One-Eyed Jacks (1961): A 36-year-old Brando plays Rio, a bank robber who after a Mexican robbery turned sideways is betrayed by his partner Dad Longworth, played by Karl Malden. After five years in a Sonoran Desert, Rio breaks out and looks for revenge on Dad. He connects with a few other gun hands who tell him the whereabouts of Longworth - he's the Sheriff of Monterey. They head up there to rob the bank in his town and for Rio to get revenge. This near 2.5 hour film, directed by Marlon Brando (his own only directorial feature), tries to fit in a lot of character development and romantic entanglements between this swift opening act and what we all know is eventually coming. Unfortunately, this attempt at showing the depth and greys of gunfighters doesn't engage, it mostly drags. Karl Malden's Longworth does get a couple of moments to really stand out, presaging the kind of character we'd find in someone like Gene Hackman's Little Bill. The ultimate shootout is a bit underwhelming and the quick ending afterwards feels like studio interference to shorten the film. A notable film, but a miss.
Review of One-Eyed Jacks
