One-Eyed Jacks

As pretty as this is to watch it needs more. The story line meanders. Much of it goes nowhere. This Brando’s first and only directing effort. A more hard nosed producer might have protected him from himself. Indeed, this movie shows the virtues of the old “studio system” by its absence.Even if the acting (not just Brando) shows talent, it is the wrong talent. Brando comes across not as a western bandit. Instead he portrays something more like an overweight, overage, petulant juvenile delinquent from the big city. He just doesn't belong in a western. His mumbling, affected delivery of lines does not resonate in any version of a western.

I watched the VHS version of this movie years ago, and have recently bought two DVD versions on Amazon--the Brentwood/BCI Eclipse here and the Digiview version. I have a wide screen TV with a high quality blu-ray player which is supposed to raise the resolution of regular DVDs to HD.I've watched both DVDs, and clearly the Brentwood is the better print.Significantly sharper and true to color considering the age of the movie (1961).Both are wide screen, with perhaps an inch or so of black around the borders. The Digiview is slightly blurry--it says "made in China", which tells you something. The Brentwood is darn good, but watch for the blu-ray version which comes out in November.Perhaps the blu-ray will be off the master, instead of the laser disc, as these older DVDs are.Now,to the movie. I believe Rio is one of Brando's best, most creative roles, along with Stanley in "Streetcar", Terry in "Waterfront" and the Godfather in "Godfather".The guy is an absolute stud at this stage of his career--with a face like a Greek god.A real presence on the screen. As is his talent for creating a character, renowned from his acting school days. He covers his usual great range of emotions with flawless dynamics and timing--from some of the most tender, sensitive love scenes he's ever done with Luisa (played beautifully by Pina Pellicer, at his direction), to the raging bull with his fellow outlaws. The film is aided by an exceptional cast featuring Karl Malden in one of his best roles as the bad guy,Dad,who deserts his friend,Rio(he and Marlon were the best of friends for 50 years in real life), and also Ben Johnson, Katy Jurado and a host of excellent character actors. The cinematography is breathtaking, with the backdrop of the Pacific ocean in on-location scenes. And then there's the musical score--one of best, most romantic in all films--by Hugo Friedhofer. Friedhofer, by the way, also did the orchestrations for the classic movie "Casablanca.""One-Eyed Jacks" has become a cult film. It is said to bridge the old style 50s westerns with the new-style anti-hero spaghetti westerns of the 60s and later. It is apparently Martin Scorcese's favorite Western--which is enough to gain it some notoriety. It grows on you. You watch it a few times, and the performances start to sharpen, the scenery becomes more breathtaking, and the music starts to move you--especially in the tender romantic scenes between Rio and Luisa. Brando had that feminine, vulnerable side to him that all the great ones have, and it shows up in these scenes. Was he,too,revealing his other "Eye" when he came clean with Luisa about the jewelry?It is said that Brando's direction resulted in a 4+ hour film which had to be cut by editors to the final 141 minutes. That's a lot of cutting. Brando's ending had Luisa killed in the last shootout by Dad's last shot. In fact, you can see her slumped over a bit on her horse as she rides out of town with Rio. The next scene, which was reshot later after the ending change, shows her riding more upright on her horse.Malden said Brando's original ending was better--it would have heightened the power and irony of the film. But 4+ hours? No. The editors did a good job,in my view, with the cutting, regardless of which ending.It's still a great film--Luisa dead or alive.A word about Brando's view of the film: he said years later all he remembered was all the women in the movie he made love to off the set while filming. You can count the possibilities--about seven beauties! Including Katy Jurado, an old flame, and Pina Pellicer, who received a memorable introduction to method acting by Brando which surely aided her performance.

One of my all-time favorite westerns. I saw it back in the day as an 11-year-old kid with my older brother Michael, and its impact was so strong that it has stayed with me throughout these many decades. Brando's only directorial effort, it's a visually stunning Method actor's western -- deliberately paced, provocative, explosive. If you've seen public domain versions, put them out of mind and dive into this restored Criterion Collection release. Beautiful print, incredible extras. Very highly recommended.

