I Would Realy Realy Like To Know Why Marlon Brando Refused The Oscar For His Role In The Godfather... ???

Help Would Be Apreciated .

Brando had Sacheen Littlefeather, an Apache Indian, refuse the award on his behalf. He boycotted the Oscar Ceremony to protest Hollywood's misinterpretation of American Indians.

Here's a picture of her refusing the award given by Roger Moore and Liv Ullman:

Actually, I'd heard that Sacheen Littlefeather was played by an actress. In an interview years later she stated that during or after that 'refusal' speech, John Wayne was absolutely livid and ready to lunge at her.

But the American Indian thing IS the reason Brando refused the Oscar.

Apple

Her real name is Maria Cruz, although she is part Indian.

Part of Brando's public persona (when he chose to show it) was to be involved in what would be considered civil rights causes. One of his causes was in support of Native Americans. In the time frame of his Oscar nomination, the Fedeal government was in conflict with Sioux Native Americans. Brando chose to use that year's Oscar presentations to make a statement about his support for the Sioux. You can read about it here:

http://citypages.com/databank/25/1231/article12279.asp

No surprise there. I like his movies, but I cannot stand him when it comes to politics.

which, with all the due respect to Marlon, was an absolute nonsense, IMO. He was already a great movie star, a living legend. He did not need the Oscar presentation to find a large audience to listen to him.

I remember watching that Oscar telecast as a kid. Everybody was certain Brando would win, and when they called his name my mother wondered who the heck that sad looking Indian girl was getting up to accept for him.

I think she got boo'd a little bit, too.

In one of the many Brando biographies it was speculated that Brando was unimpressed with his acting talents, almost ashamed that this is the way he made so much money and became so famous. He was also unimpressed with Hollywood. He did make other appearances while speaking out for the Indians...but also knew that to bring the issue to light via the Academy Awards while refusing to accept hiw own award would bring nationwide and lasting attention that a 2-minute newsreel interview could not.

It would also stick it to the movie business.

I never really minded Brando's grandstanding with regard to his Godfather Oscar. I just wish he'd had the guts to do it himself, instead of sending some sweet little costume-clad actress to take the stage and the heat for him. I think the overall effect was more negative than positive.

Apple

Correct, and the other part of his public persona was a disdain for Hollywood, and a lifelong claim he made that there was nothing to acting, that all of us act every day and that all the to do about him being a great actor was nonsense. He basically said acting was all a big fraud (Interesitngly this resonantes with something Picasso said, "Art is a lie.")

I remember seeing that show and thinking that by sending that "Indian" up there he was probably doing his cause more harm than good. But then again Brando was a bit of a wack job.

Well, we are still talking about this three decades later, so you could say that he succeeded in achieving the goal of focusing attention on the issue.

BTW, I think the article Turnbull links to is a bit too heavily anti-AIM. In his autobiography Where White Men Fear to Tread Russell Means offers cogent defenses for the actions which lead the article to indicate that AIM lost its moral compass.

Also, for a less-biased, in-depth look at FBI/Native American relations in the 1970's, I recommend In the Spirit of Crazy Horse by Peter Mathiessen. It focuses on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota but shows why many Native Americans looked to extreme and sometimes violent measures to address their grievances.

What a bloated phony. The great Brando agreed to audition for the roll knowing it could revive his dead career then makes a big show about refusing the award.He was a self indulgent whale who spent the better part of his life fathering children out wedlock and abusing alcohol.

Danny Thomas would have given a much better performance and undoubtedly been a gracious gentleman at the Oscars.

Brando had his personal shortcomings but Danny Thomas? Puleeze. If Danny Thomas had gotten the role there would be no Godfather website like this today. Danny Thomas was a very ingenious producer of television shows, and thats it. He was not particularly funny, and he could not act in a dramatic role to save his life. In short Danny Thomas never gets that picture!

Danny Thomas was kind of famous for his comedic spit-takes(he'd be drinking a glass of water when someone would say or do something startling, unsettling or outrageous, causing him to spray/spit his drink across the room).
Could you imagine Don Danny sipping his wine when Hagen tells him that Michael shot Solozzo?

Danny Thomas....no.
Laurence Olivier....yes.

Werent they also considering Ernest Borgnine? That would have been awful.

Not as awful as Danny Boy.

And I can just see the opening credits rolling now......

"With Rusty Hamer as his son, and Angela Cartwright as his daughter."

And Uncle Tonouse as Tessio

George C. Scott was also regarded highly for the role. Both he and Borgnine were Academy Award winners, and would have done the role justice although they almost certainly wouldn't have raised the role to the iconic heights it enjoys today as a result of Brando's performance.

George C. Scott was also regarded highly for the role. Both he and Borgnine were Academy Award winners, and would have done the role justice although they almost certainly wouldn't have raised the role to the iconic heights it enjoys today as a result of Brando's performance. [/QB][/QUOTE]

Borgnine won in the 50's for Marty, I believe, and was well over the hill by the time of the Godfather. Scott, while a fine actor lacked the nuance the role demanded. General Patton and Vito Corleone were leaders of a very different stripe.