Few actors are capable of creating legends as iconic as that of the most famous gangster in cinema. That Vito Corleone that will transcend with its rigorous interpretation. But Marlon Brando stood out from his first role. It was 1950 and with the United States in the middle of the Cold War he played a wheelchair-bound veteran. Here he already made it clear that he took his work very seriously, following the methods of the famous Actor’s Studio. To get into the skin of his character in ‘The Men’ (1950), sand he was admitted to a war veterans hospital and lived with them for weeks..

Already in his second role, in the film ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ (1951), got the Oscar nomination. She once again stood out for his acting preparation, but also for the sculpted physique that he showed off in several sequences. This movie forever printed this image of a rebellious seducer, who clashed with Hollywood conventions. He was not a gentle heartthrob, but a self-made man, with a character that was displayed without restraints (along with his biceps and abs). And, of course, he was longed for on and off the big screen. His interpretations would influence later sex symbols such as James Dean or Paul Newman.

He continued to be nominated for an Oscar for his roles as Emiliano Zapata in ‘Viva Zapata’ (1952) and Mark Antony in ‘Julius Caesar’ (1953). AND His first statuette came in 1955 thanks to his role in ‘The Law of Silence’, which went on to win eight Oscars. A controversial film, based on real events, with which that cinematographic love affair with the director Elia Kazan reached its peak.

Brando made the most of his reputation as a seducer. One of his most memorable performances was that of ‘Countess from Hong Kong’ (1967), in which Charles Chaplin himself chose him to live a crazy romance with Sofía Loren. She also showed the sexiest side of her starring in the first and only film that Brando himself directed: ‘The Impenetrable Face’ (1961). The western had good reviews and even won the Golden Shell at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.

From ‘El Padridno’ to ‘Last Tango in Paris’

In the 70s his physical appearance changed, giving way to a somewhat deteriorated aesthetic. The heartthrob who broke the mold knew how to recycle himself and in this decade he received one of the roles of his life, with which he won his second Oscar. His role as head of a mafia family as ‘The Godfather’ (1972) promoted him as cinematographic icon. Although Coppola had to fight with the producers because they did not see Brando as Vito Corleone. But also refused to attend the deliveryand in her place he sent the actress Sacheen Littlefeather, who posed as an indigenous person and went up to the lectern to dedicate a sharp speech to the Hollywood industry, taking color away from them because of how they represented indigenous peoples in their films.

Their luck changed and, far from falling into oblivion of that erotic myth that it was, they opted for it for their blockbusters. In 1978 he played the superhero’s father in ‘Superman: The Movie’. With a budget of $55 million, it was the most expensive film made up to that time. Marlon Brando pocketed $14 million for a role that lasted just ten minutes. He gained a reputation for demanding and conflictive actor. For example, in ‘Apocalypse Now’ (1979) he initially refused to travel to the Philippines (despite receiving an advance) to film his scenes as Colonel Kurtz. When Coppola managed to convince him, Brando He appeared with a shaved head and twice his weight, which forced Coppola to film his scenes in shadows..

Not everything was brilliant in his career. In 2011, Maria Schneider accused him of having raped her in the film ‘Last Tango in Paris’ (1972). The actress declared that the rape shown was real, and that Penetration was not contemplated in the original script although it was suggested by Brando himself. The shock was such that the tears that appear in the scene were the result of her shock.

If there is anyone who is convinced that Jack Nicholson and I are lovers, let him remain convinced. “I think it’s funny”

Marlon Brando

The actor had to face the personal drama also outside the celluloid. Since childhood she suffered from her mother’s bipolar disorder and she experienced firsthand how some of her lovers mistreated her. She also did not have a good relationship with her father; her biographers say that she never recognized her acting achievements and that their relationship was tense and conflictive until he died. As a teenager He was expelled from the military academy for bad behavior. She moved to New York with her sister and began a life full of relationships that, as far as she knows, He had eleven children and three official marriages..

He showed his character in interviews with the press, after having been persecuted for his multiple dalliances. In 1976 it was published that he was homosexual and he answered like this to a journalist who asked him about his sexual orientation: “Homosexuality is so fashionable that it is no longer news. Like many men, I have also had homosexual experiences and I am not ashamed.. I’ve never paid much attention to what people think of me. But if there is anyone who is convinced that Jack Nicholson and I are lovers, let him remain convinced. “I think it’s funny.”

In 1990, he lived his worst personal tragedy. Her daughter Cheyenne’s boyfriend was murdered at the family residence. It became a media circus when Christian, her first-born son, was accused of being the material author of the homicide. The episode had a profound impact on her family: Christian was sentenced to six years in prison and his daughter Cheyenne committed suicide five years later.. His darkest years were approaching. According to his biography ‘Brando in the twilight’, he spent the last years of his life on the verge of destitution.

He died on July 1, 2004 in Los Angeles, at the age of 80, as a result of pulmonary fibrosis. ​Now, in the centenary of his birthhis extensive career is remembered, with its lights and shadows, which elevated him to authentic myth of film history.