June 13, 2021
In 1949, Marlon Brando was a brash and charismatic stage actor who was poised to make his mark on the silver screen. Cast to star in his first movie, The Men, Brando, who later enjoyed a reputation as a tough guy, had to explore his vulnerability for his role as a paralyzed war veteran.
To prepare for his role as wheelchair-bound veteran, Marlon Brando shown here in a colorized photo taken on set, declined producer Stanley Kramer’s offer to stay in a swanky Hollywood during the filming of The Men. Instead, Brando opted to stay at the VA hospital in Van Nuys among a group of wounded war veterans.
A Young Marlon Brando
In 1944, a young Marlon Brando made his Broadway debut. The unpredictable method actor, however, earned mixed reviews during his time on Broadway. Some critics labeled him the “Most Promising Young Actor” even as directors refused to hire him based on his erratic acting style. Still, his time on Broadway was an overall success. He appeared in such shows as I Remember Mama, A Flag Is Born, and most notably, the Broadway version of A Streetcar Named Desire.
Hollywood Calls
Warner Brothers studios gave Marlon Brando a screen test in 1947. Based on that performance, Brando was cast in The Men as the lead character, Ken Wilocek, an army veteran who was severely injured in war. A proponent of method acting, Brando sought to immerse himself in his character’s plight. He checked himself into the local veteran’s hospital. He spent a month living alongside paralyzed veterans and sleeping in a hospital bed. He observed the range of emotions – from anger, self pity, hopelessness, and determination – that the men exhibited. Brando channeled this into his portrayal of Ken Wilocek and his struggles to return to civilian life and to accept his future as a disabled veteran.
Wheelchair Bound
Since Brando’s character in The Men was unable to walk and dependent on a wheelchair, Brando spent nearly all his time on set in a wheelchair as well. Even between takes or when he was not needed on scene, Brando remained committed to his wheelchair. He wrestled with leg braces. He learned the struggles of mobility and discovered just how inaccessible many places are to people with disabilities.
Showing Off His Acting Chops
Although The Men is not Marlon Brando’s most memorable film, it was the vehicle in which he showed off his acting chops to Hollywood. He demonstrated his commitment to his characters by doing more than he was asked to do. And Hollywood took notice. His portrayal of Ken Wilocek was positively reviewed by film critics who commented on his realism. One such critic called him “vividly real, dynamic, and sensitive.” As a Broadway performer, Brando was often called immature and irresponsible with tendencies to party, use foul language, and complain, but on the set of The Men, he was the consummate professional. He was never late to set, always prepared, and never acted like a spoiled brat.
Marlon Brando’s Draft Status
After spending four weeks with the patients at the Van Nuys VA hospital, Marlon Brando changed his draft status from 4-F to 1-A. He had previously claimed that a bum knee prevented him from serving in the military, but after The Men wrapped up shooting, Brando had surgery to repair his knee. Although his knee was fixed, his smart-mouth attitude wasn’t. At the military induction center, Brando was asked to fill out a standard form. On the line asking for his race, Brando wrote “human”. On the line asking for color, he wrote “Seasonal – oyster white to beige”. During his psychiatric evaluation, the Army doctor noted that Brando had “no respect for authority.” He managed to avoid the draft for the duration of the Korean Conflict.
A Star on the Rise
Marlon Brando’s first film role, from which this colorized photograph was taken, marked the start of a long and significant Hollywood career. Brando’s next film, in 1951, was A Streetcar Named Desire, which is widely considered to be Brando’s greatest role. Not only did it make Marlon Brando into a household name and an international sex symbol, but his role in A Streetcar Named Desire earned him his first Academy Award for Best Actor.