Marlon Brando Books

i got this book to help me in my acting classes. I started reading it and i had a highlighter whith which i was planning to underline all the important stuff. Well i ccould not stop highlighting; every single paragraph in this book is pure genius. I already started developing as an actress more efficiently and faster than i used to, i wish i met her before she died...

the only criticism...she is too abrupt. She is harsh with you. even if she does not kknow you personally, she stil attacks the young actor. this can be rude, but her directions are always right. If u are an actor, you NEED this book. Acting teachers should read it too. I had some horrible teachers in my life

This is one of the best books I read in 2006. It was recommended to me by a professional speaker who promised that the insights in the book were useful to not just professional actors, but rang true for any profession. He was right, this is a must read for business professionals, as well as the actors.

I read it with vigor and was thrilled to see the wisdom in each paragraph. I have recommended this book to friends who have thanked me for linking them up with this amazing publication.

If you are considering reading this book, just do it.

This book was recommended to me by my mentor and coach Bob Proctor (watch DVD "The Secret"!!!) as an inspiring read for living the life I want.
Receiving the book and spending an hour disappearing in it, leaning with my partner (it was her birthday gift) over the kitchen counter forgetting time while being totally absorbed by the Truth these pages contain.
A must have in every serious library!
Acting? Yeah, learn to ACT! Right action is what propels us forward in life. Why not learn from a pro?!!

Stella Adler was considered one of the best (perhaps the best) acting teachers of all time. This books give concrete ways to become a better actor and, I believe, at the same time become a more fully developed human being. It is an inspiring book full of wisdom and thought provoking ideas. Definitely worthwhile.

This is going to the top of the "books my kids must read" when they are going off to college or leaving home. This book is a supposedly a series of Stella Adler's lectures about acting, but it is also very inspirational as a series of lectures about how to live.

Addler says that "The whole thing about acting is to give. The actor must above everything be generous. He doesn't hoard his riches...But before you can be giving and magnanimous, you must have something to give. Ideas don't come from your legs. They don't come from your voice. They come from your mind. The theatre is built on developing your mind. It's an education for your mind."

She works on critical seeing, self-awareness, discipline, self-control - skills that are important to everyone, not just actors. She discusses the importance of developing your imagination, "Eventually your imaginative reach will extend to other things, until you can say, I know how it feels to be in mourning, how it feels to be isolated, what it means to be abandoned, what it's like to be engaged or to be married." She means this in the context of acting on stage, but for the non-actor, it translates into becoming truly empathetic, to being able to truly understand and communicate with others.

Every page is full of memorable comments:

"You must be aware that even a subject of profound importance can be trivialized and degraded if you haven't the energy and interest to match it."

"Sometimes, when a husband and a wife go on a trip together, he might say, "My God! Do you know what that is? Why that's Notre Dame!" and she replies, "Yes I know. I can see it." They are seeing in Notre Dame something entirely different. As actors you must make everything you see come alive."

"You will fail. That's great. Here's a secret for you - that's the only way you can learn. Learning has to cost you something."

And on and on and on! She must have been such a strong, amazing woman, so completely different from anyone in my own solidly suburban middle class life. It is profoundly uplifting to hear her voice through the pages of this book. I highly, highly recommend this book.

Wow. This book is stunningly great. Antonia Quirke's writing -- her voice, her control, her sheer prowess -- is blazingly magnificent. This book is a treasure, a discovery, a triumph of publishing. Pick up the book, read the first paragraph, and get carried away.

I had read Antonia Quirke's book on JAWS that she wrote for the uneven BFI series on notable films, but I must re-read it now that I know so much more about its author, sort of a real life Bridget Jones who proves that sometimes, you can get too much into the movies and they prevent you from having satisfying experiences in your real life romantic life. What guy in real life can compare to the rush of sexuality young Antonia got while watching STREETCAR on TV as a young girl? And that's just the beginning of an amazing read, in which she lays bare the dynamism of literally hundreds of male screen idols, while a few dozen earthly Englishmen fail to capture her attention for more than a few dates apiece.

Her book is very funny in parts, and in other parts she seems to recoil from the path she's leading, so the clash of the two genres, comedy and a tragic self-destruction, produces sparks but also gives the book a rueful texture. Makes you feel complicit even for reading it. Now and then one just wants her to find the right bloke, but most of the time one longs for her to meet another loser in life while drooling over another he-man in the cinema. She makes you appreciate the erotic perfection of even unlikely idols, such as Kevin Costner. She knows he's dopey, dull, superpatriotic, and probably conservative, but he's got something going on and she details it all. Remember Madonna pretending to gag after Costner told her that her show was "neat"? Hark Antonia Quirke: "That hollow cacophonous bird made of beaten tin painted gold (and failed actress) who sticks a finger down her throat after meeeting Costner [is] blind to the non-synthetic idiosyncrasies that unspun blandness might contain." He has a "beautiful veim of sadness running through everything he does, like when the light begins to strain at the end of a summer's day." You think David Thomson has it bad for Nicole Kidman? Wait till you hear Quirke on Depardieu!! Or Keanu Reeves, the male Marilyn Monroe: "Like Marilyn, Keanu introduces an electric tension into everything he does because of the combination of uncontrollable charisma and technical incompetence."

Most controversial will be her discussion on 228-9 of which star has, like her boyfriend Jonathan, the "perfect arse." She names James Dean, Dennis Quaid, Richard Gere, Gael Garcia Bernal--the usual suspects, reaching out to Terence Stamp in (POOR COW) and David Hemmings--she's as patriotic as Kevin Costner. She dismisses Clint Eastwood and Sam Shepard. But stop the presses, why is Dustin Hoffman on the list of "great arses"? The thought of it makes my gorge rise. And Jim Carrey? Yeah, his is great--for talking through! She names the four compass points that the perfect arse must balance itself among-- "a Gene Kelly gluteal muscle and a Keith Richards scrawn, a slovenly acre of sexless John Wayne flesh and a priapic preening Antonio Banderas baboon backside." I'm squinting but in the center of all those I am utterly failing to locate Dustin Hoffman!

What is most striking about this book is its lack of sentimentality and incisive, sharp language. There has, indeed, been much written about Tennessee Williams, perhaps too much; the endless nonsense of his being a self-hating homosexual, the lurid tales of his promiscuity, the alleged Oedipal complexes, the temper tantrums and paranoia, and other such twaddle have all obfuscated many essential things about the genius who was Tennessee Williams. This excellent book stands out because it reminds us of Mr. Williams' power -as a person and a playwright- and at the same time it is not sycophantic nor is it cleverly bitchy. Smith, the author, meets Williams rather by accident and the unlikely friendship blossoms. I found the writing to be rather enthralling, evocative, and extremely well-crafted, which allows it to stand apart from many of the other (lesser) books on Williams. It is a memoir and does not purport to be anything but that, which allows the reader a keen insight into the life and work and humanity of the great Tennessee Williams. Because it is told from Smith's eyes the recounting of these stories is deeply personal and often effervescent with images and ideas; a far cry from the mawkish, self-consumed memoirs that pass as literature these days. I also liked the fact that Smith names some names and makes clear the case that the critics, PR people, and the various 'powers that be' in the theater and film worlds (i.e. agents, lawyers, producers) all played their part in Williams' miserable and protracted demise as much as the alcohol and pills did. And while Smith does not exculpate Williams from his vices he carefully explains why, he in fact, had them, and elucidates the nefarious forces constantly in conflict with the artist and his creative process.

Make no mistake this is Mr. Smith's story of his friendship with Tennessee, and thank goodness for its uniqueness, honesty, and edge. I think to truly appreciate this book one has to be familiar with serious writing (Eliot, Shaw) and not the Pop pap that sadly passes for publishable literature today. COSTLY PERFORMANCES and its author are both class acts and any writer or artist or person with a soul or fan of Tennessee Williams will love this book.


PS
The comment about grammatical errors is totally wrong and unfounded. And the Braun woman; who is she? "The author needed distance"? If she works in a library, how does she not know what a memoir is, and what the first person POV narrative offers the reader? These types of hit jobs are precisely the type of aforementioned `nefarious forces' to which I referred.

I am a young actor living in London where the plays of Tennesssee Williams are experiencing a great deal of interest within the entire theatre community: schools and universities; theatre companies; theatre media. All fans of his work are turning to background material on Williams and one of the most discussed -- and admired -- is Costly Performances/Tennessee Williams: The Last Stage by Bruce Smith. Mr Smith has, since writing this memoir, become actively involved in London's theatre world, saying he learned "at the master's hand" many enduring and valuable lessons re dramaturgy, play production and, more importantly, playwriting. His play 'Papal Gore' is scheduled for a West End staging. As well, his book about Mr. Williams is now being made into a major motion picture here in England. Real theatre people understand the sensitivity Mr. Smith brought to his portrayal of Mr Williams in his last, very difficult years and value it as a real contribution to 20th Century theatre history. It is highly literate but -- above all -- a very good read. This book, with Lyle Leverich's
The Unknown Tennessee Williams and the gossipy The Kindness of Strangers by Donald Spoto provide an indepth look at the author's life and times.

I thought the book, "Marlon Brando: A Portrait," by Paul Ryan was well written and really very interesting. Although there was high praise for Marlon Brando throughout the book, there was also criticism. I found most of the criticisms of Mr. Brando to be undue and unfounded.

The photograph of Marlon Brando on page 187 of the book is one I had never seen before. It is also one that instantly brought me to tears. It is the photograph of a good and sensitive man in his darkest, most desperate hour. Anguish is written all over his face. There were those who said Marlon was "just acting" as he sat on the witness stand at his son's trial, but I strongly disagree.

Marlon was a father who loved his children with the whole of his heart and protected them in all of the ways a loving father protects his children. When he learned that his son would have to spend time in prison, he went to great lengths to try to ensure his son's well being in every way possible and he stood by his son through thick and thin, just as a father who loves his child would. At the same time, he was dealing with a suicidal daughter, one who ultimately came to take her own life despite Marlon's efforts to help her and to protect her from herself. It is unbelievable to me that Marlon would be accused of "acting" in this situation as if, just because he was an actor, he did not have real feelings, especially for his children.

Regarding Kenneth Anger's comments included in this book, I find them to be heartless and inhumane. What drives a person to such cruelty toward a fellow human being who is so clearly anguishing? I hope Mr. Anger had opportunity to rethink his comments and that he did so.

I believe that Marlon was the best among all actors because he was such a deep-feeling, deep-thinking, sensitive person inside. I think that anyone who can criticize him in the ways he has been criticized could not possibly have seen beyond their own noses when it came to looking at him for the person he was.

I was glad to see that the author of this book, Paul Ryan, included aspects of Marlon Brando's life on and off of the stage/screen and that the book was a well balanced piece of work. I disagreed with the author (and with Marlon) that Marlon could not do comedy, though. He cracked me up in "A Countess From Hong Kong," "Bedtime Story," and in "Guys and Dolls" when he ordered "Dulce Du Leche" with the "preservative" called "Bacardi" for Sister Sarah who became unwittingly intoxicated. I also had some good laughs watching Marlon in "The Freshman" and in "Free Money" as well as in some of the scenes in "Mutiny on the Bounty," including the scene in which Marlon Brando's character, Fletcher Christian, is told by Trevor Howard's character, Captain Bligh, to "make love to that damn daughter of his," referring to King Hiti Hiti's daughter, and Fletcher, who would love to "make love to that damn daughter" of King Hiti Hiti asks sarcastically and with a raised eyebrow, "Is that an order?" and then asks if it might be entered into the log.... :)

There was also a comment about Marlon being "miscast" in a couple of pictures. I do not think he was ever "miscast" in anything because he could do anything. He even sang in "Guys and Dolls," and, even though he said they pieced it together for him, I loved the tone of his voice and the attitude and tenderness he displayed with his singing words that might have been spoken had this not been a musical. I thought his performance outshone all others in the film, including that of Frank Sinatra. I liked the sweetness of Marlon's voice and the sincerity with which he sang so very much. As for him being "miscast" in "Mutiny on the Bounty" or any criticism that he was playing Fletcher Christian as a "dandified fop" and that this was a mistake, I think that is utterly crazy. Marlon MADE this film what it was and "Mutiny on the Bounty" is one of the best films ever made. Marlon's interpretation of Fletcher Christian was perfect and he acted the role to perfection just as he acted the roles of Stanley Kowalski in "A Streetcar Named Desire," Colonel Kurtz in "Apocalypse Now," Mark Antony in "Julius Caesar," Sir William Walker in "Burn," Paul in "Last Tango In Paris," Don Vito Corleone in "The Godfather," Terry Malloy in "On The Waterfront," Ian McKenzie in "A Dry, White Season," Quint in "The Nightcomers," Matt in "The Appaloosa," Weldon in "Reflections In A Golden Eye," Val Xavier in "The Fugitive Kind," Christian Diestl in "The Young Lions," Rio in "One-Eyed Jacks," and so many others. His interpretations of his characters were always fresh and he improvised details and actions that always added depth and interest to whatever role he was playing. He was reportedly fluent in French and appeared so in his roles as Bud in "Night of the Following Day" and as Paul in "Last Tango In Paris." He mastered the British accent in films such as "Burn" and "Mutiny On The Bounty" and an Irish accent in "The Nightcomers" as well as a German accent in "The Young Lions" and "Morituri," a southern accent in "Sayonara" and I think it was also a southern accent in "Reflections In A Golden Eye," a perfect Mexican accent in "The Appaloosa," and spoke Spanish in parts of "One-Eyed Jacks" with a perfect accent and intonation. I am in amazement of a person who demonstrated such talent and who cared so much about his art (and I do think acting in the manner in which Marlon Brando acted was an artform, even though he seemed not to think so...I do not think there are many who make acting an artform, but I think Marlon surely did) that he worked to perfect accents and actions, emotion, intonation and everything that matters in making each role an intriguing, interesting, fresh, unique, and exciting work of art.

I was also impressed with Marlon's talent as a director in his directing of "One-Eyed Jacks." What a fantastic film "One-Eyed Jacks" turned out to be. Monterey is one of my favorite places on earth. I live about 2 hours away. I go there when I can. I fell in love with the scenery and the detail Marlon included such as the ocean at high tide and the dust blowing up as he lay looking over it from a hill - the scenes, the sounds, the photography, the acting, the timing, and the perspectives from which scenes were shot. The beauty of the film is in the details - details Marlon always found and made optimal use of. I read that Marlon was a patient and perfectionist director which I am certain lent itself to the exceptional quality evident througout "One-Eyed Jacks" as well as the beautiful acting relationships and the story's unfettered flow.

I would like to comment about statements that there were some who, at times, became frustrated with Marlon in rehearsals. They said he "mumbled" or would not give his all. This is just a thought: I wonder if Marlon did not want to make the mistake of giving his all in a rehearsal and, instead, saved his emotional energy for the take. Even with "Julius Caesar," Marlon reportedly sent a tape recording of the "Let slip the dogs of war" scene to producers or to someone in charge of the film and those in charge were happily astounded and amazed at Marlon's recording, but then, it was said that Marlon "mumbled" in rehearsing the same scene in their presence. However, when the scene was put on film, everything about it sent chills through me - from Shakespeare's words to Marlon's giving life to those words with a voice and a portrayal that came from I don't know where - someplace deep within him. His actions in the scene to the expression on his face and the undeniable depth of soul in his eyes were chilling. As I once heard someone say, "Marlon acted all others in the film off of the screen." My point is that I believe that Marlon not giving his all in rehearsals could be because he saved the best for the actual take. Maybe the reason that some actors are already spent by the time they get to filming is because they have already acted their scene over and over so many times that they are drained and then the emotion is no longer there. Marlon quite obviously knew what he was doing. This is most assuredly reflected in his exemplary work in each and every film he made.

I would also like to comment about Louella Parsons who is mentioned in the book and who seemed critical of Marlon Brando - maybe because he would not give her the time of day (and, rightfully so, if that be the case). First of all, who is she? Who are these people who sit back in their chairs in offices with their feet up on their desk, criticizing the performances of others - performances they, themselves, lack the talent to put forth? It reminds me of a scale of justice. One side of the scale is weighted heavily because you have a brilliant actor who works tirelessly and invests his entire self into creating a piece of art. It is difficult, time-consuming, emotional, tedious, and draining at times, but he is creating a complex and beautiful gift for those who appreciate his talent and his willingness to share his unique gift. And, we get tremendous pleasure from it. The "weight" on the other side of the scale really makes no perceptible change in the scale's balance at all because there you have someone who gets paid to give her "opinion," an opinion she probably spent less than 5 minutes thinking up and one which also has no basis in fact or truth. It is just the fanciful whim of a person who believes her opinion is above the opinions of all others and one whose own opinion may be tainted and biased by personal feelings of rejection by the artist she is being paid to critique. Her opinion is like a grain of sand on a vast ocean beach, in my..........uh...................opinion.

I have to say that I so appreciated the inclusions of Marlon's humanitarian efforts toward alleviating human suffering and starvation (as a child, I trick-or-treated for Unicef, myself) as well as shedding light here in the U.S. on the struggles of the American Indian and efforts toward Civil Rights. I was happy to see that there were also inclusions about what a good and generous friend he was to Monty Clift and to others in their most desperate hours in life. He cared and it showed.

I was very pleased with the last pages of "Marlon Brando: A Portrait." Paul Ryan's commentary on these pages is insightful, poignant, heartfelt, and true. I would like to quote this entire part of the book because it was so moving to me, but I will leave that to others to read and judge for themselves.

Nellie Bly has done a superb job in documenting the incredible life of excess of one of the greatest actors ever. Brando is presented objectively throughout the book and the movie information, Dag Drollet murder case, sexual/marital escapades, battles with obesity, make for a hugely (pardon the pun) entertaining read. Alot of the content will shock the reader, but like most Hollywood icons, what we see on the screen is totally different than what they really are. 5 stars well deserved.

What an incredible book...I am not usually in the habit of buying books, but I couldn't resist when I saw the cover!! I am a huge Marlon Brando fan...an understatement to say the least. I have been hooked since I first watched "A Streetcar Named Desire." I don't think that there has been a more beautiful actor (and that even includes Paul Newman!) I have managed to get my hands on every Brando movie possible!! He had more than just a beautiful face though; there was a presence about him that was just mesmorizing! I get very upset when people speak of Brando's wasted talent, or what a sad joke his life has become..........we will always have his films and portraits to cherish! As it was stated in his biography, the world definitely "heard" from Marlon Brando!

25th Anniversary issue: Candy Loving centerfold, exceptional features. While there were many copies sold and many in circulation, the magazine is huge and increasingly difficult to find in mint or near mint condition. All said, this is an absolute essential issue for collectors as it contains the monster foldout of all the covers and centerfolds from the first 25 years, plus a very usable centerfold list.

Full disclosure: I'm a pal of one of the authors, but think, nonetheless, that you can benefit from my assessment of the book: it is a wonderful book, full of page-turning, Hollywood anecdotes. If you want something enyoyable and readable, and are a movie buff, this is the book for you.

This is terrific book!

What an interesting fellow Marlon Brando was!

The only thing about this book that I wish was different is that it's one of those celebrity autobiographies that is written "with" someone.
In this case, the cover of the book indicates the title and then below it: "With Robert Lindsey."

It's not that Lindsey isn't a good writer; he's a very good writer. It's just that it would be great to read a book actually written by Brando himself, that is to say, without anyone assisting him. It's always hard to know how much the "with-author" contributes to an autobiography. Was Lindsey's contribution minimal or significant? Did he work from a written-out narrative Brando gave him; or perhaps only an outline? Or did Lindsey work with no words but rather tapes of conversation with Brando?

Lest anyone think that Brando wasn't a good writer, the book quotes various letters Brando wrote during his life, many of them to one or both of his parents. In these letters, we see that Brando is, if not a professionally polished writer, certainly an extremely interesting, quick-witter, engaging writer. Enough so that he could have carried the writing of this book on his own.

