Marlon Brando's 10 greatest film roles, ranked

3 April 2024, 11:51

There are few actors of his pedigree.

There's no doubt that Marlon Brando was, and still is, regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. He's certainly one of the most influential.

Brando brought method acting to prominence, the system of acting developed by Russian Konstantin Stanislavski in which actors fully inhabit the experiences of the characters they're playing.

He truly revolutionised on-screen portrayals and received a series of awards for his efforts including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, and three BAFTAs.

Arguably the truest testament of his impact on cinema is the swathes of his film moments that shaped and endure within pop culture - he's responsible for delivering some of film's most iconic quotes in such inimitable fashion.

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In terms of his commercial success, his career wavered at points, but the quality and conviction of his performances never waned.

It's why he's gained such a mythical reputation in Hollywood, and remains the high-water mark even for contemporary actors.

For what would be his 100th birthday on 3rd April 2024, we've ranked Marlon Brando's ten greatest film roles:

1. Superman (1978)

   

   Before superhero movies were big business, they were still regarded as a tad childish.

   It was a masterstroke casting Brando as Superman's father, Jor-El, in what was ultimately a small role.

   But the sheer Oscar-winning weight of his appointment makes the intro to 1978's Superman so incredibly memorable.

   So much so, that despite what was in earnest just a cameo, Brando was billed about the leading man Christopher Reeve, who excels in bringing the two-dimensional comic book character to life.

2. Julius Caesar (1953)

   

   Julius Caesar was lauded after its 1953 release, as a high-end, faithful reimagining of a Shakespeare staple.

   But Brando's casting as Mark Antony was initial cause for skepticism given his budding reputation as "the mumbler", due to his untypical acting approach.

   His performance - and the rest of the central cast including James Mason as Brutus and Louis Calhern as Julius Caesar - was lauded however, and was later nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal.

   Mason became frustrated with Brando's excellence during shooting, however, requesting that director Joseph L. Mankiewicz "put the focus back where it belongs. Namely on me!"

3. The Men (1950)

   

   The Men was the first film Marlon Brando ever starred in, and he set his stall from the get-go.

   Playing a former soldier who was left a paraplegic after fighting in World War II, the film details the physical and psychological fall out of a man, emasculated and alone in his body, losing control of his life.

   It was significant at the time for being one of the earlier films to delve into the aftermath of war, and the lasting impact it had on the survivors.

   Already an established stage actor, Brando's commitment on screen - having also spent over a month in a paraplegic ward ahead of filming - indicated a unique star in the making.

4. Last Tango In Paris (1972)

   

   Whilst Marlon Brando's performance in Bernardo Bertolucci's 1972 erotic drama Last Tango In Paris is one of his most impressive, the film is undoubtedly one of his most controversial.

   Far more sexually explicit than many films of the era, the notoriety in fact boosted the film's awareness and made it an unlikely box-office success.

   Details about the film's production made public by co-star Maria Schneider in the years make it an uncomfortable watch for modern audiences, however, and understandably so.

   It might just overshadow Brando's deft performance as a widow mourning the loss of his wife, and the unescapable grief and desperation that hang over him.

5. Guys & Dolls (1955)

   

   You might not necessarily associate musicals with Marlon Brando's body of work, but his portrayal of Sky Masterson in 1955's Guys & Dolls is a classic.

   Despite its unnecessarily long run time, seeing Brando sing is alone worth watching the film, with Guys & Dolls a quintessential gangster musical of the Hollywood studio era.

   The rivalry that brewed between Brando and co-star Frank Sinatra whose feud boiled over and affected the entire production, notably one scene (of just three they shared) which added to the film's lore.

   Bickering between the pair turned sour when Brando purposefully ruined takes just so Sinatra had to keep eating cheesecake, which made him violently ill and shut down the film's production for an entire day.

6. The Wild One (1953)

   

   Though The Wild One might feel generic by today's standards, Brando lent a genuine disillusionment to the rebellious titular character, Johnny Strabler.

   Leader of the outlaw gang the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club who disturb and up-end a provincial town, matters worsen when rival gang led by Lee Marvin's Chino turns up.

   A film that put youth angst at the fore and being the first film to analyse motorcycle gang violence, The Wild One was far ahead of its time in that respect, influencing a generation of film-makers that followed.

   Brando's portrayal of the reprobate became culturally significant, though his persona was deemed too controversial for UK audiences - The Wild One was banned on British shores until 1967 due to encouraging "unrestricted hooliganism".

7. Apocalypse Now (1979)

   

   One of Francis Ford Coppola's finest achievements, the making of the 1979 cerebral Vietnam War epic Apocalypse Now was nearly as dramatic as the film itself - watch the documentary Heart Of Darkness and see for yourselves.

   Coppola's efforts weren't helped by Marlon Brando however, who agreed to feature as the enigmatic antagonist Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (despite only featuring in a few scenes during the finale) for a hefty fee as long as he lost a considerable amount of weight.

   Brando supposedly turned up on set overweight, bald, and in a disagreeable mood leaving co-star Dennis Hopper to have to communicate on set with him for the most part. Though his appearance came as a blessing it turns out, with Coppola embracing partially lit close ups throughout his speaking parts.

   The actor's dominant performance is convincingly chilling and cult-ish however, enough for his character's mystique and menace to loom throughout the entire film before he shows up.

8. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

   

   Brando's stellar (or "Stella") performance in 1951 Southern Gothic drama A Streetcar Named Desire was his breakthrough role in film.

   In fact, it's still regarded as one of the greatest on-screen performances of the 1950s, if not the history of cinema,

   Playing the tortured Stanley Kowalski – who reprised the role having performed in the stage production of the Tennessee Williams' adaptation – opposite co-star Vivien Leigh, Brando changed the course of acting forever.

   Nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor, Brando missed out to Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen, but by that time he'd established himself as a generational, one-of-a-kind talent.

9. The Godfather (1972)

   

   One of the most engrossing and enduring film series in the history of cinema, The Godfather revolutionised the crime genre on screen.

   Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, adapted from Mario Puzo's lauded novel, and featuring an ensemble cast of future legends like Al Pacino, it was Brando's turn as the titular Don Vito Corleone that would leave a lasting legacy in cinema.

   After a swathe of commercial flops, Brando signed on to Coppola's mafioso masterpiece – the young director being an unknown himself – and revitalised his career with one of his defining performances in film. His voice, his look, and his command of the character is nothing short of iconic.

   The Godfather (part one) belongs to Brando, and he was awarded his second Oscar for Best Actor the following year, though refused the honour in one of the award ceremony's most controversial moments.

10. On The Waterfront (1954)

    

    A genuine performance for the ages, one that remains as poignant and powerful today as it did in 1954.

    Brando's multi-layered portrayal of Terry Malloy in crime drama On The Waterfront – a longshoreman embattled with guilt, self-loathing, and fear – is as explosive and aggressive as it is fragile.

    A character trapped amongst a corrupt union who control the docks in Hoboken, New Jersey, Malloy stands up to the nefarious forces as he grows close to Edie Doyle (played by Eva Marie Saint), without knowing he helped the union murder her brother.

    Truly pushing the limits of what felt possible within an acting role at the time, Brando even had a hand in the iconic "I coulda been a contender…" speech, a hallmark of his own career in acting, but also the entire history of acting on screen.