Brando's influence

After reading and then watching the film, Gone with the Wind, I thought I would watch another of Vivien Leigh's films, and lo and behold, A Streetcar named Desire was on Foxtel. This is basically a story about a woman, Blanche DuBois, who moves to New Orleans to be with her sister while she tries to build a new life for herself after career and marriage downfalls. Her sister, Stella, is married to Stanley Kowalski, a brutish labourer who is suspicious of her straight away.

While Vivien Leigh clearly depicts Blanche's descent into madness, it is Marlon Brando, as Stanley, who steals the show. He is an AMAZING actor! I couldn't take my eyes off him, and not just because he is good looking and had a great bod back in 1951!

For the fifties, he was a very modern looking man, and he moved in such a way, that made him not seem to fit the era in which he lived. His hand movements were so natural, he was often eating while speaking, and he was just so intense! I kept thinking he reminded me of someone, and then I realised just how many men in modern cinema have been influenced by him in style, performance and appearance:

Billy Zane (he plays a great villain like Brando)

(Aidan Quinn: Same voice and eyes as Brando)

(Jonathon Rhys Myers: same eyes and screen presence as Brando)

Matthew McConaughey

(Michael Pare: the eyes, the hair, the t-shirt, the muscles.)

Can you see the resemblance?

Have you seen any of Brando's films?

What did you think of him?

I am amazed by his acting talent, and also, that he started out so handsome, but didn't age gracefully.

I'd only ever seen Brando in Don Juan De Marco (a movie I LOVE),
but after watching A Streetcar named Desire,
I now know why he is seen as
one of the most consummate actors ever.