In an era during which the western movie was simply tuckered-out - tired of endless TV series' that chanted the same worn diatribe - and audiences searched for and demanded something different - along came "One-Eyed Jacks"...featuring one listless, troubled, mumbling loner - fretting, ruminating, and deliberating...see, you actually can describe him with something other than "brooding"! No one besides Marlon Brando, as Rio, could have portrayed this man of few words - with tender, endearing lines, like - "You get up - you big tub o'guts!", "Get up, you scum-sucking pig!", and - "You gob of spit!" Along with an equally colorful actor - Karl Malden, as the dispicable "Dad" Longworth, there is a relationship between these two men seared in the fires of deep, infesting hatred and forged in revenge.In a friendship marred by bitter betrayal and hyprocrisy, two former tequila-saturated, bank-robbing buddies finally separate when surrounded by Mexican troops. But, when his mentor, Longworth, fails to come back to rescue him - having been dispatched to locate horses for their getaway and leaves him for capture and a long prison term, Rio just wants to settle the score. He soon learns that his former buddy is now Sheriff "Dad" Longworth in Monterey, California - which just happens to be the location of the next bank that Rio and his new compadres are about to rob - the stage for sweet revenge.With the fragile and lovely Pina Pellicer as Rio's love interest, Louisa, the solid Katy Jurado as her mother, Mrs. Longworth, and great character actors like Ben Johnson, Sam Gilman, and Larry Duran as Rio's new bank-robbing friends - along with Slim Pickens as the reprehensible Deputy Lon Dedrick and including notable appearances by Elisha Cook, Jr., Ray Teal, and the amazing Timothy Carey - the supporting stock in this picture elevates it to cult classic status. Now, add the haunting and memorable score by Hugo Friedhofer - and you have a truly wonderful motion picture that deserves the careful and diligent restorative techniques of a powerhouse like - say Criterion - to remaster it completely.Filmed chiefly against the backdrop of Monterey, California with its rockbound shores and crashing sea rollers - it was a refreshing change to see a location other than some wind-swept, border town surrounded by paper-mache saguaro cacti. What makes this film different is the carefully designed, chess-like series of ploys as Rio and "Dad" Longworth position themselves for the inevitable showdown. SPOILER ALERT: And, when Longworth finally gets his, it is satisfying to say the least, but certainly short of the real "Sonny Corleone"/"Clyde Barrow"-style, bullet-riddled dessert that he really deserves - even if Rio is carrying a nine-shooter revolver!UPDATE: To its credit, Criterion (as mentioned above), has taken on the task of releasing this classic - fully-restored in Blu-Ray widescreen on November 22, 2016.

A SUPERB release of a neglected Western classic. I've seen this film many times, but always in substandard dvd versions. This new Blu-Ray version is fantastic, the picture is sharp and the colours are wonderful. I haven't watched the special features yet, but i would have paid this price even without them, as the film is a long awaited classic. Kudos to all those involved in it's fantastic restoration. Makes me want to buy a 50"+ TV and watch it all over again. Highly recommended.

Rescued from public domain hell, this fascinating western never quite catches fire. Beware reviews mentioning old video transfers, as the Arrow version is currectly the best UK release of this film. The film itself has pretentions, and hints of much cutting. One problem is a miscast Karl Malden, who is his usual affable self, rather than the scoundrel he’s supposed to be. It promises something a lot gritter than it delivers. Some good one-off moments, but a western struggling to transcend the limitations of the format, at that time. A bit quaint today, at times slow to dullness. Chief problem is a lack of suspense, although it has some tense moments. Even the expected gun battle finale is pretty weak, not helped by obvious studio backdrops. It's still a must-see film, if only for the star and the staging.

At long last! This classic western suffered very badly from an awful picture quality until Universal Pictures restored it in consultation with Scorsese and Spielberg and The Film Foundation.The result is amazing in this Blu Ray format.

Great print at last good value for money best print so far, very under rated movie i have thrown away all the other bad copies i had collected over the years great print i cannot agree with some other reviewers that it is a bad print i have another print on blu Ray nowhere near as good i dont think you will find a better print of this movie.

I’m not a Brando fan but I watched this twice recently to compare it with his Appaloosa and Missouri Breaks where he plays virtually the same glowering character. There are some good scenes but the plot seems contrived. Karl Malden and Katy Jurado are excellent as always but the young heroine was very weak and unconvincing.