On the Waterfont glove scene was touted as Brando at his improvisational finest. He basically changed the way actors moved and performed in movies (Method Acting). Eva Marie Saint dropped her glove in an unscripted moment and Brando picked it up, didn’t hand it back to her and just went on with the scene, playing with the glove while he spoke his dialogue. It was a huge deviation from how actors approached their scenes. The director , Elia Kazan, decided to keep the improv in the movie. Ta da~movie history was made.
It is a scene where Brando was toying with Eva Marie Saint’s character’s innocence and creating a physical intimacy that isn’t present in the dialogue. He even sits on a swing while he chats, trying on the glove. It is a great movie moment.
Michael Raymond James was emulating Brando in the scene…it is well studied by actors. He followed Brando’s motions and attitude to a T. It is probably my favorite scene Raymond James did, even though it wasn’t an original thought, it was very cool.
As far as a closer comparison, it could be seen as Neal trying to charm and insinuate intimacy to Emma, who, though not pure and innocent, was still a bit of a novice to the world of thievery and deception that he knew well. Neal tip-toed very close to the edge of inappropriate behavior since Emma is dressed as the almost-schoolgirl she was. But it worked nicely even if Emma was far more worldly at that point than the Eva Marie Saint character.
(was composing while Jenna was posting! On the Waterfront is a MUST see movie for so many reasons. It is rough and gritty and raw in places and Brando at his mesmerizing best. If nothing else, there is one of the most sensual, romantic kisses b/w Brando and Eva Marie Saint 🙂 )
***Always in search of a good flock***