You'd think a movie starring Marlon Brando at the height of his young-firebrand sex appeal, written by Nobel laureate John Steinbeck, and directed by the great Elia Kazan, would be better remembered today. Yet "Viva Zapata!", released exactly 60 years ago (on Feburary 7, 1952), is all but regarded as a footnote in the careers of Brando, Steinbeck, and Kazan. That's a shame, since it's at once a terrifically exciting action film, a heroic biopic, and a penetrating political study. Of course, even then, it was an odd one -- a movie about legendary figures in Mexican history portrayed by an almost Mexican-free cast; a movie about a pro-peasant revolutionary hero made at a time of anti-Communist hysteria in Hollywood. That it got made at all was remarkable, given the battles over censorship and casting, not to mention the battles between Brando and co-star Anthony Quinn, whose bitter tension often erupted into elaborate pranks and practical jokes.
- 2/7/2012
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
Similar News
Kim Kardashian Shocks & Mortifies Fans In Latest Appearance, Video
- 5/8/2024
- by James Michael
- TV Shows Ace
X-Men ’97’s Lenore Zann Opens Up About the Moment That Changed Rogue Forever
- 5/8/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Met Gala: See All the Craziest Looks, Wildest Hair and Strangest Fabrics
- 5/7/2024
- by Merle Ginsberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“On a technical level, it can be compared to Star Wars”: George Lucas Firmly Believes 1 Sci-Fi Space Movie Can Never Be Surpassed by Anyone in the Near Future (and It’s Not Interstellar)
- 5/10/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
“I get to fight Arnold Schwarzenegger”: Kung Fury 2 Star is Heartbroken as Legal Issues Have Doomed the Future of His Much Anticipated Sequel
- 5/8/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
Sean Price Williams on His ‘1000 Movies’ Book, Vincent Gallo, and Missing ’90s Classics Due to ‘Pretentious Young Man Sh*t’
- 5/7/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Studiocanal Unveils First Image of Matt Dillon, Anamaria Vartolomei as Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider in Jessica Palud’s Cannes Movie (Exclusive)
- 5/10/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
10 Best Movies in History According to Rotten Tomatoes... Are Weird Choices
- 5/9/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
Is Ryan Gosling Hollywood’s Last True Leading Man?
- 5/9/2024
- by Joshua Pleming
- TVfanatic
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.