Coat of Armor

In the film Drive, which opened in theaters September 16, Ryan Gosling plays a Hollywood stunt driver by day, getaway driver for hire by night. He’s a hard-to-read loner without a name, but it could be argued that his identity is right there on his sleeve - the sleeve of his satin scorpion-emblazoned bomber jacket. The jacket is elevated to iconic status by film’s end. He never takes it off, even as it becomes increasingly tattered and bloodstained the deeper into trouble he gets. Needless to say, I was intrigued by this “iconic jacket.” The concept is decidedly retro - and totally cool. Here are my two fave examples.

Marlon Brando as Val “Snakeskin” Xavier in The Fugitive Kind (Instead of a scorpion jacket, he had his prized snakeskin outerwear.)

James Dean as Jim Stark in A Rebel Without a Cause (The red jacket that revolutionized rebellious teens’ wardrobes.)

UPDATE: You can now buy Gosling's scorpion jacket! Halloween, anyone?

"I Don't Want Realism, I Want Magic!" (And I got both with Streetcar)

While most people might mull and ponder the question “What’s your favorite movie of all time?” I barely hesitate before replying, A Streetcar Named Desire. Sometimes that response is met with “That’s awesome” and others time it’s met with a “Really?” Yes, really. It was the film that sparked my interest in the classics. Up until that point, I didn’t know people acted like that in old movies. I always say, if I had wanted to be an actress, Streetcar’s the film that would’ve inspired me to do it. I can almost picture myself thanking Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh in my Oscar acceptance speech (“Thank you, Academy. I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers…”).

But the only way I ever sat down to watch that life-changer of a movie was because I had just read – and subsequently was entranced by - the play. I had to see Tennessee Williams’ electrically-charged words in action.

So imagine my sheer and utter excitement when I found out that it was possible to see those words in live action. Cate “Can Do No Wrong” Blanchett was playing Blanche Dubois on a stage in Brooklyn. I think even my computer was amazed at how fast I clicked “purchase tickets.” (Bonus: a few months later a certain sweetheart got me another set of tickets – with better seats! So what if the surprise kind of got ruined. Two times the Streetcar goodness? Best. Christmas present. Ever.)

So December 19th – and 20th – I made my way to the BAM Harvey Theater to see Cate and Co. (aka the Sydney Theater Company) take on Tennessee. Blanchett was a marvel. Her Blanche was intensely on edge, yet she also managed to nail the character’s nervous humor. Plain and simple Blanchett’s my Queen (or as my slightly-blasphemous sister said, “No, she’s my god.”).

Actor Joel Edgerton made a commanding Stanley. He had the look. (Unlike that Broadway revival a few years ago that cast John C. Reilly as Stanley for some godforsaken reason. Don’t you think he’d make a better Mitch?) Edgerton was able to put his own fresh spin on the character that I could enjoy as a separate entity from Brando’s performance – which nothing can hold a candle to, in my opinion. Robin McLeavy perfected Stella’s teenage-girl-like infatuation with her husband, and she and Blanchett were able to bring out the strains in their sisterly relationship even more so than in the film.

If this new stage revival proved anything, it’s that this is still a play (and film) that will spark conversation, debate and an impassioned response. So before you question my choice for favorite movie of all time, maybe you need to watch Stanley howl “STELLAAA!” one more time.

Matinee Man: Marlon Brando

This Matinee Man has been a long time coming. Mostly because I’ve been afraid I wouldn’t be able to capture the greatness that is Marlon Brando. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and On the Waterfront (1954), two films I’ve oft referenced on this blog, happen to be the two main films that began my obsession with the classics—and incidentally, my obsession with Brando. As Stanley Kowalski in Streetcar he was ruthless, unrefined and sexy. As Terry Malloy in Waterfront—for which he won his first Best Actor Oscar—he was vulnerable, conflicted and…sexy. The two performances were nothing short of brilliant. Even if you haven’t seen the movies, I guarantee you know their two most famous lines: “STELLLAAAA!!!” and “I coulda been a contenda…”

Of course, the man had his issues (all tortured artists do) and he didn’t always pick the best projects. More often than not he acted in crap. More likely than not because he thought acting was crap. Between Waterfront and The Godfather there wasn’t much to speak of, unfortunately. (And please don’t bring up his physical appearance in his later years. It pains me.) Brando just didn’t realize how great he was, and perhaps that is one of the main reasons why he was so great.

He was expelled from high school for riding a motorcycle through the halls. Coincidentally he played the leader of a motorcycle gang in The Wild One.

Brando perfected the Method acting technique.

He once asked his Godfather co-star James Caan what he would want if his wishes came true. When Caan answered that he'd like to be in love, Brando said, "Me too. But don't tell my wife." (He was married 3 times.)

Here he is at the ripe old age of 23 during his first screentest!

Wow.

Quick Quips for March 19th

"Mr. Dean appears to be wearing my last year's wardrobe and using my last year's talent."

- Marlon Brando on James Dean

Quick Quips for March 4th

"The only reason I'm in Hollywood is that I don't have the moral courage to refuse money." - Marlon Brando