MARLON BRANDO is to return to film. At the age of 80, the American star is to play himself in an ambitious new British production.

Brando and Brando is about a young innocent from Tunisia who is fascinated by the American dream, embodied by the iconic image of Brando, and travels to America on “a journey of hope” that turns to disillusion.

Brando, who has been described as the most influential actor of the 20th century, said of the script: “I’ve found it very deeply affecting.”

He has spent months working on the project with the Tunisian writer-director Ridha Behi. Brando has made “significant changes” to the script, “a story of broken spirits”.

The £3.1 million project is being filmed by Heyman-Hoskins Productions, the British company owned by the producer Norma Heyman and the actor Bob Hoskins. Ms Heyman became Britain’s first female producer with The Honorary Consul. Her second film, Buster, with Phil Collins and Julie Walters, was one of the biggest-grossing British films. She also produced Dangerous Liaisons, which won three Oscars.

Although he had a cameo role in The Score, a 2001 film with Robert De Niro, Brando’s last big role was in The Island of Dr Moreau, in 1996. There were reports last month that he was confined to a wheelchair and was breathing with the aid of an oxygen-mask. But Ms Heyman said that he was now strong enough to return to film-making.

“The first time Ridha went to see him, they spent 5½ hours talking in French together,” she said. “If he (Brando) is ill, it hasn’t affected his intellect. The notes he gave Ridha on the script were very important. He rings constantly. That doesn’t sound like an ill man. Brando, who doesn’t want to work, has chosen to do this.”

The star is so passionate about the film that he has taken a fraction of the multimillion-pound fee that he can command.

Apart from reviving Brando, British film-makers are to give a new lease of life to Lassie, the resourceful collie who charmed generations of children, it emerged yesterday.

The film will be shot in Scotland and directed by Charles Sturridge, who made the original television adaptation of Brideshead Revisited. Negotiations are under way with Natasha Richardson, Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman. A dog has yet to be cast.

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