ROBERT DUVALL, costar, The Chase (1966) and The Godfather (1972)

He was an actor who was open enough and relaxed enough to use objects and make it work for himself. He didn't “get into character.” He would be talking at the table with this woman, ba ba ba, and they'd say, “Ready, action, cut,” and he'd be back. It was all the same. He kind of eradicated any sense of a beginning. Action was nothing more than when he was sitting at the table talking. He was so in touch with himself.

When we first got together [on The Godfather ] we went up to east Harlem to an Italian restaurant and we all sat around as if we would be that Corleone family. Brando was in a way the godfather to young actors in America , so it was easy to look to him in that light. We all had a lot of respect for the man.

He'd never rehearse. I said, “That's good, I don't like to rehearse either, so just keep talking.” One time all he talked about was the fucking Indians, all week long. The weekend came and it was time to go home and come back Monday, talking and not rehearsing. So I just said good night to everyone and I came to him and said, “Have a good weekend, Philosopher King,” and he held up his middle finger and said, “Sit on this and rotate.” Every once in a while you stick it to each other. It was all ultimately in a good spirit.