still difficult to spot a trace of Brando anywhere in his rendition of veteran Mafioso, Vito Corleone. With his pugnacious, bulldog expression, jutting lower jaw, and oily speaking voice, he portrayed the character as someone larger-than-life, a figure who rose above the other criminal elements in his employ.
Leaving behind some mighty big shoes for Al Pacino’s Michael to fill, Brando lended a deal of legitimacy to his role as Vito, the symbolic face of The Godfather in spite of his single appearance in the series’ first film alone.
Apocalypse Now
Despite appearing in Apocalypse Now for the third and final act, Brando’s performance as the demented former U.S. Army colonel Kurtz continues to rank as one of the actor’s absolute best films. Unraveled by constant war and traumatized by the horrific sights he’s seen in Vietnam, Kurtz abandons his post in the U.S. military, giving in to his base instincts and becoming the god-like leader of the Montagnards deep in the countryside.
With over two hours spent discussing the character, Kurtz’s eventual debut on screen made for a fascinating (and terrifying) moment in Apocalypse Now, seizing on the expectations audiences had spent the entire film building in their head.
On the Waterfront
Following the success of his breakthrough performance in A Streetcar Named Desire, Brando once again collaborated with director Elia Kazan on the 1954 drama, On the Waterfront. Among the finest achievements in film at the time, On the Waterfront spelled out a dramatic shift in the industry, with Brando’s performance continuing to be singled out for praise to this day.
As the troubled longshoreman Terry Molloy, Brando portrays a character caught in a delicate and agonizing situation. A former boxer whose dreams of success are now behind him, he finds himself in the midst of a conflict between his brother’s shady business associates and his newfound girlfriend (Eva Marie Saint). Torn apart by regret, torment, and the anguish to do the right thing, Brando establishes Terry as a living, breathing figure of flesh and blood – someone who leaps across the screen with the liveliness and nuance of a classical stage character.
A Streetcar Named Desire
Transitioning from theatrical productions for a career in film, Brando achieved his first breakthrough success with his 1951 Southern Gothic drama, A Streetcar Named Desire. Based on Tennessee Williams’ award-winning play of the same name, Brando figures into the plot as Stanley Kowalski, the burly, thin-skinned husband of Kim Hunter’s Stella.
A natural antagonist to Stella’s sister – the aristocratic Blanche (Vivien Leigh) – Stanley spends a bulk of the film tormenting his sister-in-law, blasting her for her false air of grandiosity, her condescending attitude, and her frequent allusions of self-inflated grandeur. Perhaps the most detestable and unsympathetic of Brando’s many characters, it’s a performance that leaves you speechless with how raw and realistic it is.
Last Tango in Paris
Released to scathing controversy in late 1972, Last Tango in Paris saw Brando collaborate with the celebrated Italian director, Bernardo Bertolucci. As momentous a collaboration between Brando and Bertolucci as Brando’s later relationship with Francis Ford Coppola, Brando made for the perfect actor for Bertolucci to work with, the director and actor knowing the exact kind of performance required for a character as intricate as Last Tango in Paris’s Paul.
Devastated by the loss of his wife, the despondent hotel owner Paul spends much of his time grieving in the arms of the younger Parisian, Jeanne (Maria Schneider). Insisting on anonymity in their relationship, Paul strives to withdraw from his own personal trauma, hoping to escape heartbreak through a lewd but meaningful affair.
The Wild One
After making a name for himself as a talented actor with 1951’s A Streetcar Named Desire, numerous studios offered Brando his choice of meaty cinematic characters, including the lead role in 1953’s The Wild One. A rousing teen drama, The Wild One features Brando in one of his more stereotypical roles, inhabiting the leather jacket and tilted cap of Johnny Stabler, the leader of the rough-and-tumble motorcycle gang, the Black Rebels.
