Marlon Brando's voice, a digitized face (quite detailed and animated), and clips from interviews, his films, and behind the scenes footage (along with footage covering the horrible tragedies that befell his son and daughter) portray an intimate detailing of the actor and what existed within his tortured soul. The intellect, pain, and moral quandary detected/captured in those audio recordings provide this insight into who Marlon was. A private man not always willing to unveil the deepest feelings and offer explanations into his behavior on sets and reclusive nature away from Hollywood when not doing a movie, "Listen to Me Marlon" opens this enigmatic man to us. There's a certain kind of voyeurism I felt while watching this (and more importantly, listening to Marlon), as if some of what I hear wasn't ever meant for me. But to get behind the curtain and gain an understanding of this mythic figure (as used by the actor describing the fate/status of a popular actor) is fascinating and compelling.
It covers the actor during his rise from nothing, Stella Adler's acting studio which he was her brightest star (his words about her treatment of him quite a testament to how she nurtured him into quite a career which had its highs and lows), his difficult childhood and recollections of a harsh father and alcoholic mother (which had domestic violence), the shooting which led to imprisonment of his son, the suicide of his daughter, the enamored draw to Tahiti, the turbulence on the sets of Mutiny on the Bounty and Apocalpyse now (the criticism of how he was directed and how he felt as an actor crippled by the system which he rebelled), the equal parts terror and allure of stardom, the rebellious nature which resisted conformity (it is almost a sin for this man to star in films like "Guys & Dolls" and "Mutiny on the Bounty", studio projects his type of method actor you'd think would resist), the compulsion towards political stances and vocal representation of causes that often oppose his fellow white man (it is no surprise, I don't think, that Viva Zapata! is considered one of his very best films and performances), and the professional miscues which disgusted him ("Candy" and "Countess of Hong Kong" are examples of films he was certainly disappointed in; he considered "Candy" his worst film, but I would be more inclined to include "The Island of Dr. Moreau" in that conversation).
But this is indeed a documentary which tries to deduce some answers behind the complexities and mysteries which hid behind the veil. I was fascinated by Brando's interest in faces and how he mentions that he would just study folks when arriving in New York City. There's one particular scene where beautiful interviewers try to delve into Brando's acting methodology and instead he comments on their facial quirks and turns the questions on them, laying on a seductive charm that leaves them surprised and awkward. The doc does embellish his persona, can't help but admire his handsomeness, and gives this actor a platform to develop his cult stature even further. But the childhood pain ekes away plenty of the satisfaction and gratification that comes with success and what he could do so well. The irony of it all: from the pain came those performances. Without the childhood misery and torment came all those distinctive emotions that exploded on screen in A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront. His legacy, in some ways, is defined by his mistreatment as a child. The ultimate tragedy: he wanted it to be different for his children, but sadly their fates were seemingly destined for the dark road. Heavy emphasis on his own "self hypnosis" during the audio recordings, and his feelings on how the director in Last Tango in Paris culled from his a bit too much of what secretly was buried away not meant for public consumption should earn this doc some curious listeners. My only complaint: no emphasis at all on Reflections in a Golden Eye. Good use of The Godfather in how it ties to Brando himself
It covers the actor during his rise from nothing, Stella Adler's acting studio which he was her brightest star (his words about her treatment of him quite a testament to how she nurtured him into quite a career which had its highs and lows), his difficult childhood and recollections of a harsh father and alcoholic mother (which had domestic violence), the shooting which led to imprisonment of his son, the suicide of his daughter, the enamored draw to Tahiti, the turbulence on the sets of Mutiny on the Bounty and Apocalpyse now (the criticism of how he was directed and how he felt as an actor crippled by the system which he rebelled), the equal parts terror and allure of stardom, the rebellious nature which resisted conformity (it is almost a sin for this man to star in films like "Guys & Dolls" and "Mutiny on the Bounty", studio projects his type of method actor you'd think would resist), the compulsion towards political stances and vocal representation of causes that often oppose his fellow white man (it is no surprise, I don't think, that Viva Zapata! is considered one of his very best films and performances), and the professional miscues which disgusted him ("Candy" and "Countess of Hong Kong" are examples of films he was certainly disappointed in; he considered "Candy" his worst film, but I would be more inclined to include "The Island of Dr. Moreau" in that conversation).
But this is indeed a documentary which tries to deduce some answers behind the complexities and mysteries which hid behind the veil. I was fascinated by Brando's interest in faces and how he mentions that he would just study folks when arriving in New York City. There's one particular scene where beautiful interviewers try to delve into Brando's acting methodology and instead he comments on their facial quirks and turns the questions on them, laying on a seductive charm that leaves them surprised and awkward. The doc does embellish his persona, can't help but admire his handsomeness, and gives this actor a platform to develop his cult stature even further. But the childhood pain ekes away plenty of the satisfaction and gratification that comes with success and what he could do so well. The irony of it all: from the pain came those performances. Without the childhood misery and torment came all those distinctive emotions that exploded on screen in A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront. His legacy, in some ways, is defined by his mistreatment as a child. The ultimate tragedy: he wanted it to be different for his children, but sadly their fates were seemingly destined for the dark road. Heavy emphasis on his own "self hypnosis" during the audio recordings, and his feelings on how the director in Last Tango in Paris culled from his a bit too much of what secretly was buried away not meant for public consumption should earn this doc some curious listeners. My only complaint: no emphasis at all on Reflections in a Golden Eye. Good use of The Godfather in how it ties to Brando himself