Movie review: One-Eyed Jacks (1961) directed by Marlon Brando
We first see Rio (Marlon Brando) and Dad Longsworth (Karl Malden) in Sonora, Mexico in 1880 when they are robbing a trading post with the aid of a third man. Foolishly, they stop in a town only a few miles away so that Dad and the third man can visit a cathouse and Rio can woo a more respectable girl. The rurales catch up quickly and the third man is shot down. The remaining two’s escape goes poorly and they are down to one horse and one pair of shoes between them. Rio knows where there’s horses for sale and generously allows Dad to go for them while he prepares to slow down the cops.
Dad decides to cut his losses and run once he has a fresh horse, and Rio is captured. On the way to prison, he learns the story of Dad’s betrayal.
Five years later, Rio escapes from Sonora Prison with his new best friend, Chico Modesto (Larry Duran). After learning that Dad is no longer in his usual haunts, he hooks up with a pair of bank robbers who inform him that Dad is now known as Sheriff Dad Longsworth of Monterey, California, which also has a bank ripe for the picking. Get rich and get revenge, what could be better?
The plan starts going south when first, it turns out the entire town is shutting down for a fiesta, so the bank won’t be open to rob for a day, and second, Rio meets Dad’s new family. The former partners lie to each other about what happened after they parted, Rio doing a better job. Sheriff Longworth shows off his wife Maria (Katy Jurado) and stepdaughter Louisa (Pina Pellicer). Rio and Louisa fall hard for each other, which complicates matters considerably.
This was the first and only movie directed by Marlon Brando after he and planned director Stanley Kubrick fought. It’s very loosely based on The Authentic Death of Hendry Jones by Charles Neider, which was itself a loose retelling of the life of Billy the Kid.
To be honest, the movie tells us little about Brando’s possibilities as a director. After he overran costs by several million dollars trying to make a five hour long treatment, Paramount seized control and ruthlessly cut it down to 2 1/3rd hours. It still feels very long.
The movie is best for several fine performances, including the brooding Brando (though looking kind of chunky for someone nicknamed “Kid”), affable until pushed Malden, a sneering Slim Pickens as a cruel deputy, and realistic Pellicer (who alas would be taken too soon.) There’s some pretty beach scenery shot in the Monterey area.
There’s a strong theme of lies and deception throughout, as the title refers to people who show one face to the public, but another in private.
Some lengthy dialogue scenes tend to drag, particularly the love scenes.
Content notes: torture (whipping and a man’s hand being crushed), unwanted sexual advances, sexism, racism (this last mostly from the two bank robbers Rio has hooked up with.)
This isn’t one of my favorite Westerns, but there are a lot of good bits if you’re patient.