While the role of Johnny is cliche in nature – existing as the brash, anti-establishment rebel who fails to obey the societal norms or standards of his day – Brando rises above any preconceived archetypes in his portrayal of the character. An anguished teenager with a tragic past and cynical worldview, Johnny flees into America’s heartland with his club, hoping to outrun the pain and torment of settling down or living a normal, uneventful life. Only through his interactions with Kathie (Mary Murphy) does his inward gentleness and subdued emotion bleed through his rough exterior, making a character as layered as any one of Brando’s later roles.
Superman: The Movie
Perhaps one of Brando’s most recognizable performances came courtesy of Richard Donner’s 1978 superhero film, Superman: The Movie. Cast in the role of Kal-El’s (Christopher Reeve) father, Jor-El, Brando appears as the peace-loving scientist trying to save Krypton from imminent destruction. Unable to prevent his homeworld from being destroyed, Jor-El sends his infant son to Earth, where his physical characteristics will allow him to live out life as a superhuman being.
In many ways, Brando made for a fitting choice as Superman’s father, a character that called for a larger-than-life performer to fulfill the character’s place. Though putting only minimal effort into his performance, Brando still hit it out of the park in Superman, almost stealing the spotlight out from his on-screen son, Reeve, with what little screen-time he has in the film.
Julius Caesar
Having gotten his start as a stage actor, it shouldn’t be surprising Brando made a natural fit for films based off of theatrical productions, including the 1953 adaptation of William Shakespeare’s legendary tragedy, Julius Caesar. A grand historical epic, the film offers a faithful representation of the Bard’s work, with text taken straight from the original source material and retained for the screen.
Starring in the film as Mark Antony, Brando displays plenty of Antony’s characteristic indecision – a man caught between his loyalties to Rome and his personal love for Caesar (Louis Calhern). Saying one thing yet meaning another, Antony displays a deft understanding of politics, rousing the people to his side and exploiting their patriotism to expel James Mason’s Brutus from Rome. One of Brando’s earliest achievements as an actor, it also illustrates his unwavering ability to enliven age-old text, reciting it with the energy and enthusiasm necessary for the part.
One-Eyed Jacks
The first and only film ever directed by Marlon Brando, One-Eyed Jacks also starred Brando in one of his most significant forays into the Western genre. A cult favorite today, One-Eyed Jacks’ critical and commercial failure at the time of its release in 1961 prevented Brando from taking on any future films as a director, even if the finished film contains a fair number of brilliant elements.
Within the film, Brando appears on-screen as Rio, a charismatic outlaw seeking revenge against his former partner and best friend (Karl Malden) who left him for dead. In many ways, Rio shares similar traits to Brando’s earlier character, Johnny Stabler, in 1953’s The Wild One. A troubled young man torn between his desire for vengeance and his inner longing to settle down with the girl he’s infatuated with (Pina Pellicer), he alternates between rigid stoicism and more intimate sensitivity. It might not be Brando’s most recognized performance, but it’s every bit as good as his iconic role in The Wild One.
The Fugitive Kind
Having made his career bringing Tennessee Williams’ words to life with A Streetcar Named Desire, Brando returned for an adaptation of Williams’ work with 1960’s The Fugitive Kind. A film every bit as red-hot and smoldering as the duo’s previous work on Streetcar, The Fugitive Kind sees Brando embodying the same youthful angst he’d perfected in The Wild One.
Donning a crisp snakeskin jacket and with a flop of uncombed hair, Brando appears as the directionless drifter, Snakeskin. With his trusty guitar by his side, Snakeskin wanders from town to town throughout the American South, hoping to settle down and put his troubled ways behind him. Trying and failing to build a life for himself, Snakeskin attempts to avoid the cyclical violence that dominates the Southern landscape, escaping into his dream relationship with the kind-hearted confectionery specialist, Lady (Anna Magnani).
Viva Zapata!
