Why Thank You, Marlon Brando!

Letters of Note has a very interesting letter written by Marlon Brando to a stewardess he met briefly on a flight in 1966. Here’s what it says:

Dear Lady —

There is something not quite definable in your face — something lovely, not pretty in a conventionally thought of way. You have something graceful and tender and feminine (sp). You seem to be a woman who has been loved in her childhood, or else, somehow by

the mystery of genetic phenomena you have been visited by the gifts of refinement, dignity and poise. Perhaps you cannot be accredited with all that.

Irrespective of your gothic aspects, you have passed something on in terms of your expression, mien and general comportment that is unusual and rewarding.

It’s been a pleasant if brief encounter and I wish you well and I hope we shall have occasion to cross eyes again sometime.

Best wishes

Marlon Brando

Savoy

Some people have read this as the work of a sleazeball or major creep. But I actually thought it was kind of flattering? Maybe I’m the creep, but I’d probably be psyched to receive such a letter. I mean how often does a dude — much less a famous actor — take the time to notice someone in such detail and actually write them a letter. Sure, he uses a bit of neg with the whole “irrespective of your gothic aspects” thing, but most of it is quite charming. In short, gentlemen, if I were to meet you on a plane or a train, I would not be opposed to you sending me a letter (or even an email) telling me that I “have passed something on in terms of [my] expression, mien and general comportment that is unusual and rewarding.”

Picture © Christie’s Images Limited 2011