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No consensus yet.
All Critics (20) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (5) | DVD (3)
A Western-as-capitalist-critique piece shanghaied by Marlon Brando's eccentric bounty hunter trying on brogues, mumus, and buckskin Nudie suits. Nov 12, 2008 | Full Review…
A Western-as-capitalist-critique piece shanghaied by Marlon Brando's eccentric bounty hunter trying on brogues, mumus, and buckskin Nudie suits.
Nick Pinkerton
As a film achievement it's corned beef and ham hash. Jun 24, 2008 | Full Review…
As a film achievement it's corned beef and ham hash.
Variety Staff
This appealingly eccentric revisionist western highlights the critical importance of violence in establishing 'civilized' society in the American wilderness. May 20, 2003 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…
This appealingly eccentric revisionist western highlights the critical importance of violence in establishing 'civilized' society in the American wilderness.
Tom Dawson
Enjoyable, if forgettable, New Hollywood shtick. Jan 1, 2000 | Full Review…
Enjoyable, if forgettable, New Hollywood shtick.
Dave Kehr
Although the general western flavor of the film seems all right, an air of pastiche is never far off, as if this were really a western made not by Arthur Penn but by Monty Python's Flying Circus. Aug 15, 2018 | Full Review…
Although the general western flavor of the film seems all right, an air of pastiche is never far off, as if this were really a western made not by Arthur Penn but by Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Michael Wood
... worth seeing if only for the madness of Marlon Brando ... it's not hard to see why some charge him with sabotaging the film with a genuinely bizarre performance Jan 4, 2015 | Rating: 79/100
... worth seeing if only for the madness of Marlon Brando ... it's not hard to see why some charge him with sabotaging the film with a genuinely bizarre performance
Philip Martin
Interesting, even if not cohesive, Brando & Nicholson western. May 10, 2007 | Rating: 3/5
Interesting, even if not cohesive, Brando & Nicholson western.
Steve Crum
Slightly lacking in tension but with a striking performance from Marlon Brando Dec 30, 2006 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
Slightly lacking in tension but with a striking performance from Marlon Brando
If Penn failed to ride herd on his two superstars, he still was able to wrangle some sharp observations on the clash between the mythic old West and its reality Nov 18, 2005 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
If Penn failed to ride herd on his two superstars, he still was able to wrangle some sharp observations on the clash between the mythic old West and its reality
Thomas Delapa
Brando's conversation with his horse, in which he notes that the animal has "the lips of Salome and the eyes of Cleopatra," must be seen to be believed... Nov 12, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…
Brando's conversation with his horse, in which he notes that the animal has "the lips of Salome and the eyes of Cleopatra," must be seen to be believed...
David Nusair
Brando admittedly improvised quite a bit in his over-the-top role. Jul 15, 2004 | Rating: A- | Full Review…
Brando admittedly improvised quite a bit in his over-the-top role.
Dennis Schwartz
Although there are obvious flaws, there's a lot to recommend what turns out to be a dark, cynical work with some finely honed character acting from both men. May 24, 2003 | Full Review…
Although there are obvious flaws, there's a lot to recommend what turns out to be a dark, cynical work with some finely honed character acting from both men.
Film4 Staff
Who would think that a movie with two of the greatest actors ever would be so horrible? I saw this one on TV, and it was so incredibly slow and boring, I couldn't watch the whole thing.
Super Reviewer
This goes from being a very odd movie to a very good movie about half way in, which is actually why it's so interesting. Jack Nicholson really gives the better performance here, both his character and mannerisms are so natural and deeply thought out. Marlon Brando essentially went crazy for his role, which ends up being more scary than funny in the end. I really like the twist sense of mortality and the way murder is such a big part of the story. When the characters meet their fate, it's hardly glorious. It reminds me of what Clint Eastwood later played with in Unforgiven.
This is such a peculiar movie... it should have been great, considering the dynamic and powerful combination of actors under the direction of Arthur Penn. But it's a distant, sometimes tedious picture that I only enjoyed for the colorful, creative performances from Brando and Nicholson. As a huge fan of both actors, I liked watching the movie. I would assume that most viewers would not.
Jane Braxton: Are you an outlaw?
Tom Logan: I'm a jackpot farmer with one milk cow and a hundred-square-foot patch of vegetables.
Jane: Then how come you have so many guns?
Tom: Because I'm a sportsman.
Jane: Why do you have a sawed-off shotgun?
Tom: Because I'm a sawed-off sportsman.
And speaking of Marlon Brando, I was just thinking about what I'd said with regard to On the Waterfront not being Brando's greatest movie, and I was thinking about The Missouri Breaks, and I flip the channel to Turner and lookie here: The Missouri Breaks is showing. I call it fate.
The supremely gifted Brando plays the "eccentric" gunslinger frightfully well here. Reading cue cards because he didn't want to memorize lines anymore . . . Whatevahs. I don't know if he was on a chocolate and lasagne high when he was making this movie, or if he was just plain off his rocker, but he climbs to the heights of bizarre-dom in this plum role. And I definitely mean this in a good sense. The word "lurid" comes to mind, for some reason. Yeah, lurid, that's a great adjective, I think, and, well, he is so darn real as this psychotic killer, that he literally scares the chitterlins' outta me every time I watch this. The scene where he . . . executes Harry Dean Stanton is maximally spine chilling.
Flixsters, I caution you in all seriousness, please make note to beware if anyone ever tries the old "round this time of year, Indian summer, you can see the star of Bethlehem" routine on you. Be prepared.
Brando's own death scene, at the hands of Jack Nicholson, after expressing a fairly odd affection for his horse, that opening of the eyes to experience death, is un-freakin'-forgettable. Nicholson and Brando, eyeball to eyeball. Never ever to happen again in cinematic history. An amazing historical moment.
Geez! Just the accents coming and going, Marlon Brando, you are extremely creepy. Creeeeepy . . .
You know what woke yah up? You just had your throat cut.
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