Five years back, Rio (Marlon Brando) and his best pal “Dad” Longworth” (Karl Malden) robbed a bank in Mexico. With one horse between them and the posse closing in fast, Dad rode off with the gold to fetch ammo and another horse. But being a crooked pragmatist, he just kept riding. Rio got nabbed and went to jail while Dad went straight, married, and got himself elected town sheriff. Now Rio’s free and back to pay Dad a little visit. Many critics panned Brando's first and only directorial effort, but I love ONE-EYED JACKS. Brando and Malden, who co-starred six years earlier in ON THE WATERFRONT, are terrific, as are Slim Pickens and Ben Johnson as bad guys. (Trivia notes: inexcperienced behind the camera, Brando shot far more footage than normally used for a film at the time, and because he was so indecisive and ran so long over schedule, Paramount recut it themselves. There are two endings floating around: in Brando's, Dad's last rifle shot meant for Rio hits his step-daughter Louisa instead, killing her. In the studio's, Rio and the girl have an emotional parting at the beach, and Rio promises to return. I've seen both, and without doubt Brando's is the right one.)
ONE-EYED JACKS (1961)
Better smile when you call somebody that
Five years back, Rio (Marlon Brando) and his best pal “Dad” Longworth” (Karl Malden) robbed a bank in Mexico. With one horse between them and the posse closing in fast, Dad rode off with the gold to fetch ammo and another horse. But being a crooked pragmatist, he just kept riding. Rio got nabbed and went to jail while Dad went straight, married, and got himself elected town sheriff. Now Rio’s free and back to pay Dad a little visit. Many critics panned Brando's first and only directorial effort, but I love ONE-EYED JACKS. Brando and Malden, who co-starred six years earlier in ON THE WATERFRONT, are terrific, as are Slim Pickens and Ben Johnson as bad guys. (Trivia notes: inexcperienced behind the camera, Brando shot far more footage than normally used for a film at the time, and because he was so indecisive and ran so long over schedule, Paramount recut it themselves. There are two endings floating around: in Brando's, Dad's last rifle shot meant for Rio hits his step-daughter Louisa instead, killing her. In the studio's, Rio and the girl have an emotional parting at the beach, and Rio promises to return. I've seen both, and without doubt Brando's is the right one.)
