One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

Marlon Brando's in a western again, thankfully as an apparent Anglo-American this time. Of greater concern is the fact that he directed this movie -- and nothing else. Also, while it gets good ratings among IMDb and Google users, Rotten Tomatoes pronounces it rotten. I was not aware of these factors when I rented.

Bank robber "Rio"/"The Kid" (Brando) escapes from a Mexican prison and seeks out his former partner in crime, confusingly nicknamed "Dad" Longworth (repeat screen partner Karl Malden), who had taken the coward's route when Rio needed him most. Longworth has gone straight enough to become a California sheriff, which may just alienate Rio further. But instead of having the immediate showdown you might expect, they get off to what looks like a shakily amiable second start. That sense is put to the test, especially when Rio has eyes for Longworth's stepdaughter, Louisa (Pina Pellicer).

Other major characters include Deputy Lon (Slim Pickens), who's no nicer than the sheriff and sometimes borders on comical; Longworth's wife, Maria (Katy Jurado); and a gang led by one Bob Emory (Ben Johnson). The gang teams up with Rio in preparation for a bank job, but apart from telling him which town Longworth's in, they're rather incidental to his story. I suspect that the loosely woven plot is one reason for the audience's mixed reactions.

As western protagonists go, Rio isn't very sympathetic. Not only does he remain a career criminal; he's a hypocrite. After the way he cheated Longworth before, he should have no thirst for revenge. And while he won't tolerate men getting physically aggressive toward women, he has no qualms against charming his way into women's hearts with a web of lies. He does earn a little of my respect with his resourcefulness, anyway.

Thanks to Maria, Louisa, and various characters within Mexico, this western has an unusual amount of Spanish dialog, without subtitles. Don't worry; it's about as basic as the Spanish in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Even if you can't understand a word of it, you'll get the gist from context. Viewers who know the language well just have to put up with Rio's gringo accent at times.

Another thing that stands out about the movie is the deliberate pacing. Alas, it doesn't ratchet up the tension like Once upon a Time in the West; it's pretty empty. I guess it increases the realism a little (as do the shooters' accuracy rates), but I feel like we could have gotten as much goodness from two-thirds if not half the 141 minutes.

The audiovisual quality on the DVD is rather spotty, reflecting little popular demand for restoration. I don't expect that to change. Still, O-EJ is a decent pick if you're up for a Brando flick from partway between On the Waterfront and The Godfather.