Five Favorite Performances: Marlon Brando

I found a list of the 300 greatest actors of all time, so I've decided to go down that list and make top fives for all the actors I like -- or, at least, have seen enough things by to make into a top 5.

Their top pick was no surprise.

#1
Marlon Brando

Undoubtedly one of the greatest who's ever lived and an influence on actors of every generation for over 65 years now. Just condensing him down to 5 performances is tough, so a few other favorites will be mentioned at the very end. Now let's begin.



5. Apocalypse Now

The story behind this performance is almost as compelling as the performance itself, but in the end it was ultimately Brando's weight gain, laziness, and scriptless ramblings that made this role as unique and memorable as it is.



4. Last Tango In Paris

Among the most uncomfortable films I've ever watched, again it was the unhinged nature of Brando's personality that made this rule stand out. It's been years since I've seen it and I still can't forget this movie. Brando is terrifying, compelling, and truly deranged.



3. On The Waterfront

The role that won him his first Oscar, the center of one of the greatest working-class dramas / gangster movies ever made. More emotionally raw than he usually was in films, Brando infused this with his usual '50s physicality resulting in a truly classic performance.



2. A Streetcar Named Desire

Although this wasn't his first screen appearance, his performance as the brutish Stanley Kowalski was the one that made him an instant star. A ball of aggression and masculinity, his approach to this role set a precedent -- not to mention helped pioneer an entire style of acting. As far as classic Brando goes, this performance stands out the most.



1. The Godfather

While this is definitely my favorite movie he appeared in, that wasn't the deciding factor when it came to me choosing this as my #1. It was how, like never before, this performance was a complete transformation. His usual physicality had been completely replaced, his speech patterns adjusted; he even managed to pull this off without ever having his real age at the time seem at all possible. It floors me that he wasn't even 50 when he was in this. In a film surrounded by great actors in performances, Brando dominated. And that's why it's #1.

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Honorable mentions

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The Wild One
The Fugitive Kind
The Ugly American
Burn!