Library Launches Monday Movie Night

He coulda been a contenda…

Fans of Marlon Brando and/or John Steinbeck are in for a treat at the this month with the launch of the free Monday Night at the Movies. The series features two Brando classics, Viva Zapata and On the Waterfront, as well as East of Eden, based on the Steinbeck novel and starring James Dean.

The series kicks off at 7 p.m. tonight in the library’s Creekside Room with Viva Zapata, the 1952 film in which Brando plays the Mexican Indian Emiliano Zapata in a fight to restore land taken from his people during the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz. The film garnered a number of Academy Awards, including Best Lead Actor for Brando, Best Screenplay from Steinbeck and Best Supporting Actor for Anthony Quinn.

East Of Eden follows on Monday, Aug. 8, telling the tale of the Trask and Hamilton families in a symbolic nod to the biblical story of Cain and Abel. The 1955 film delves into the history and agricultural landscape of the Salinas Valley.

On Monday, Aug. 15, the library screens On the Waterfront, widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, earning eight Oscars and featuring one of the most oft-quoted scenes in film history (see video at right). Brando plays boxer Terry Malloy, who is betrayed by his brother Charley, a lawyer for mob boss Johnny Friendly, who controls the loading docks.

The 411: Monday Night at the Movies is free and starts at 7 p.m. in the Creekside Room at the Mill Valley Library. Screens take place Aug. 1, 8 and 15.