We’ll admit it: it’s uncomfortable to look back and acknowledge that Brando played Emiliano Zapata, the famous Mexican revolutionary who led the people of Morelos in a political crusade against Porfirio Díaz’s corrupt government regime. As problematic as it is by today’s standards, the role nevertheless won Brando significant acclaim among audiences at the time, leading to Brando’s nomination for Best Actor at the 25th Academy Awards.
With a script written by John Steinbeck, director Elia Kazan crafts an immaculate, sensationalized portrait of the Mexican Revolution at its most violent period, detailing Zapata’s insurrection and relationship with Díaz, Pancho Villa, and his revolutionary brother, Eufemio (Anthony Quinn). A folkloric hero of Robin Hood proportions, Brando’s rendition of Zapata may not always be historically accurate, but it allows for a more dramatic interpretation of the celebrated Mexican freedom fighter.
Guys and Dolls
Within the span of 10 years, Brando went from a respected but little-known stage actor into a movie star of epic proportions, as evidenced from his starring role in 1955’s Guys and Dolls, which saw him appear alongside Frank Sinatra, Vivian Blaine, and Jean Simmons.
While Sinatra and Brando’s relationship off-screen may have been tenuous, the two managed to put aside their differences each time they shared a scene, lighting up the screen in this Broadway adaptation. A rare musical addition to Brando’s filmography, the future Godfather actor does an amicable job outshining the musical Sinatra, his deep, sultry voice an ideal match for such songs as “Luck Be a Lady” or “I’ll Know.”
Sayonara
When it had been released in 1957, Sayonara drew rave reviews from critics, going on to win four Academy Awards and earn several other Academy nominations. Though Sayonara may not have stood the test of time as the decades passed, it continues to be an excellent drama film that touches upon some real-world issues.
In the film, Brando plays Major “Ace” Gruver, a U.S. Air Force pilot who pines after a Japanese dancer (Miiko Taka) amidst the Korean War. Confronting his own prejudice against interracial marriage, Ace navigates a frayed relationship with his fiancée (Patricia Owens). Recognizing that love conquers all, Brando depicts Ace’s gradual shift from fiery bigotry to a more open-minded outlook on race, proving that even the most hard-hearted of cynics can change under the right circumstances.
The Missouri Breaks
The mid 1970s marked an interesting period in Brando’s career. Though his career had soared throughout the 1960s and early ‘70s, the decade also saw Brando’s reputation in American cinema decline, ushering in a range of movies of varying qualities. Some – like Superman or Apocalypse Now – went on to great fanfare among critics and theatergoers, while others – like The Missouri Breaks – earned mixed to negative reviews the moment it hit theaters.
Over the years, audiences’ reception of The Missouri Breaks has only grown more appreciative, but in 1976, the film left audiences perplexed and more than a little bewildered, thanks in large part to Brando’s energetic, unorthodox portrayal of the film’s main villain. Cast against type as the flamboyant, eccentric Irish-American bounty hunter, Robert E. Lee Clayton, Brando goes toe-to-toe with the desperate rustler, Tom Logan (Jack Nicholson). Cartoonish in his behavior and strange in his manner of dress, Brando does a splendid over-acting in his performance as Clayton, outfitting his character with numerous odd quirks, bizarre habits, and a strange speaking voice.
The Freshman
After the critical failures of 1980’s The Formula, Brando limited the number of appearances he made in subsequent films, venturing out from an on-again, off-again retirement whenever a film intrigued him enough to sign on. In 1990, he played the supporting lead with Matthew Broderick in the strange and hilarious comedy crime film, The Freshman.
Within the film, Brando plays the character of Carmine Sabatini, a New York gangster said to have provided the basis and inspiration for Mario Puzo’s eponymous character in The Godfather. In an almost satirical performance, Brando returns to his most famous role as a Vito Corleone surrogate, channeling his inner performance as the Don for humorous effect. The resulting film benefits from Brando’s willingness for self-mockery, the actor doing his best to provide a light-hearted caricature of Vito compared to the earlier, more dire character he’d portrayed two decades prior.
