Desirée, 1954

March 18, 2026

1950s-60s Filmography

Desirée, 1954, as Napoleon Bonaparte
Cast: Jean Simmons, Merle Oberon, Michael Rennie, Cameron Mitchell
Director: Henry Coster

Rating

Factoid
– 20th Century-Fox filed a suit against Brando as he backed out of a deal with studio head Darryl F. Zanuck to star in a biblical epic entitled The Egyptian. To resolve the Fox lawsuit, Brando agreed to star for the studio in the romantic melodrama Desirée, in which he would play Napolean.
– Marlon met the challenge of playing one of history’s most famous me with halfhearted enthusiasm. This was the first film Brando starred in which he didn’t feel a personal connection of some kind. He had been forced into it to avoid litigation, and his lack of commitment is reflected in his performance.
– Released in 1954, this film was not well-received by critics and it disappointed discriminating fans. It came as an unwelcome surprise, especially after a brilliant performance in On The Waterfront.
– Surprisingly, Desirée did turn a respectable profit, thanks to the drawing power of its stars and passion American audiences were feeling at the time for historical dramas.