Marlon Brando Birth Anniversary Special: From Superman to The Godfather, 7 Best Films of the Screen Legend Ranked as per IMDB Rating (LatestLY Exclusive)

There is hardly any doubt that Marlon Brando was, and will remain, one of the greatest screen legends of all time. An effortlessly great actor who could turn up a fantastic performance, even when he is totally phoning it (Superman) or merely lazing around (Apocalypse Now). And when he is completely committed, well, you get masterful performances like The Godfather, On The Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire. Legend he is! Marlon Brando Birth Anniversary Special: 10 Movie Quotes of The Godfather Actor That Are Simply Power-Packed.

Brando, who passed away on July 1, 2004, may not be an easy actor to work with - check out some of the BTS stories from his iconic films. But they grin and bear it for the something special that he always brought in with his performance.

On the occasion of his birth anniversary, we look into Marlon Brando's filmography and picked out seven of his highest ranked films on IMDB, ranked in descending order.

The Godfather (1972)

IMDB Rating: 9.2

Is there hardly any doubt that The Godfather is the greatest gangster flick of all time? And yes, Marlon Brando's Don Corleone being one of the most iconic characters of all time, winning him his second Academy Award for Best Actor.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

IMDB Rating: 8.4

It is said that when Marlon Brando turned up on the sets of this great Francis Ford Coppola epic, he had gained a lot of weight and hadn't read his lines. The ingenious filmmaker smartly kept the character in shadows, creating a terrifying but magnetic allure for the deranged Colonel Kurtz. Marlon Brando Was a Sex Addict and Bisexual Who Faced an Abusive Childhood, Reveals New Book About The Godfather Star.

On the Waterfront (1954)

IMDB Rating: 8.1

In this 1954 drama, Brando won his first Academy Award for Best Actor playing a dock worker who stands up to union violence. On the Waterfront went on to inspire two Bollywood films - Sanjay Dutt's Kabzaa and Aamir Khan's Ghulam. Before Run Lola Run, 10 Foreign Movies That Inspired Two or More Bollywood Remakes, Featuring Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Others.

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

IMDB Rating: 8.0

The film that gave Brando his ticket to acclaim and his first Oscar nomination, A Streetcar Named Desire is based on a Pulitzer prize winning novel by the same name. Marlon Brando showed his immense range in a character that has plenty of grey shades.

Viva Zapata! (1952)

IMDB Rating: 7.4

Marlon Brando takes on the lead role in this fictionalised account of the life of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata. It also won him a BAFTA, as well as his second Oscar nomination.

Superman (1978)

IMDB Rating: 7.3

While the late Christopher Reeves memorably played the Man of Steel in this superhero film, Marlon Brando owned the first act as Kal-El, the doomed but brave father of Superman.

Burn! (1969)

IMDB Rating: 7.3

Brando has a knack of doing morally ambiguous roles, and his character of Sir William Walker, a British agent who manipulates a slave revolt in the Caribbean is just another fine example.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 03, 2021 10:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).