The Academy Awards Love Brando

Its rather amusing that some younger Brando fans believe he was a "Hollywood rebel".  The fact is, Brando was a favorite of the Hollywood establishment  from the first day he arrived in Hollywood - this is shown by the favoritism of the AA nominating committee.  Lets examine his AA nominations:

Nominations for Leading Actor

1951  Streetcar named Desire
This was well deserved.

1952  Viva Zapata
Given the other American acting performances this was a deserved nomination

1953 Julius Caesar
This is where the favoritism starts. First of all, Brando plays Marc Anthony who is a supporting character. Anthony has one-half the lines of Brutus, and 70% of the lines of Cassius. Second, while Brando gives a good performance, James Mason - in the lead - was just as good and Gielgud - as Cassius - was better.  Yet, the Academy overlooked both excellent performances and gave Brando the AA Lead actor nod!

1954 On the Waterfront
A deserved nomination and win

1957 Sayonara
A completely undeserved nomination.  Far from AA caliber, This is one of Brando's worst performances. The role itself is rather bland, Brando has little chemistry with his leading lady, and his decision to portray the character as thick-headed southerner is unrealistic (he's supposedly a hot-shot jet fighter pilot) and badly done.  It was a weak year, so there's some defense for the nomination.

1972 Godfather
Once again Brando was given a Leading actor nomination for a supporting role. Al Pacino was the true lead actor. The Godfather (original version ) is a  three hour movie - approximately 180 minutes. Brando is shot at the 45 minute mark, hospitalized, and doesn't have significant dialogue again till the 120 minute mark. He then  dies with 30 minutes to go. In other words, Brando is missing for 105 of 180 minutes. Some leading man!  Pacino meanwhile, appears throughout the movie. Al Pacino was so insulted at being given a "Supporting" nomination he boycotted the Feb 1973 awards show.

1973 Last Tango in Paris
This is a rather odd AA nomination for three reasons.

• First, the 60s/early 70s Academy rarely nominated actors in foreign films. People forget that Last tango is a foreign film.  It has plenty of french dialogue, and was shot in France. It was produced, directed, and written by Frenchmen and Italians, and has only one American actor - Brando. 
• Second,  Brando refused the award in 1972, and was publicly contemptuous of the Academy. How many others have thumbed their noses at the AA and been rewarded? 
• Thirdly, the AA usually avoided nominating  last year's winner in the following year. It was felt to be "too soon" and  they preferred to "spread the nominations around".  

Yet, rather than nominate someone who wanted an AA and/or hadn't been nominated before, or worked in an American film, the academy went with Brando - AGAIN. That's favoritism.

Supporting actor Nominations 

1989 Dry White Season
Here the Academy nominated Brando for a standard 15 minute Lawyer role. He appears in only two scenes and does little to justify a nomination. He's not bad, its just a good solid performance that a half-dozen English actors could have done as well.  One wonders what Brando would've done if he'd won - send up another Fake Indian, or try a Fake black South African?