The Freshman (1990)

Why Brando Took the Role
Surprisingly, Brando took the initiative and contacted Producer Andrew Bergman, casting himself as the comic Godfather. No doubt he needed the money, since The Formula (1980) was his last big paycheck.  Also, Brando loved comedy, and didn't need to lose weight for the role. Once Brando was cast, Matthew Broderick agreed to do the picture.

Brando's Performance
Brando replays the Godfather - but this time for laughs. According to Bergman, Brando was a sweetheart on the set,  getting along with everyone and easily taking direction. And so, after Production wrapped, everyone was shocked when Brando publicly called the movie "Garbage". It seems the Producers had not paid Brando for an extra days work. Once the check cleared, Brando's tune changed, and he praised the film to the sky.

Many reviews lead you to believe Brando is  co-lead - but he's not. Matthew Broderick is the star - and he's in almost every scene. Brando's role is a supporting one. A 104 minute movie, he only shows up for 30-35 minutes. He's more active than usual, and even ice skates. But what Brando does, he does well, even if no great acting is required. Rating **/12

The Movie
A bland, B- grade comedy - notable only for Brando's Godfather parody. When released, it did mediocre box-office and currently has a 6.4 IMDB rating.  Broderick does a nice Bueller impression, and there are some laughs here and there. But like so  many of his films, Brando is only reason to see it. Rating **1/2