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One-Eyed Jacks
1961 141 min United States of America 12+
★7.2
Western, Drama
Director: Marlon Brando, Stanley Kubrick
Trailers
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Description
Running from the law after a bank robbery in Mexico, Dad Longworth finds an opportunity to take the stolen gold and leave his partner Rio to be captured. Years later, Rio escapes from the prison where he has been since, and hunts down Dad for revenge. Dad is now a respectable sheriff in California, and has been living in fear of Rio's return.
Budget:
$6M
Worldwide:
$4.3M
Starring
Marlon Brando
Actor
Karl Malden
Actor
Pina Pellicer
Actor
Awards
San Sebastián International Film Festival 1961
— San Sebastián Award – Best Actress
San Sebastián International Film Festival 1961
— Golden Shell
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Cinematography (Color)
Key opinion
One-Eyed Jacks is a divisive, unconventional Western that functions more as a character-driven melodrama than a traditional genre film. While Marlon Brando’s ambitious performance and the film's visual flair receive recognition, the production is frequently criticized for its meandering narrative and inconsistent pacing.
| Acting | Marlon Brando delivers a compelling and charismatic performance that serves as the film's primary anchor. | |
| Cinematography | Charles Lang’s cinematography captures the beauty of the California coastline, providing a high level of visual aesthetic quality. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative structure is frequently viewed as disjointed, with critics noting that the plot loses focus and drifts into melodrama. | |
| Pacing | The film's 140-minute runtime and contemplative, slow-burn tempo polarize viewers between those who appreciate the deep character study and those who find the pace tedious and exhausting. | |
| Direction | Opinions on the film's structural cohesion are split, with some praising the subversion of Western tropes while others criticize the lack of directorial clarity and abrupt scene transitions. |