Saturday Late Night Cinema: Brando in “One Eyed Jacks”

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Tonight's film feature is One-Eyed Jacks (1961), starring and directed by Marlon Brando. I really love Brando, and his first directing effort is beautiful, disturbing, brooding (you were expecting bubbly?). It's a shame he never directed again. Karl Malden, as the partner who betrays him, is, as always, brilliant.

1961: Oscar Nomination: Best Color Cinematography

Charles Neider's novel, The Authentic Death of Hendry Jones, is the source of the tellingly direct screenplay. It is the brooding, deliberate tale of a young man (Marlon Brando) consumed by a passion for revenge after he is betrayed by an accomplice (Karl Malden) in a bank robbery, for which crime he spends five years (1880-85) in a Mexican prison. (Variety)

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Here is the NY Times review:

Screen: Brando Stars and Directs:'One Eyed Jacks' in Premiere at Capitol By BOSLEY CROWTHER
Published: March 31, 1961

MARLON BRANDO, like young Alexander (Alexander the Great, that is), sighs for more worlds to conquer in the universe of films.

Having reached a towering pinnacle of achievement as an actor on stage and screen, he has turned to directing motion pictures, as well as acting in them. And in "One Eyed Jacks," which opened at the Capitol yesterday, he has directed himself and a fast cast in an extraordinary sort of Western film.

What is extraordinary about it is that it proceeds in two contrasting styles. One is hard and realistic; the other is romantic and lush. All the way through it runs a jangle of artistic ambivalence. It is as if it had been directed jointly by John Huston and Raoul Walsh.

On the level of rugged realism are the basic involvements of the yarn, put together (from a novel of Charles Neider) by Guy Trosper and Calder Willingham. These are the circumstances of treachery and vengeance that draw two men, former partners in the bank-robbing business, to that inevitable showdown with the guns.

As elements in the illusion, these circumstances are blunt and credible, as true to frontier life and as astringent as cowardice or greed. And the man-to-man face-offs and clashes in which they are graphically exposed are directed by Mr. Brando as if this were "The Treasure of Sierra Madre."

When the bank robbers, played by Mr. Brando and Karl Malden, initially part, Mr. Brando to hold off the Rurales (the Mexican police) and Mr. Malden to go for help, presumably, but actually to beat it with the horse and the loot, it all has the grimy, smelly aura of a double-cross down by the city dump.

And when they meet again, five years later, in the California town of Monterey—Mr. Brando just out of a Mexican prison and Mr. Malden now the sheriff of the place—a strong wave of noxious vapor once more seems to waft from the screen. Whenever these two men come together, the atmosphere becomes cold and damp. (Read the rest.)

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CMax
CMax
12 years ago

Malden was one of the original method actors. He grew up with my parents in Gary, Indiana and was friends with my dad’s older brother, Sonny. His real name is Meladen Segulevich and, if you watch movies in which he stars, there is always a line in the movie where someone named “Segulevich” is mentioned. This was an inside Hollywood joke. I will name Patton and Birdman of Alcatraz as examples. It’s up to you to find the reference!
According to my dad, his fondest memory of Malden was Malden’s mother always exclaiming, “Meladen, don’t forget your rubbers.”

Safti
Safti
12 years ago

Brando was one of the greats. Nice to this this in J’lem.
Pamela, Thanks for all you do and share. Wishing you and your family a continued Chag Sameach. xo

blindreason
blindreason
12 years ago

Brando, like a smiling rattlesnake. Still holds up after all these years.

Brian
Brian
12 years ago

Sidney Lumet died recently and so it was fitting to finally see the movie “Network” (1976). Peter Finch, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty. The reason I’m mentioning this movie here is to say just how important it is for everyone to see it. Seriously. Finch’s character is the canary in the coalmine as regards what this blog strives to report daily. See it; it’s on Netflix.

Heltau
Heltau
12 years ago

OFF TOPIC
Happy Easter to you Pamela. Hope your family enjoys the day and has many eggs to find and many laughing times while doing it. Keep Rocking and Rolling, you the best among us. Frohe Ostern! to you and your family and friends.

ARNOLD CARL TAPP
ARNOLD CARL TAPP
12 years ago

LADY PAMELA, I AM RIGHT BESIDE YOU IN APPRECIATION AND ADMIRATION OF MARLON BRANDO.
IN MY OPINION, HE WAS THE GREATEST AND MOST VERSATILE ACTOR IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN FILM.
HE PLAYED A CRAZY IRISH BOUNTY HUNTER IN “MISSOURI BREAKS”,
HE PLAYED IN SEVERAL WESTERN MOVIES.
HE WAS, IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE STANLY KOWALSKI.
BRANDO EVEN PLAYED AN ORIENTAL IN “TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON”.
“APOCOLYPSE NOW” PORTRAYED HIM AS A HALF CRAZED COLONEL WHO WENT INTO CAMBODIA.
HE NEVER WAS THE SAME, AND NEVER PLAYED HIMSELF. BRANDO ALWAYS GOT INTO THE ROLE AND PLAYED
AN EXCELLENT PART.

Jack
Jack
12 years ago

One Eyed Jacks is my all time favorite movie–I have the DVD and have watched it many times. Brando and Malden were wonderful, but so were the many other character actors, Slim Pickens, Ben Johnson, etc. A great
Western, love story and melodrama with wonderful photography. Thank you for bringing this to light!

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Thanks for sharing!