i suppose that a lot of people you ask, they would say that marlon brando's defining role was in 'the godfather'. although a slightly more learned film-goer might be more apt to say 'a streetcar named desire' or 'on the waterfront'. but let's be honest. the man spoke like he was trying to juggle hot mushrooms on his tongue as he gave his lines. and that is why my vote for best marlon brando film, of all time, mind you, is the one in which, i feel, he spoke the most distinctly.
'guys and dolls'.
lord help me, i love that movie. sure sure, frank sinatra was funny, but brando was the coolest singing gambler of the EVER. those suits. those hats. the way he arched his eyebrow and sang out of one nostril. he was dangerous--yes, in a musical. if you're not aware that there can be true danger in a musical, you obviously have never seen 'thoroughly modern millie'--not that new broadway crap, but the original--with julie andrews, mary tyler moore, james fox, and carol channing. along with the singing and dancing, there's a healthy dose of white slavery and opium dens.
but anyway.
i was completely in love with skye masterson--i had no idea who marlon brando was at the time. that may be why, when i was woefully miscast as a nightclub dancer in our high school production, i sulkily mooned about over the sophomore who played skye. (let's not discuss the fact that i was to sulkily moon about over him for the next eight to ten years.)
alright, so 'luck be a lady' is kind of a stupid song. and dance. the whole scene should have been chucked. but 'i'll know'? please. as he ambled around the salvation army chapel throwing out Bible quotations. raised as a churchgoing girl, this obviously struck a chord. you can be dangerous AND Biblical.
the thing i never did figure out though....how did they get to havana and back before morning--"the only time you can hear footsteps on broadway..."?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment