Marlon Brando found many rabbit holes...

Marlon Brando was, end of story, the finest actor in film history. And yet, his life and career were a series of rabbit holes.

Marlon was born in Omaha Nebraska in 1924. His mum smoked, wore trousers and drove cars. She was also an alcoholic. Marlon, in later life said of her "The anguish that her drinking produced was that she preferred getting drunk to caring for us."

First rabbit hole for Marlon. Down this rabbit hole Marlon found a sensitivity to the failings of others and expressed it. He was expelled from Libertyville High School after riding a motorcycle through the corridors.

Acting was fun for Marlon but he was far from the lazy slob he is often thought to be. An example of his thinking comes from an acting class with Stella Adler. She told the class to be chickens. Then she said a nuclear bomb was about to fall, the chickens went headless crazy, apart from Marlon who just sat down. When asked why he replied "I'm a chicken...what do I know about bombs?"

Another clue to his acting style lies in his habit of, after the director called 'Action!", chatting to one or two of the crew about whatever came into his head and then, when he felt relaxed and natural in conversation, out come the scripted lines.

The cue cards? Yes, he did use them, why? He would read a script but not set it in stone in is head, he would learn it to the point of needing a prompt, hence the cue cards, he felt his delivery would then be more natural.

This ability to be faithful to the script whilst also being natural is best seen here, a clip from 'A Streetcar Named Desire' all good but look at 3.09 whe he sees a fleck floating in the air and pinches between finger and thumb and then the 'Got That' nod.  Here it is...

That moment, for me, is Marlon Brando in a millisecond. Two minds working together, the acting mind and the real mind.

To unravel the rabbit holes in Marlon's life I read Susan L Mizruchi's stunning book 'Brando's Smile' and if you like rabbit holes you need this book about Marlon

Another rabbit hole soon....