Viva Zapata! (1952)
I hated this movie so much, I kept fast-forwarding through the last hour, only pressing play when Anthony Quinn was on the screen, hoping to find some reason why he won the first of his Oscars for his performance. I never found one. I don’t know why he was even nominated. I really don’t understand why Marlon Brando was nominated—or the impossibly lousy screenplay adaptation by John Steinbeck, or the subpar music from Alex North. This movie wasn’t even good enough to insult by calling it a “B-movie”.
Marlon Brando is given dark makeup on his skin, a curly wig, and a comical mustache to convince the audience he’s Mexican. He plays the revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, but as he speaks with absolutely zero trace of even the slightest attempt at a Mexican accent, it isn’t believable. He prances around—and I mean that literally; he actually prances across the room in the middle of a shootout—and speaks and acts exactly like Marlon Brando. I don’t know why he was even cast, and the only reason I can come up with as to why he was nominated for Best Actor was because the Academy was trying to apologize for him being the only cast member of A Streetcar Named Desire the year before who wasn’t nominated.
Anthony Quinn plays Marlon’s brother, but for the vast majority of his screen time, he just stands in the background with a floppy hat to distinguish himself. He hardly has any lines! It’s as if the Academy wanted to prove they weren’t racist by giving him the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Jean Peters, also given a dark, curly wig, plays Marlon’s love interest. She also speaks exactly like she always does, without a hint of a Mexican accent.
Marlon Brando stunk, the music stunk, the script stunk, and even my beloved Anthony Quinn stunk. This entire movie was so stinky I really can’t fathom why it was up for any Oscars in the first place. I’m surprised audiences didn’t get up and leave the theaters in droves during opening weekend. Had I been forced to see this in the theaters without the option of leaving early, I might have had to start singing “O Susannah” to keep from losing my mind.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "mad max" for posting!
More Marlon Brando movies here!
More Anthony Quinn movies here!
Marlon Brando is given dark makeup on his skin, a curly wig, and a comical mustache to convince the audience he’s Mexican. He plays the revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, but as he speaks with absolutely zero trace of even the slightest attempt at a Mexican accent, it isn’t believable. He prances around—and I mean that literally; he actually prances across the room in the middle of a shootout—and speaks and acts exactly like Marlon Brando. I don’t know why he was even cast, and the only reason I can come up with as to why he was nominated for Best Actor was because the Academy was trying to apologize for him being the only cast member of A Streetcar Named Desire the year before who wasn’t nominated.
Anthony Quinn plays Marlon’s brother, but for the vast majority of his screen time, he just stands in the background with a floppy hat to distinguish himself. He hardly has any lines! It’s as if the Academy wanted to prove they weren’t racist by giving him the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Jean Peters, also given a dark, curly wig, plays Marlon’s love interest. She also speaks exactly like she always does, without a hint of a Mexican accent.
Marlon Brando stunk, the music stunk, the script stunk, and even my beloved Anthony Quinn stunk. This entire movie was so stinky I really can’t fathom why it was up for any Oscars in the first place. I’m surprised audiences didn’t get up and leave the theaters in droves during opening weekend. Had I been forced to see this in the theaters without the option of leaving early, I might have had to start singing “O Susannah” to keep from losing my mind.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "mad max" for posting!
More Marlon Brando movies here!
More Anthony Quinn movies here!