The Controversial Film That Almost Ended Marlon Brando’s Career
Marlon Brando is remembered as a man who reshaped acting in the 1950s and reinvented himself in the 1970s with The Godfather. But between those two peaks, his career hit potholes that nearly swallowed him whole. One project in particular was embarrassing, controversial, and so poorly received that even Brando himself later admitted he looked ridiculous.
The “Comedy” That Backfired
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Carl Van Vechten
The film in question was Candy (1968), based on a 1959 novel by Terry Southern and Mason Hoffenberg. It was pitched as a lighthearted satire about modern culture. Instead, it turned into a clumsy, awkward production.
Swedish actress Ewa Aulin, only 18 at the time, played Candy, a wide-eyed young woman who finds herself in a series of unusual situations. The movie’s humor, intended to poke fun at social attitudes, ended up feeling uncomfortable and dated.
Director Christian Marquand had limited experience, and it showed. Scenes dragged, jokes fell flat, and the film’s surreal style left audiences confused. The script, co-written by Buck Henry, best known for The Graduate, was revised as filming went along, which only added to the lack of focus.
Brando In Brownface
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
Brando’s role as Grindl, a self-proclaimed spiritual teacher, became the film’s most infamous element. While wearing a wig and exaggerated costume, he floated across the set in a harness, delivering rambling lines. For a man who had marched in Washington for civil rights and would later protest Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans at the Oscars, it was a baffling choice. He later admitted he only took the role as a favor to Marquand and regretted it deeply.
Looking back, it’s hard to reconcile Brando’s advocacy with his willingness to play such a caricature. Critics then and now agree it was a low point in his career, made worse by how uninterested he seemed on screen.
A Star-Studded Disaster
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Film screenshot (Paramount Pictures)
If Brando’s presence wasn’t unusual enough, the supporting cast added another layer of spectacle. Richard Burton appeared as an eccentric poet, James Coburn played a quirky surgeon, Walter Matthau strutted around as an over-the-top military general, and Ringo Starr even appeared as a gardener named Emmanuel. Even John Huston showed up in some versions. For all that talent, almost everyone walked away diminished.
How Close It Came To Ending Brando’s Career
By the late 1960s, Brando’s reputation was already strained. Films like Mutiny on the Bounty and One-Eyed Jacks had flopped, and studios were hesitant to hire him due to reports of difficult behavior. Candy only confirmed the perception that his best days were behind him. Some historians argue that if Francis Ford Coppola hadn’t cast him in The Godfather just a few years later, Brando might have faded into obscurity.