MovieChat Forums > The Ugly American (1963) Discussion > Scripted or spontaneous act of violence?

Scripted or spontaneous act of violence?


When Brando's character confronted Eiji Okada's character in an argument of political direction, Eiji pointed his finger at B's face as an acting gesture. Brando smacked it away screaming "get yer hand outta my face!".

Was that in the script or was that MB getting carried away in the part? Or was it him jumping out of character and being the hateful bully he's always rumored to be on the set? Would like to know.

Okada's acting history is as long and respected in Japan as ol' great white whale's is in...well, somewhere. To mistreat him is a offense he should have brought to court.

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brando woas acting mate...and he was wful good at it

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George Englund directed THE UGLY AMERICAN and later wrote a book about Marlon Brando in which he mentioned Brando's surprising professionalism on the set. Naturally the two had their differences, but the star's commitment to the project made him far easier to work with then he'd been in recent years.

Brando certainly wouldn't have done anything bullying or malicious to Eiji Okada; in fact, he was so impressed with Okada's performance in HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR that he took a personal interest in seeing him cast as Deong. Brando had nothing but respect for Okada's talent.

Watch the scene again. Slapping Deong's hand away is exactly what Mac would have done at that moment, and it provoked the appropriately enraged response from Deong. And that's essentially who we're watching in that scene - Mac and Deong (not Brando and Okada). And at that particular moment, their friendship is suffering a nuclear meltdown. You can expect to see hands in faces - and hands being slapped away.


DEONG: Your democracy is a fraud - it's for white people only.

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Good information. What caused the confusion was after Brando's slap, the next scene was Okada again pointing his finger but only he's in the scene as a slightly closer full front shot. As if the finger point was necessary but Brando didn't like it and reacted in his typical outburst fashion, so they reshot it with Brando out of the picture, probably sucking his thumb somewhere off camera.


Six million dollars to read cue cards! Ah to be temperamental, overrated and overpaid!

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