Another clue as to Brando's "way with words" can be seen in a 1991 book called "Conversations With Brando." This is a series of interviews Brando did with Playboy interviewer Lawrence Grobel back in the late 1970s, early 1980s. What we see, *in Brando's own words,* is, again, a very witty, vert insightful, very erudite communicator.

Lindsey, however, as talented a writer as he is, can't reproduce Brando's communicative energy. It would be inappropriate if he even tried: such energy being unique to the person who possesses it.

It would therefore behoove any reader seriously interested, or even casually interested, in this fascinating individual, Marlon Brando, to read "Songs My Mother Taught Me" in conjunction with the aforementioned "Conversations With Brando."

What a life! What a talent! What a view of the world! I would have enjoyed writing to Brando, telling him how valuable his work has been to all of us.

For an interesting and insightful obituary of Marlon Brando, see http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jul2004/bran-j03.shtml

The obituary begins with these words: "Perhaps the greatest American actor of his generation ..." and ends as follows: "He will be remembered as a charismatic performer, an independent and uncompromising figure and a genuine rebel."

Hopefully, our collective future will keep Marlon Brando's joy for living alive & well and as uncompromising as ever.

This book is an opportunity to "hear" Brando, in his own words, on his life and loves, his relationships with his siblings and parents. It sweeps away some of the mystery that surrounded him because he was portrayed by the media as reclusive and difficult. And perhaps he was BUT the book shows gentle humor and deep and abiding friendships as well as strong opinions that sometimes left jaws dropping. However, not may people are willing to put their reputation on the line for something they believe in. Brando was more than willing to be controversial to make a point.

I am a die hard Marlon Brando fan. So I had to get this book. Oh, it is an incredible autobiography. Mr. Brando shares his life story with his fans. I enjoyed hearing his opinions on everything. And he shares his wonderful views on everything. But, out of respect for his children and ex-wives he doesn't mention them. I respect him even more for that. If you love Marlon Brando you should most definitely get his autobiography.

Marlon Brando's memoir reads like a breezy conversation thanks to the assistant (if not outright ghostwriter) Robert Lindsay, who was able to compile this material after who knows how much dribble. Brando was undeniably one of the greats, a brilliant craftsman and innovator on the stage and screen. After his cult of personality had been established with `Streetcar,' `On the Waterfront,' and `The Wild One,' Brando drifted to smaller projects, which Hollywood was quick to dismiss. However, during this time Brando performed in Burn! by Pontecervo, which he cites as his greatest performance. I would argue `Last Tango in Paris,' wherein Bertolucci really let Brando's improvisational talent flourish. This memoir is undeniably fluff; he even admits he agreed to do it for the money alone, but it's entertaining fluff. You get to learn about his peculiar politics which include: a visceral support for Zionism, support for the civil rights movement, opposition to the war in Vietnam, and extreme activism to support Native Americans. Brando was a devoted and complex individual. He admits that he enjoyed having affairs, that he often took projects for money, that he was often depressed, lonely, and hot-tempered. What also emerges here is a portrait of an artist trying to gain independence in an inauthentic industry; perhaps he was one of the few who refused to let it ever beat him.

Marlon Brando was the greatest and most versatile actor ever to grace the stage or screen, but he was also a great human being whose heaviness of heart over the suffering of others in the world drove him to do what he could to alleviate that suffering and to shed light on inhumanity and social injustice.

In reading "Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me" by Marlon Brando (with Robert Lindsey), my emotions ran the gamut. I laughed. I cried. I longed for Marlon's presence among us once again. I felt some anger that this person - this wonderful man who gave us so much - this man who stood by the convictions of his heart to help others and who changed the lives of many for the better was scorned and criticized for his activities on behalf of those living in misery and despairing among us in the world. People called him "radical" and otherwise labeled him. And, he felt their contempt and was affected by it. How unfair it was. While so many people merely paid lip service to such causes, Marlon actually did something to bring about positive change and peoples' lives were changed positively as a direct result of this. So, if this was "radical," then I would wish to be so honorably labeled, myself.

