The Naked Brando: An Intimate Friendship

by George Englund

Marlon Brando was one of the most private celebrities in modern times, who only stepped into the lime light to promote a new film or causes close to his heart. While several books exist based on such material, there has never been a personal biography with a first-hand view of the inner sanctum such as George Englund's "The Naked Brando". Having been repeatedly urged to write by Brando himself (as he had been given his first Hollywood break by Brando), Englund started this memoir in earnest a few months before Brando died on 1 July 2004 in order to capture the real Brando behind the star. Looking back in time, Brando writes down his incisive recollections from when he befriended the young Marlon when he was on the cusp of his meteoric rise in 1954 and from then on became a close confidant for almost fifty years from whom Brando sought frank advice. Englund draws on stories from Jackie Kennedy to Marilyn Monroe that only he and Brando knew. But he also shows how the seeds of decline and suspicion were there from the start. From the recollections a young actor emerges who was beautiful in every way - driven by his instinctive talent to break new ground, athletic, muscular, seductive, intelligent and generous - yet also hugely self-destructive.

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Laura Jet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant insight into the life of Marlon Brando, through the eyes of one of his closest friends George Englund. Englunds writing style is lovely, I really enjoyed his detailed descriptions of Brando, as it painted a clear picture of what Brando was like as a person, showing his real and sometimes surprising personality. you also find out a lot about Englund, and both Brando and Englunds relationships with their fathers. The end of the book made me slightly emotional as their is a lot of talk of mortality ect, but it was overall a very good book that i highly recommend if you are a fan of Brando's and would like to know about him more in-depth instead of his on screen personality.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't really know anything about MB before reading. An interesting read especially around his trying to avoid the cult of celebrity. His pursuit of this, along with his father issues, made him into a bit an asshole though.

[JerryDeanHalleck · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is memoir by an old Brando friend and business associate. Englund started working for Brando production company in 1957, and later co-produced and directed "The Ugly American". It seems it was a trying experience for both Brando/Englund. After agreeing to never do another film together the two drifted apart, but kept in touch through regular phone calls and occasional meetings. The real break came in 1994 when Brando reneged on a promise to let Englund co-write his memoir. Englund didn't speak to Brando until 2004, when Marlon was on his death bed.

This book seems to be Englund's revenge. Or maybe its just an honest portrait. Its not very well written as Englund annoyingly switches back and forth from regular narrative, to using present tense. He even creates an imaginary woman to demonstrate how women were seduced and then dumped by Brando. But it has some useful information.

For example, it shows the business side of Brando, where he comes off as mercurial, charming, and domineering. While friendly and funny, Brando always has to be No. 1 in every relationship. He's the King and does what he wants, when he wants it. Englund also paints him as a skin-flint - balking at paying "the Help". Englund asks for the industry standard 25% to co-write his memoirs, Brando offers 5%. Brando promises his friends $25,000 to write chapters for his memoirs, but then refuses to pay. As for his Tahitian island, Brando constantly changes his mind, and squashes deal after deal to develop it. He wants the Cash but doesn't want to give up control.

[Paul Heneghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Englund and Marlon Brando were best friends from their wild days in post-war New York until Brando's death in 2004. One-time husband of fellow actor Cloris Leachman, he tells beautiful, funny and heartbreaking tales of their friendship and struggles. He tells it like it like it was, from his own first-hand experiences, sans the usual gossipy clutter of the recurring Brando bios.