The Missouri Breaks

8/7/2020

_**Brando plays a fearless sharp-shooting NUT**_ A rich, big-time rancher (John McLiam) in late 1800's Montana hires an eccentric sharp-shooting assassin (Marlon Brando) to take care of a gang of rustlers, led by Jack Nicholson, who are severely diminishing his profits. Arthur Penn's "The Missouri Breaks," starring Brando and Nicholson, was a flop when it was released in 1976. Leonard Maltin rates it a "BOMB" in his movie guide. The question is: Is it the reputed flop, unworthy of your time, or not? Let's start by exploring if there's any character for which to root. John McLiam is very unlikable as the rich rancher, Braxton. His "family" is completely dysfunctional: His wife ran out on him years before and the film hints at the reason why; his daughter, played by Kathleen Lloyd,