Brando_ Songs My Mother Taught Me - Marlon Brando [41]
I wrote Frannie about Tallulah after my first encounter with her: “My mind feels like ten octopi in a space the size of a matchbox, each trying to manicure just its own toenails.” Frannie also saved a letter to my father:
Dear Pop:
I’ve been rehearsing day and night for about a week now.… Bankhead is O.K. to work with but she’s quite despicable on social terms. I absolutely detest decadence, self-indulgence and her uncomplimentary familiarity with people. Her political views are gnarled and distorted. It’s going to be a tough tour trying tactfully to avoid having her make altogether too many personal demands.
I’m going to act the part of a fresh young puritan and inspire her conscience to revise her mode of living …
Gee, I enjoyed having Mom here. She looks so wonderful.… I do hope she will have the time soon to do a little sitting on ass and doing what comes naturally. If she writes a play, I’ll get it produced. She said wonderful things about you, Pop, which made me very happy and content. Do you think there is much chance of your coming to the opening, which will be sometime in Feb? I am enclosing a schedule of our run which will let you know where I am. And Pop, I want to thank you very much for sending me the money plan and the income tax dope. The reason I didn’t want to take you up on the contract was because I felt very strongly that I must learn to handle money myself or suffer the consequences.… I’m having my salary made out in deposit-check form which will be mailed to my own bank on 57th Street each week. I’m opening a savings and checking account and am really and earnestly going to make my money work for me. My gratitude is much, Pop. You’re damn swell to always offer your dummy son help when he thinks he does or doesn’t need it … write soon.
My love to you, Pop
Bud
The play opened in New England with me playing Tallulah’s young lover. I don’t think I was very good. Among other things, I didn’t have the accent right; I hadn’t studied accents yet. Worse, whenever I was onstage with her and the moment approached when I was supposed to kiss her, I couldn’t bear it. For some reason, she had a cool mouth and her tongue was especially cold. Onstage, she was forever plunging it into my mouth without so much as a how-do-you-do. It was like an eel trying to slide backward into a hole. At first I was as casual as I could be under the circumstances and tried to avoid her tongue without offending her, thinking, How am I going to keep the part? Her tongue would explore every cranny in my mouth before forcing itself down my throat. I tried to back away coyly, pretending my character was bashful, then I began kissing her on the neck, trying to look appropriately romantic as the male ingenue. But she didn’t like neck kisses and lowered her head and pursued my mouth with her lips. I tried eating a lot of garlic, but that didn’t stop her, so I asked a stagehand to buy me a bottle of mouthwash, and after each time I had to kiss her I went offstage and took a swig, but that didn’t work either, so I bought a very strong astringent lotion and began gargling with it in the wings after every kiss.
Tallulah had experienced a lot of suffering and unhappiness in her life and liked to talk about it. I couldn’t help feeling sympathy for her; she’d had it tough. I’ve always thought that if she hadn’t been so banged up emotionally, she could have been a great actress and an extraordinarily attractive person, but I think she really cared more about fucking and alcohol than about performing. Unfortunately, a spy informed her that I was gargling after