He Was A Contender

Once again, this intrepid moviegoer looks for a decent film to see and winds up watching a documentary.  This genre is fast becoming perhaps the only viably interesting alternative at your local cinema.

And even better.   This is a documentary about a movie actor.  How convenient. And ultimately fascinating.  If you thought you knew all about Marlon Brando, guess again.   Director Stevan Riley has given us a compelling look at this enigmatic film star that is impossible to turn away from.

More importantly, the whole biography is told through the words of Marlon Brando himself.

Over the years, Brando apparently committed everything to tape.   Reel to reel and cassettes.   Phone messages from all those old answering machines.   As a result, there is an audio and video history of this guy that pretty much tells the whole story of his life.  Admittedly, he was known as a mumbler.  Boy, that sure is validated here.   You have to strain to understand what Marlon is saying.   But, once you do, it is riveting.

"Listen To Me Marlon" gives you a linear view of Brando's life.  From his less-than-ideal father to his work with Stella Adler to his earthshaking performance in "A Streetcar Named Desire."   Then from "On The Waterfront" to "The Godfather" to some Indian on stage at the Oscars refusing his Best Actor award.   It's all here.

Admittedly, he was a bit of a nut.  Loads of deeply-entrenched demons.  The older he got, the stranger he became.  And, did he have a thing for the ladies?   Vintage interviews with several female journalists are fascinating.   They're trying to do a feature story on him.   He is turning around virtually every question in an effort to get them into bed.  Amazingly candid stuff that is worth the price of admission and a box of Buncha Crunch.

I was a little bummed that they didn't include one of my favorite Brando roles in "The Freshman" where he essentially did a parody of his own serious portrayal of Don Corleone.   But that's a personal quibble that shouldn't detract from the overall delivery of this fine documentary.

Warning: there are some creepy digital busts of Brando's head that pop up from time to time.  They're a bit annoying and it's a story telling device that wears thin after a while.   But, even that shouldn't stop you from seeing "Listen To Me Marlon."

LEN'S RATING:  Three-and-a-half stars.

Dinner last night:  Leftover grilled bratwurst and German potato salad.