One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
Grade: 77
"One-Eyed Jacks" is famous for being Marlon Brando's sole effort as director. At first, Stanley Kubrick was the director, but a clash of egos led to his abandoning the project. Brando extended the shooting schedule from sixty days to six months, and turned in a four hour film. Studio executives had the film cut to 141 minutes, and the expensive film lost money when finally released.
Who knows whether Kubrick's version would have been much better. Certainly Brando's character would have been less heroic, and his various romances would likely have been downplayed. The good news is that Brando's version of "One-Eyed Jacks" is entertaining, interesting and original. It is also clearly better than "Spartacus", the 1960 Kubrick-directed epic.
The story begins in Mexico in the year 1880. Karl Malden and Brando are bank robbers who are being tracked by Federales. They have only one horse, which can hold only one rider. Malden leaves Brando with promises of returning with another horse. He doesn't, and Brando is captured, spending five years in a squalid prison.
Brando escapes with Larry Duran, and the two link up with bad-tempered bank robbers Ben Johnson and Sam Gilman. Brando learns that Malden is now the affable sheriff of Monterey, California. The gang rides 900 miles (!) to Monterey, to rob its bank and for Brando to exact revenge on Malden. Various misadventures follow: Brando seduces Malden's adopted daughter Pina Pellicer, kills troublemaker Timothy Carey in self-defense, and is whipped and jailed by Malden. Finally, there is an inevitable showdown between Brando and Malden.
Brando is stone-faced and tight-lipped throughout, but he remains charismatic and likeable. Slim Pickens has a great supporting role as Malden's brutal deputy. Malden also gives a fine performance.
kollers@mpsi.net http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html
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