Marlon Brando is probably best known for portraying the role of Don Vito Corleone in the 1972 film The Godfather. After starring alongside Al Pacino in the ’72 film, Brando starred alongside Robert De Niro in the 2001 film titled The Score.
However, filming for The Score was easier said than done. With inflated egos and a director who was marking his debut in drama films, Brando and director Frank Oz did not get along at all on the sets of the 2001 film! It was Robert De Niro who had to become the middleman for both of them while the filming took place.
Marlon Brando’s Remarks To Frank Oz Were Quite Brutal
Robert De Niro had a personal connection with Marlon Brando since the actor portrayed a younger Vito Corleone in The Godfather: Part II, back in 1974. After almost 25 years, the duo got to work together in the 2001 film titled The Score.
Director Frank Oz, who was known for being a puppeteer and working on The Muppets, took charge and was set as the director of the film. The Score followed Nick Wells (De Niro), who is forced by Max (Marlon Brando) to perform one last heist before settling down forever.
Being a heist film, The Score also starred Edward Norton and Angela Bassett in prominent roles. However, as per a report by the LA Times, director Frank Oz talked about the incidents that went down on the sets of The Score and how Robert De Niro became the middleman.
As per the report, here’s what Brando once said to Frank Oz when the feud reached its peak:
I bet you wish I was a puppet so you could stick your hand up my (bleep) and make me do what you want.
As much as the feud was ongoing, the filming of The Score was eventually completed. At the premiere of the 2001 movie, director Frank Oz weighed in on the topic and revealed that De Niro became the peacemaker between the two.
The feud allegedly started because Oz gave Brando some directions on how he wanted the actor to act. Taking things to heart, Brando wouldn’t work if Oz was even near him. As a result, Robert De Niro had to get creative and somehow help the director finish the film.
Robert De Niro Became The Middle Man!
With director Frank Oz feuding with Marlon Brando, the actor refused to work if Oz was within close proximity of him. This led to Oz maintaining a distance while occasionally getting into a feud with Marlon Brando.
At the premiere of the film, Oz revealed that De Niro would be the de facto director when a scene with Marlon Brando was to be filmed. Robert De Niro acted as a messenger who conveyed the messages between Brando and Frank Oz and shot his scenes with the actor!
That was a bad time, and Bob helped a great deal. [Marlon Brando] had justifiable reasons to act the way he acted. I was confrontational. I should have been more generous and I think that’s what caused the rift between us.
Despite the feud that took place, The Score was released on 9 July 2001 and received average ratings. Being a thriller/action film, The Score received a rating of 6.8/10 on IMDB and a whopping 74% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The feud later ended and the film earned a total of $113 million at the global box office (via IMDB). With average ratings and on-set feuds, The Score is available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
