One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

One-Eyed Jacks
Directed by Marlon Brando
Written by Guy Trosper and Calder Willingham from a novel by Charles Neider
1961/USA
Pennebaker Productions
First viewing/Netflix rental
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

[box] Rio: You may be a one eyed jack around here, but I’ve seen the other side of your face.[/box]

This is an OK Western but I think I could have died without seeing it.

As the story begins, Rio (Marlon Brando) and Dad Longworth (Karl Malden) are on the run following a bank robbery.  They end up stranded in the desert with one lame horse between them.  Rio suggests a game to determine who will go out in search of fresh horses.  He rigs the outcome so Dad will be forced to stick his neck out for the dangerous mission.

Ironically, Dad makes it to a ranch where he requisitions horses at gun point.  He then makes off with the stolen loot, abandoning Rio to the Mexican police and an eventual five year sentence in a Mexican jail.

Upon his release, Rio joins up with another gang of bank robbers in the States.  They know of substantial deposits in a town’s bank.  Dad has gone more-or-less straight and is now sherriff of that town.  This suits Rio fine since he has dreamed of killing Dad for the last five years.

We follow planning for the robbery and Rio’s dealings with Dad, wife Maria (Katy Jurado) and stepdaughter Louisa.  Naturally, Rio and Louisa fall in love.  With Slim Pickens as Dad’s mean and corrupt deputy.

This is not bad but nothing too special either.  Brando does well with a Texas accent.  He and the scenery look gorgeous in Technicolor.  The movie seems to meander for a lot of its 2 1/2 hour running time.

One-Eyed Jacks was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Color.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmn7ETyJ71I

Trailer