Marlon's seemed a painful and lonely childhood filled with abandonment, insecurity, and heartache. He was a prankster - a fact that reminds me of something I learned years ago when I was in nursing school about children whose needs are not met in life - that they are the "clowns" or pranksters in a group, laughing on the outside, but crying on the inside. Marlon said he had difficulty trusting women until very late in his life and that this was the reason he had multiple relationships simultaneously. If one woman left or rejected him, the pain would be more bearable, knowing there were still others. He would not have to feel so alone and abandoned and rejected as he had at times during his childhood like when his nanny left him and when his mother whom he loved so much was not emotionally available to him due to her dependence on alcohol.

As for Marlon's relationship with the public, it is apparent that society held Marlon Brando to its own unattainable expectations. This is a shameful societal legacy. No person on earth remains who they were at twenty years old when they are fifty or seventy or eighty. People praised Marlon when he was meeting their personal expectations of him. But, then, when he did what was natural by growing older (and wiser, more seasoned, and more socially responsible) and some people felt he was no longer meeting their personal expectations, they became contemptuous or indifferent toward and about him. Marlon discussed this with Lawrence Grobel in Grobel's book, "Conversations With Brando." Marlon talked about how he was received when he had a new hit film out compared to when he did not. He said something to the effect that he could "see it in the eyes of the airline hostesses" and other people how, when he had a new hit film out, he received a "full thirty-two teeth" greeting and that when he did not have a new hit film out, they would talk to him like he was a has-been. This is so ridiculous to me. It seems the memories of some are as short as the last breath they took - either that or perhaps they have not actually reviewed the incomparable and timeless work of Marlon Brando. Moreover, he worked up until the end of his life and still played his roles to an exemplary standard.

Having said that, there is definitely no shortage of love, respect, and admiration for Marlon Brando in the world of movies and among other artists, among his fans, and among those whose lives he helped bring improvement to over the years through his activism, his kindness, and his friendship. This is not to mention the love for him expressed by his children in interviews since his passing.

There was no better actor that ever lived and no film better than those Marlon made - and there were so many: "On The Waterfront" and "The Godfather" both bringing Marlon Brando Academy Awards, "One-Eyed Jacks," a masterpiece in which Marlon acted and which he directed, "Mutiny On The Bounty," among the best films of all time, in my opinion; "Last Tango In Paris" in which Marlon allowed us into his private pain and thoughts and which contained a gutwrenching monologue by Marlon over the body of his character's dead wife; "Apocalypse Now," a film in which Marlon performs a beautiful recitation of T.S. Eliot's, "The Hollow Men," and in which he plays a role that is truly heart-stopping; "A Streetcar Named Desire," in the role of Stanley Kowalski which he acted in such a way that there would be no other that came after him that could come close to matching his performance; "Burn," a film whose subject became somewhat a reality on the set, causing Marlon to take a stand, "The Young Lions" a dramatic and moving film and one of my favorites, "Julius Caesar" in which Marlon proved himself a consummate Shakespearean actor; "The Men," "The Fugitive Kind," "The Wild One," "The Appaloosa," and, so many others.

People seemed obsessed with Marlon's weight in his later years. I remember seeing him in "The Freshman" and thinking how good it would feel to be hugged by him then. I also remember thinking that he was such a handsome man with the same beautiful eyes, smile, and sense of humor. He was still Marlon - a sexy, beautiful, inspiring, sensitive man with a wonderfully expressive face and a brilliant mind - a beautiful soul - and among the most interesting people in the world, in my opinion. I would have loved to know him and to have spent time with him - listening to his ideas and theories about life and working with him on projects. I always thought his ideas and projects were inventive, creative, and often workable. One of the things that I was absolutely amazed to hear in a documentary about Marlon was someone talking about Marlon's idea to use the very cold sea water hundreds of feet below sea level and pumping it up to cool buildings above sea level. The person being interviewed said that this idea was actually put into use to air condition hotels in tropical places - and with an approximate energy savings of two-thirds. It amazes me every time I think about it.

