The Missouri Breaks
by Arthur Penn
List Price:
Our Price: $5.93
You Save: $9.05 (60%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.95 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Frederic Forrest, Jack Nicholson, Kathleen Lloyd, Marlon Brando, Randy QuaidDirector: Arthur Penn
Brand: Sony
Cinematographer: Michael C. Butler
Editor: Dede Allen
Producer: Elliott Kastner
Producer: Marion Rosenberg
Producer: Robert M. Sherman
Writer: Robert Towne
Writer: Thomas McGuane
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 126 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-11-08
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of The Missouri Breaks
DVD Review: Brando Plays a Fearless, Intimidating Sharp-Shooting NUT
Summary: 5 Stars
Arthur Penn's "The Missouri Breaks," starring the two acting giants Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson, was a flop when it was released in 1976. Leonard Maltin rates it a "BOMB" in his film guide. The question is: Is this picture the reputed total flop, unworthy of your time, or not?
THE STORY: A rich, educated, big-time rancher (John McLiam) hires an eccentric sharp-shooting assassin (Brando) to take care of a gang of rustlers, led by Nicholson, who are severely diminishing his profits.
COMMENTARY: Who's the hero of this picture? John McLiam is incredibly unlikable as the rich rancher. His "family" is completely dysfunctional: His wife ran out on him years before, the film hints that he has a gay lover on the ranch (which would explain why his wife left him), and his daughter, Kathleen Lloyd, is so mentally warped and starved-for-love that she instantaneously jumps in bed with the head outlaw that's stealing from her father. Jack Nicholson is certainly likable in a down-to-earth type of way, but the simple fact is that he and his gang are thieving scum. It makes no difference that McLiam is unlikable. He certainly doesn't deserve to be ripped off; he toiled hard to build his ranch over many years.
This leaves us with Brando's character, the highly-skilled Irish sharp-shooting assassin, who's obviously a serious nutjob. This is an intriguing character, to say the least. He's utterly fearless, eccentric and intimidating.
Despite Brando's ultra-weirdness, I was definitely rooting for him in the story. Yep, I wanted him to totally annihilate the crimnal scum. Hey, they CHOSE to make their living outside the law, they must justly reap the wages of their actions. Living on the Western frontier was hard enough without having to contend with outlaws who want something for nothing.
[Minor Spoiler] You'll note that one of the rustlers ultimately gets a break in the story; let's just assume that he learned a lesson from his bad experiences and would go on to live a more honest, productive life. [End Spoiler]
One great scene is when Brando visits Nicholson's farm/relay station; he makes it known that he KNOWS Nicholson is one of the rustlers and not-so-subtly warns him in a decidedly intimidating way.
Later, Nicholson goes to the big ranch to evidently kill Brando (for slaying one of his gang members) and stumbles upon him taking a bubble bath (!). Brando's initial reaction is typically fearless and bizarre, yet he then strangely turns his head and body as if to submissively allow Nicholson to murder him. This made no sense to me at first. It later dawned on me, however, that, despite his merry/crazy outward antics, great skills and evident genius, the Brando character is a lonely, miserable outcast and societal misfit. Hence, he was actually WELCOMING Nicholson to put him out of his misery.
"The Missouri Breaks" features numerous such intriguing contradictions and points to ponder. For instance, notable Amazon reviewer Ian Muldoon mentions the innocent colt stuck & dying in a world of man-made horror, yet is ultimately rescued because of the compassion of a man, a criminal no less.
One fascinating question is: Why does Brando insist upon finishing his job (assassinating each member of the outlaw gang) even after McLiam states that he's not going to pay him anything? Brando points out that he doesn't care about money. What then are his motivations? The simple thrill of killing? Or does he righteously believe he's an anointed agent carrying out some sort of divine justice?
It should also be pointed out that the picture has a very modern vibe to it and has therefore aged very well, indicating that it was a good 15-20 years ahead of its time (by contrast, many Westerns, like "The Searchers" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" are incredibly dated). Although I should emphasize it's not an action film and doesn't have that quick editing style of many modern pictures; "The Missouri Breaks" is similar in style and pace to Clint Eastwood's hailed "Unforgiven" (1992).
The locations are fabulous, by the way; the film was shot in the Billings/Red Lodge region of awe-inspiring Montana. The DVD picture quality is incredible.
Marlon Brando starred in two other Westerns in his notable career: The 1961 5-Star masterpiece "One-Eyed Jacks," the prototype to Sergio Leone's spaghetti Westerns (only far more compelling storywise) and "The Appaloosa" from 1966 (see my review for "The Appaloosa" under the DVD "Marlon Brando 4-Movie Collection").
FINAL ANALYSIS: I wasn't sure whether to rate "The Missouri Breaks" 4 or 5 Stars. Despite a somewhat meandering second half and disappointing ending (I said "somewhat"), I chose 5 Stars because it is an extremely well-made film with top-of-the-line directing, cinematography, actors, locations, costuming, sets, realism and, perhaps most of all, it provokes the viewer to ponder the experience long afterwards and ask quite a few puzzling questions (few films have this effect). Due to these many factors it would be completely unfitting to rate "The Missouri Breaks" less than 3.5 Stars. The inclusion of acting giants Brando and Nicholson propel the picture to 5 Star status, or -- at least -- 4 Stars, hardly the infamous flop that it's rumored to be.
Description of The Missouri Breaks
MISSOURI BREAKS - DVD MovieBestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
The Wild OneBRANDO,MARLON; Release date: 1998-11-10; DVD
Best price: $7.93
Price in other shops:
The Culpepper Cattle Co.Fox; Release date: 2006-05-23; DVD
Best price: $4.36
Price in other shops:
Breakheart PassSony; Release date: 2000-12-19; DVD
Best price: $0.99
Price in other shops:
Mutiny on the Bounty (Two-Disc Special Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2006-11-07; DVD
Best price: $4.37
Price in other shops:
The Young LionsBRANDO,MARLON; Release date: 2002-05-21; DVD
Best price: $7.50
Price in other shops:
Little Big ManParamount; Release date: 2003-04-29; DVD
Best price: $8.08
Price in other shops:
Bad CompanyBRIDGES/SAVAGE; Release date: 2002-06-04; DVD
Best price: $13.75
The ChaseSony; Release date: 2004-02-24; DVD
Best price: $7.27
Price in other shops:
One-Eyed JacksEcho; Release date: 1999-01-06; DVD
Best price: $0.82
Price in other shops:
Goin' SouthPARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2002-06-04; Published: 2002-06-01; DVD
Best price: $22.50