Brando jackets

[H.Johnson]

When I was a kid, two of the films 'that you weren't supposed to see' both starred the young Marlon Brando - The Wild One (which was actually banned in Britain until the late 1970s) and On The Waterfront. I had to wait to see the former, but the latter was shown in the 1950s at my local Workers Educational Association film theatre (interestingly, with Hell Drivers). Leaving aside any political significance, it is an excellent film.

Now, I have just aquired a Transatlantic Clothing Company (read Aero Leathers) 'Waterfront' jacket, a copy of the jacket worn by Brando in the film. This started me thinking - I don't have a copy of the film and in the 'upper body' shots in the trailer etc. that are on the web you can see the jacket clearly but not the rest of Brando's outfit. I'd like to know what would have been the 'period' wear with a jacket like that. Does anyone have details of the trousers and boots he wore in the film?

The 'Waterfront' is an excellent jacket in its own right and a worthy companion to my existing Aero 'Brando' jacket (i.e. Schott 1-star copy) from the Wild One (incidentally a 'special' - one of the first ones made after Aero 'got the call' from Madame Tussauds to provide a jacket for its waxwork of Brando). Incidentally this particular 'Wild One' jacket is made of the heaviest hide I have ever seen in a leather jacket and the make-up work is really impressive.

 

[Edward]

Any pictures of those jackets? Those are actually two in the Aero line that I have had an eye on for a while myself, especially the Waterfront jacket. I should have thought that the Waterfront jacket would work well with period work-wear, or rockabilly / greaser style as a nice alternative to leather. I haven't seen On the waterfront for very many years, but hazy recollection suggests something along the lines of bog standard period work wear - casual trousers and open-neck shirt? Engineer boots or a standard 50s style Gibson or Oxford lace up would be the perfect complement, I should think.

 

[H.Johnson]

Edward,

You can see photos of both styles of jacket on Aero's website.

The waterfront jacket is the more authentic of the two. If I wanted a more accurate copy of the Schott bike jacket from TWO I would go to Schott themselves and put a period Scovill or Talon 'paperclip' zip in it (e.g. from a G-1). It would probably be brass rather than alloy, but what the hey?

The main difference between the Transatlantic (Aero) OTW jacket and the jacket in the film is that the reprodoesn't have a yoke. Since Brando's jacket in the film has a serious pattern mismatch between the yoke and the back panel that's probably wise on Aero's part. Oh, and the zip is 'bronze' when it should be nickel. No problem, that's easily fixed. Otherwise, it's a convincing imitation of early 1950s US workwear. I recommend one to you.

I've found some better clips from the film and Brando seems to be wearing heavy woollen or corduroy trousers with a relatively low waist.

 

[Burnsie]

Yep, they (pants) look like heavy corduroy...I too have been looking at the Waterfront jacket for years on Aero's site - did you get the reversible one with leather inside or the plain Waterfront?
If I hadn't bought 3 A-2's from them I would have jumped on a Waterfront jacket....
http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/...?page=displayproduct&subcatid=149&prodid=1983

 

[H.Johnson]

Burnsie,

Its the 'single sided' version. The version I have has concealed pocket snaps - I don't know why it is different from the version to which you posted the link, but that is more like the jacket in the film. I bought mine from the sdales page and paid just over half the 'going rate'.

What surprised me rather is the weight. It's a heavy jacket...

 

[Burnsie]

I bought mine from the sdales page and paid just over half the 'going rate'.

Wow - you got a great deal then - how about some pics of the jacket as worn? I've only seen the pics on the Aero site...

 

[Edward]

Edward,

You can see photos of both styles of jacket on Aero's website.

Sorry, I should have been clearer, I meant photos of the jackets being worn, as all I've seen are the photos of them on the Aero site. The Waterfront jacket sounds great, especially at the price you picked it up for! Sounds like, being a heavy wool, it might be step up from an A2 in terms of warmth?

Interested in your comments on Aero's version of the Wild One jacket. I still have a cheap cowhide jacket I bought six years ago, which does for now, but I do fancy a "real man's biker jacket" at some point - have had my eye on this Aero since I read about them producing the one that the Tussauds Brando wears. Sounds like the ideal jacket for my needs despite any inaccuracy as against the screen.... though it'll be a few years before I pick one up, likely, given that what already have is sufficiently serviceable yet to render other jackets (A2s, 30s Halfbelt....) a higher priority.

 

[JLStorm]

Just curious, what made you go with an Aero copy rather than an actual Schott jacket? Do you find the Aero to be of better quality?

 

[H.Johnson]

Why I chose Aero

It's much heavier than the Schott (a fact that appealed to me at the time) and I had a good relationship with Aero's proprietor and staff. Plus, I already had several Schott jackets...oh, and Aero gave me a deal I couldn't refuse...

To be fair, it isn't a completely accurate a replica of the Brando jacket, but is a very fine jacket in its own right. I think the quality at least compares with the Schoott and is possibly better (but maybe I'm biased).

Here's the Aero 'Brando' (Motorcycle) jacket, just unwrapped:

 

[Edward]

That looks nice! Don't suppose you have any photos of it side by side with the Schott?

 

[H.Johnson]

That looks nice! Don't suppose you have any photos of it side by side with the Schott?

Here's an equivalent Schott 613:

Note the squarer buckle and the nickel-coloured zipware of the Schott, more like Brando's jacket, as is the fag pocket and the belt loops.

Where the Aero scores as a Brando replica is the slimmer cut of the arms.

