Kind of Fascinating

Kind of fascinating ... Here's why:

Most people will regard this film as a failure. It seems very flat. Apparently, Brando and Niven made each other laugh so much during production they had trouble finishing a take. That doesn't come across in the film we see. In my opinion, the remake is better light entertainment.

Brando was one of the most charismatic actors there's ever been. Anyone who's seen the documentary, "Meet Marlon Brando," could even think he was like that in real life.

Much of Brando's charisma seems to be based upon his subtle body language. He's always fiddling with something, he always seems to be thinking. If you compare him to other actors, he changes his expression and moves his hands, etc, much more. But it always looks natural, rarely studied and there always seems to be a natural intelligence behind it.

And yet, in this film he seems completely dead. There is none of that business. To the extent that I almost forgot it WAS Marlon Brando. It could be anyone up there. It shows to what extent that charisma, charm, etc, that thing he had that made you look at him, was indeed very carefully studied.

We're often told he was amazingly talented but couldn't really care less. Obviously, there is some truth in that. But he was a complex man and looking at this film you realise that he DID care about those other moveis where he's very good. He cared enough to be good.