9 Best Marlon Brando Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 8, 2026

Marlon Brando redefined American screen acting almost single-handedly, bringing a raw, unpredictable naturalism that made everything before him look stagey. A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront and The Godfather are the cornerstones, Apocalypse Now sends him as a renegade colonel into the jungle, Last Tango in Paris starts an anonymous affair, A Dry White Season opens a teacher’s eyes to apartheid, and The Freshman is a mob-boss comedy. Guys and Dolls and Mutiny on the Bounty round out the list.

A Dry White Season (1989)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A South African teacher's eyes are opened to the brutality of apartheid after a family tragedy, with Brando in a supporting role.

Directed by Euzhan Palcy · 1h 47m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Freshman (1990)

TMDB ★ 6.5

Marlon Brando appears as a college student's part-time job for a mob boss escalates into an absurd criminal mess.

Directed by Andrew Bergman · 1h 42m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Apocalypse Now (1979)

IMDb ★ 8.4 RT 91% Metacritic 94

A captain travels up a war-torn river to kill a renegade colonel who has set up his own jungle kingdom.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola · 2h 27m · Rated R

Won 2 Oscars21 wins & 33 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Last Tango in Paris (1972)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A grieving widower, played by Marlon Brando, begins an anonymous, intensely physical affair with a young Parisian woman.

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci · 2h 09m · Rated NC-17

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Godfather (1972)

IMDb ★ 9.2 RT 97% Metacritic 100

A crime family's reluctant heir is pulled into the empire he swore he'd never want.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola · 2h 55m · Rated R

Won 3 Oscars31 wins & 31 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)

TMDB ★ 6.8

A tyrannical ship captain's cruelty pushes his crew to open rebellion, with Marlon Brando as Fletcher Christian.

Directed by Lewis Milestone · 3h 05m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Guys and Dolls (1955)

IMDb ★ 7.1 RT 91% Metacritic 77

A high-stakes gambler bets he can take a straitlaced missionary to Havana.

Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz · 2h 29m · Rated NR

Nominated for 4 Oscars3 wins & 8 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, BroadwayHD, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Broadway HD Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

On the Waterfront (1954)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 99% Metacritic 91

A washed-up boxer turned dockworker struggles with his conscience after witnessing union corruption.

Directed by Elia Kazan · 1h 48m · Rated NR

Won 8 Oscars30 wins & 11 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

TMDB ★ 8.0

A fading Southern belle's grip on reality slips after she moves in with her sister and her brutish brother-in-law.

Directed by Elia Kazan · 2h 02m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

9 Best Marlon Brando Movies

A Dry White Season (1989)

The Freshman (1990)

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Last Tango in Paris (1972)

The Godfather (1972)

Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)

Guys and Dolls (1955)

On the Waterfront (1954)

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

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