 

[Edward]

Hmmnnn.... I see what you mean. Could be a tough choice between the two. Brando is probably the biggest sylistic influence on me nowadays in choosing this style, but the Aero does have a certain pull...... I guess price would come into it too, though I would be so worried about screen accuracy, bearing in mind that it's not as if I'd be going out of my way to paint the BRMC colours on it or anything. Can't quite tell in the photo, but does the Aero have self-colour brass fittings? I wonder if they'd do the chrome...

 

[H.Johnson]

'My' Aero jacket has heavy brass fittings and brass Talons with ball pullers.

You can have chrome if you wish. Interestingly, I understand that in the early 1950s Schott (and some other US manufacturers) used to import their buckles from Britain.

 

[celtic]

Also be sure to check out Fox Creek Leather
http://www.foxcreekleather.com/5.html

and if you have really deep pockets, Langlitz.

http://www.langlitz.com/


Both companies make HEAVY top notch classic leather motorcycle jackets, still made in the USA.

Langlitz has been called "The best" by many, many people.

 

[Edward]

'My' Aero jacket has heavy brass fittings and brass Talons with ball pullers.

You can have chrome if you wish. Interestingly, I understand that in the early 1950s Schott (and some other US manufacturers) used to import their buckles from Britain.

That I didn't know. Were the Brits considered to produce some of the best buckles and fittings back then, or was it a matter of simple economics, I wonder? In my experience, I've long considered British bike leather to be among the best in the world. Langlitz do make some beautiful stuff, but a bit rich for my blood.

The thing that fascinates me most, I think, about this style of leather jacket is just how far back it goes. I think it's fair to say most people think of Brando's Johnny, or the one Dean wore off-screen, and therefore bracket them as "50s." But when you think they were first created in the 20s.... I can't help but wonder how they were viewed by the respectable middle classes back then. Bearing in mind that even in the 70s when a lot of the original New York punk set first started wearing them, all too many were threatened with expulsion from the family home over them. They must have been truly a badge of rebellion against polite society back in the day (as opposed to them being all too often a symbol of mid-life crises nowadays lol ).

 

[Speedster]

The "Johnny" jacket has always been a favourite of mine. Never had one though. So still on my wishlist.

Although not an exact replica, i do like the the Aero best.

Here is a scan of an original photo i have from "Statens Filmcentral 1954", the danish distributors of films back then:

 

[H.Johnson]

Britain was desperate for dollars after WW2 and the whole country was on a big export drive. Plus, war-time production capacity was being switched from munitions to a whole variety of metalwork. A very similar thing happened after WW1 when a part of Dynamit Nobel (viai ICI) became Lightning Fasteners. The dollar to pound rate was also favourable to exports. Lots of stuff left British factories bound for the USA.

I collect 1940s, 50s and 60s British bike jackets and can't agree on the quality of the leather. The industry was preoccupied with using nappa in a way that is difficult to understand. As a result, many 1940s and 1950s jackets by firms like Mascot, Uniform and Elizabeth Radley hase deterioated drastically. It's rare to find a good example.

In my opinion the 'sleeper' brand for US leathers is Tauber. They did copies of the more innovative Langlitz etc. but had very good quality. You'll pay a lot for a 1960s Langlitz, but I recently acquired a (bit later) Tauber for less than 30GBP.

That I didn't know. Were the Brits considered to produce some of the best buckles and fittings back then, or was it a matter of simple economics, I wonder? In my experience, I've long considered British bike leather to be among the best in the world. Langlitz do make some beautiful stuff, but a bit rich for my blood.

The thing that fascinates me most, I think, about this style of leather jacket is just how far back it goes. I think it's fair to say most people think of Brando's Johnny, or the one Dean wore off-screen, and therefore bracket them as "50s." But when you think they were first created in the 20s.... I can't help but wonder how they were viewed by the respectable middle classes back then. Bearing in mind that even in the 70s when a lot of the original New York punk set first started wearing them, all too many were threatened with expulsion from the family home over them. They must have been truly a badge of rebellion against polite society back in the day (as opposed to them being all too often a symbol of mid-life crises nowadays lol ).

 

[Edward]

I collect 1940s, 50s and 60s British bike jackets and can't agree on the quality of the leather. The industry was preoccupied with using nappa in a way that is difficult to understand. As a result, many 1940s and 1950s jackets by firms like Mascot, Uniform and Elizabeth Radley hase deterioated drastically. It's rare to find a good example.

My experience of what I've seen really relates to later reproduction (Lewis etc) and later contemporary styles from the 80s onwards; there must have been a change then.

In my opinion the 'sleeper' brand for US leathers is Tauber. They did copies of the more innovative Langlitz etc. but had very good quality. You'll pay a lot for a 1960s Langlitz, but I recently acquired a (bit later) Tauber for less than 30GBP.

What I really would like to find would be a similar 'sleeper' verison of a Lewis Corsair with fringed sleeves, and no epaulettes. The Lewis originals all seem to sell used for well over £200. A bit much for now for what will only ever be a costume piece (for Dr Franknfurter, as per the Rocky Horror Picture Show - for my own purposes, I loathe fringing).

 

[fardin]

well edward here is a pic of brando in the waterfront jacket. hope you are still interested, although he is also wearing the b15 in the movie, anyway here are both pics, he is wearing cord pants and chukka style boots, like the aldens today or back then i guess those were maybe red wing ones( but thats just a guess)

 

[H.Johnson]

Coincidentally, that is almost exactly what I'm wearing at the moment!

well edward here is a pic of brando in the waterfront jacket. hope you are still interested, although he is also wearing the b15 in the movie, anyway here are both pics, he is wearing cord pants and chukka style boots, like the aldens today or back then i guess those were maybe red wing ones( but thats just a guess)