Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando is a genuine icon of modern cinema. His performances in films such as "A Streetcar Named Desire", "On the Waterfront" and "The Godfather" are the stuff of legend. He transformed screen acting and inspired generations of actors yet he was hounded by demons which haunted him most of his life. His dysfunctional childhood and his volatile relationship with his father left severe scars. They affected his relationships with women, his 11 children, and his attitude to his work. He admitted to being a bad father after his son Christian murdered the boyfriend of his half sister. The programme looks at both his life and work featuring contributors such as: Francis Ford Coppola; Bernardo Bertolucci; Arthur Penn; Bud Schulberg, writer of "On the Waterfront", controversial biographer Peter Manso; along with those that knew him intimately: Ellen Adler, daughter of his great teacher and mentor Stella Adler; dancer Sondra Lee; his agent Jay Kanter and George Englund, partner in his production company. The programme is presented by American film star Val Kilmer who worked with Brando in "The Island of Dr Moreau" and, like so many before him, was inspired by his work.