Marlon Brando (playing Kurtz) arrived on set overweight, unprepared, and having not read the source material, forcing Coppola to rewrite and improvise much of the ending. Core Themes to Explore
Marlow is a "frame narrator," meaning we hear his story second-hand, emphasizing that truth is often obscured by personal perspective and the "fascination of the abomination". Heart of Darkness Part 1, Section 1 Summary & Analysis 7. Hearts of Darkness (1)
The original lead (Harvey Keitel) was fired after a week, and his replacement, Martin Sheen, eventually suffered a heart attack on set. Marlon Brando (playing Kurtz) arrived on set overweight,