Marlon Brando Gives Harley the Boot
Image by twm1340 via Flickr
BRANDO GIVES HARLEY THE BOOT
I had to laugh at a lawsuit filed by the estate of Marlon Brando against Harley for using Brando’s image on some boots Harley calls the “Brando”. There are several levels to the humor in this.
We all know, or should know, that Brando’s image became linked with motorcycles when he starred in a movie loosely based on a Life magazine article that falsely painted an AMA event in Hollister california as being a drunken debauchery. Turns out the heart of the article was a staged photo. This led to the legend of bikers taking over a town, which became the story line in the movie “The Wild one”.
Important details (to motorcyclists only) are the fact that Brando wore a Langlitz jacket, and that his ride was a Triumph – not a Harley.
Unlike many Hollywood stars, such as James Dean or Steve McQueen, there is little evidence that Brando personally became a motorcycle enthusiast.
I guess the humor for me is that the motorcycle industry has done at least as much for Brando and his image as Brando has done for the motorcycle industry, by instilling a negative image that resonates 50 years later. Brando, on the other hand, used and re-used the “bad boy” image for his own public persona.
At the same time, Harley itself is so protective of its intellectual property that the sound of the engine is protected as unique. There is more than a little irony in the fact that they appropriated Brando’s image and name for themselves without considering the fact that Brando, through his estate, has ownership rights.
The Harley Brando Boot
We have to assume that this will end up with a quiet settlement, and everyone will go back to their own business. In the meantime, we can all share a quick laugh.
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