Regarding "Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me," Marlon chose not to write about his children. I respect that. I think it would have been fine if he had written about his children, but I think that his love and his protective nature when it came to his children precluded his succumbing to any public pressure to subject his children to such scrutiny and exposure. It was obvious to anyone who knew anything about Marlon as a father that he stood by his children, anguished deeply over them, and made all of the sacrifices that a father whose children mean everything to him would make whenever his children were in crisis. In a documentary I once saw, Marlon's children spoke of him. Their love for their father was obvious and his love for them was obvious in their words as they spoke about the kind of father he was. Marlon, who had endured a difficult relationship with his own father obviously wanted to be a different kind of father to his own children - a gentler, more emotionally connected, and loving father - also a father with a great sense of humor and a playfulness about him.

Marlon writes about his father, his mother, and his sisters in this book. And, this book's title is so fitting when one reads how, despite his mother's struggles with her alcoholism, she still gave him so much, including his love of nature and his love of music and theatre. Marlon loved his mother beyond her problems and he took care of her as best he could, even during his younger years when he should have been the one being taken care of. He loved deeply and he grieved deeply and this was evident when he lost his mother, a woman he said "taught me how to die." Marlon also speaks lovingly of his sisters who seemed to have somehow given him a little of the approval, acceptance, and reassurances about himself that he was not receiving elsewhere in his childhood. In particular, in this book, he includes an inscription on the back of a photograph of him written by one of his sisters that said, "Bud - and is he a grand boy! Sweet and funny, idealistic and oh, so young." As for Marlon's relationship with his father, it seemed Marlon spent much of his life seeking his father's approval because his father was always so disapproving and critical of him. I was so pleased to realize through Marlon's words that he had come to terms with regard to he and his father's relationship and that there seemed to be some healing, forgiveness, and understanding on Marlon's part, not only of his father, but also of himself, in the latter part of his life.

Mere words are inadequate to express the way I feel about Marlon Brando. I love him. I miss him. My heart was broken when I learned of his passing and I still feel it now. If, but for the certainty I feel that Marlon is now in a place of complete peace and wholeness, I would wish for his presence back here among us again.

As for "Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me," I highly recommend this book. It is a book I literally could not put down once I started reading it. It is a very well written and poignant story of the life of a beautiful person who left his mark on the art of acting and on the world in so many ways.

The interview that this book is based on was conducted before Brando filmed "Superman" but I can't imagine that Brando has changed much since. Grobel shows his skills as an interviewer by originally agreeing to only talk about the Native American cause with Brando but eventually teasing out anecdotes about acting, sex, stalkers, Brando's upbringing and much more. Grobel does not try to outsmart Brando, even while he is trying to sneak in forbidden acting/movie questions. He faces his subject head-on and when Brando chooses to speak about his hated profession, he is extremely entertaining. He shows Brando as a very complicated man who is hard to dislike - even if you don't agree with his politics, you come away from the book thinking that Brando is a charming, intelligent, thoughtful and super-talented individual who deserves all the praise for his acting skills. This interview could be considered his greatest performance - it comes from the same honesty that he invested his early screen and stage characters with.

I could not put the book, "Conversations With Brando," down once I began reading it. As a Marlon Brando devotee, I was so very pleased to open the book and find that the largest part of the book is composed of Marlon Brando's own words. I could have listened to this man talk all day long, every day of every week. And, in this book, he is at his incredible best -interesting, intelligent, witty, sensitive, idealistic, real, wise, inspirational, poignant, reflective, philosophical, poetic; humanitarian. I love his eccentric ways and I respect his principles of character - standing up for the causes of the voiceless in the world. I appreciate that he bowed to no one when the convictions of his heart and his conscience were at stake.

Most of all, when Marlon's children were in trouble, he made the kinds of sacrifices and suffered in ways that only a father whose children are his whole heart would have done.

What a beautiful man Marlon was and what an exemplary, praiseworthy piece of work Lawrence Grobel has done with "Conversations With Brando."

This expanded on the PLAYBOY interview it's adapted from. Brando is a good storyteller, and tells some good stories in here. Grobel does preface the interview with phone call transcripts of him talking to Brando, and his secretary. And I know someone close to Brando, and some in the Brando camp felt some annoyance that Grobel taped the phone conversations without saying they were being taped. A bit presumptuous. But an interesting interview nonetheless.