# In 1962, Marlon Brando drove a director to the brink of quitting. “This guy is going to ruin you”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1962-marlon-brando-drove-a-director-to-the-brink-of-quitting-this-guy-is-going-to-ruin-you/
- Published: 2026-10-24T20:15:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-24T21:11:24+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/in-1962-marlon-brando-drove-a-director-to-the-brink-of-quitting-this-guy-is-going-to-ruin-you/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Brando’s conduct pushed director Lewis Milestone close to quitting.
- *Mutiny on the Bounty* ran over budget.
- Milestone stayed, and the film earned a Best Picture nomination.

## Summary

In 1962, director Lewis Milestone nearly quit making *Mutiny on the Bounty* after clashing with its star, Marlon Brando. The production tested Milestone’s patience, as Brando sometimes refused to act and tried to influence decisions behind the scenes; the strain contributed to the film being Milestone’s last feature.

Milestone had replaced Carol Reed and expected a shorter shoot, but filming ran longer than he had anticipated and the film went over budget. He warned production head Sol Siegel that Brando would ruin him, yet stayed on, saying the money belonged to MGM. The film found substantial success, and producer Aaron Rosenberg received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture; Brando’s performance was praised.

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