One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

	Directed by: Marlon Brando	COUNTRY USA GENRE Western/Drama NORWEGIAN TITLE Revansj RUNNING TIME 141 minutes
	Produced by: Frank P. Rosenberg
	Written by (based on a novel by Charles Neider): Guy Trosper Calder Willingham

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Rio	Marlon Brando
Sheriff Dad Longworth	Karl Malden	½
Maria Longworth	Katy Jurado	½
Louisa	Pina Pellicer	½
Bob Amory	Ben Johnson
Deputy Lon Dedrick	Slim Pickens	½
Chico Modesto	Larry Duran

Review

The one and only film Marlon Brando ever directed is just as moody, introspective and distressed as the actor himself. It's an overlong film filled with juxtapositions of right and wrong explored more deeply and probingly than was customary or even allowed in westerns at the time. But then again, One-Eyed Jacks never was going to be a typical John Ford western, which is no surprise considering Brando's affiliation. There are no vivid descriptions of lifestyle and no warmth of atmosphere. The film is completely void of nostalgia, which is also rather unusual for the genre. Even Sergio Leone's cruel rendition of the West had some of that sentimentality. In all probability this simply didn't interest Brando. One-Eyed Jacks represented a chance for him to explore the human psyche, which he did excessively, uncompromisingly and with a fair share of that well-known arrogance of his.

After Brando had produced a first cut of the film at five hours, the studio trimmed it down to its current two and a half hours to satisfy conventions. And while this saves us from what would have been an indigestible chunk of Brandoism, it also removes some depth – making certain segments somewhat loosely motivated, and ultimately, the romance even mushier than Brando and Pina Pellicer were able to make it in the scenes they share. The film is at its most interesting in the relationship between Brando and Karl Malden, which is one of timeless and explosive proportions. Brando cleverly leaves the friction between the two simmering throughout the movie, which gives the film suspense and tension. And Malden is the director's most powerful instrument, delivering a riveting and complex performance. For all Marlon Brando's eccentricities, or perhaps because of them, it's a pity One-Eyed Jacks remained his only directorial entry.