Marlon Brandon on the set of Apocalypse now, circa 1978 - Lot 12

Marlon Brandon on the set of Apocalypse now, circa 1978 Black and white digital print 30.5 x 20 cm Note: This image immediately evokes the dense, hypnotic atmosphere of the set of Apocalypse Now (1979), the legendary film starring Marlon Brando as the unsettling Colonel Kurtz. The dramatic chiaroscuro, meditative pose and silent tension recall the visual and emotional power of this legendary role. The emphasis on the watch, in full light, echoes one of the most famous timepieces in the history of cinema: the Rolex associated with Brando, which has become a veritable symbol. About the Rolex worn by Marlon Brando : At the end of 2019, Marlon Brando's Rolex caused a sensation when it went on sale. It is a Rolex GMT-Master worn during the filming of Apocalypse Now. The watch is unique among the models in the same series: Brando had removed the bezel to give it a rougher, less flashy look, and had engraved "Mr. Brando" on the caseback in his own handwriting. On the set, the crew asked him to take off his watch, judging it to be too conspicuous. The actor replied, "If they look at my watch, I'm not doing my job as an actor." A compromise was reached: he would keep it, but without the bezel, making it immediately identifiable and absolutely singular. At the 2019 auction, it went for $1,950,000, acquired by the great Omani collector Mohammed Zaman. This piece is now considered one of the most emblematic watches in the history of cinema and watchmaking.