On M List of Movie Reviews

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The Missouri Breaks (1976)

Rate: 6
Viewed: 4/14

MBr
4/14: Because of Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, and Arthur Penn, I was expecting a lot from The Missouri Breaks, but damn.

Jack Nicholson looks lazy and therefore gives an underwhelming performance. Marlon Brando deserves most of the blame for making a spectacle out of himself just for the hell of it which is ridiculous to watch. He probably overpowered everybody on the set to make sure his vision of the film was realized.

In short, it feels like Marlon Brando was the director, not Arthur Penn. More than half of the lines he uttered never make sense. I don't think Jack Nicholson enjoyed working with him, and it shows on screen.

As far as the Western genre is concerned, The Missouri Breaks is a substandard entry. It's a Western, and yes, it has many Western elements. And yes, it ends predictably in a Western manner. The film should've been halted when Jack Nicholson had his co-star cornered in the bathtub. Just shoot him, and be done with it.

All in all, The Missouri Breaks is disappointing.