Ruffalo-Brando
This is a bad time to bring anything up about poor Mark Ruffalo given his brother's recent shooting tragedy, but I've been thinking about how strong (i.e., unforced, uncomplicated) he is in What Doesn't Kill You and also that post from an HE reader a day or two ago that he should play Marlon Brando in a biopic. If -- I say if -- a Brando biopic were to happen, who better could fill the role?
Marlon Brando, Mark Ruffalo
I already know the story and the theme. The film would be about Brando's decline into self-disgust and Hollywood cynicism, or how his career went from the high-toned quality streak of the early to mid '50s -- The Men, Streetcar, Viva Zapata, The Wild One, Julius Ceasar and On The Waterfront -- into rank or less distinguished big-money Hollywood pics like The Egyptian (which Brando refused to do), Desiree (awful), Guys and Dolls (tolerable but that's all), Teahouse of the August Moon (shallow), etc.
The sad tale would end with his last attempt at artistic self-definition in a take-charge, master-of-his-own-fate mode -- i.e., the direction of the moody psychological western One-Eyed Jacks. Brando's career went into a gradual decline mode for 13 years straight after Jacks came out and was mostly seen as something of a disappointment (even though its reputation today is sterling), only to revive again with The Godfather and Last Tango in Paris.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 4, 2008 at 6:22 AM
comment #1
BurmaShave
says ...
Agreed on all points.
Posted by BurmaShave
at December 4, 2008 7:19 AM
comment #2
Josh Massey
says ...
Ledger would have been a solid choice.
Posted by Josh Massey
at December 4, 2008 8:19 AM
comment #3
Mark
says ...
the biopic should be executed ala I'm Not There. Jason Patrick, Laurence Fishburne, and Dakota Fanning would be among those taking turns as Brando.
Posted by Mark
at December 4, 2008 9:36 AM
comment #4
btwnproductions
says ...
I'd say the 11 years between JACKS and THE GODFATHER were mixed, not sterling, highlighted by REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE and BURN!
Posted by btwnproductions
at December 4, 2008 9:48 AM
comment #5
Marty Melville
says ...
"highlighted by REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE and BURN!"
Especially REFLECTIONS, one of his great performances, I think.
And he was hilarious in CANDY.
Posted by Marty Melville
at December 4, 2008 11:00 AM
comment #6
actionman
says ...
There's a robbery at Woolworth's
Posted by actionman
at December 4, 2008 11:18 AM
comment #7
Joshua Mooney
says ...
I dig Ruffalo as Brando. He's actor enough, though not as classicaly beautiful as Marlon once was. But he could surely do it, and I'd like to see that one.
I was truly sad to hear about Ruffalo's brother. That's fucking awful, and I hope he survives.
Posted by Joshua Mooney
at December 4, 2008 11:46 AM
comment #8
Drew McWeeny
says ...
I worked with Ruffalo in a one-act festival back in '94. He was in one of the other one-acts on the same night as mine, and I stayed every night to watch him work. Even then, he had awesome chops, and the crew all called him "Baby Brando." So you're certainly not the first to make the comparison. He's been intense as long as he's been working, and age is just making him more and more interesting.
Posted by Drew McWeeny
at December 4, 2008 1:27 PM
comment #9
Rich S.
says ...
The thing about Ruffalo (and this is an observation more than a criticism) is that he, like Philip Seymour Hoffman, disappears into his roles too completely.
Brando may have been on the vanguard of the method and naturalistic acting, but he was also one of the last of the big-time "movie stars." It was fascinating watching Brando (and James Dean) create a character, but he still had star quality in spades.
I don't think you see that now, where the divide between pretty boys and character actors has never been more stark. I think the current actor that comes closest is probably Johnny Depp, but he'd be the first to tell you that he doesn't have the emotional depth or intensity that Brando had.
Brando captured lightning in a bottle. The circumstances that created him just don't exist any more. Needless to say, he'll always be one of a kind.
Posted by Rich S.
at December 4, 2008 3:31 PM
comment #10
Joshua Mooney
says ...
" I see Ruffalo as Pacino as De Niro as Brando as Bond."
---Bonnie Sherow
Posted by Joshua Mooney
at December 4, 2008 5:05 PM
comment #11
janee
says ...
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Best regards,Jane, CEO of highly available
Posted by janee
at May 19, 2011 2:48 AM