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The Missouri Breaks

Play trailer Poster for The Missouri Breaks PG 1976 2h 5m Western Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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77% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 59% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
When vigilante land baron David Braxton (John McLiam) hangs one of the best friends of cattle rustler Tom Logan (Jack Nicholson), Logan's gang decides to get even by purchasing a small farm next to Braxton's ranch. From there the rustlers begin stealing horses, using the farm as a front for their operation. Determined to stop the thefts at any cost, Braxton retains the services of eccentric sharpshooter Robert E. Lee Clayton (Marlon Brando), who begins ruthlessly taking down Logan's gang.

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The Missouri Breaks

Critics Reviews

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Tom Milne Sight & Sound 03/17/2020
Thomas McGuane's brilliant script operates on a sort of sliding time scale, reaching back to the early pioneer days or forward to the present to illustrate the implications of this proposition. Go to Full Review Nick Pinkerton Village Voice 11/12/2008
A Western-as-capitalist-critique piece shanghaied by Marlon Brando's eccentric bounty hunter trying on brogues, mumus, and buckskin Nudie suits. Go to Full Review Variety 06/24/2008
As a film achievement it's corned beef and ham hash. Go to Full Review Steve Warren The Barb (Atlanta) 05/06/2023
Marlon Brando's incredibly hammy performance is enough to negate all the picture's positive aspects. Go to Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com 10/29/2020
3/5
The fact of the matter is, Brando's campy performance continues to enliven otherwise tepid material. As his foil, Nicholson is also enigmatic. Go to Full Review Dale Pollock Santa Cruz Sentinel 06/16/2020
he Missouri Breaks is a unique film that is not necessarily a great film. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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grain j Sep 16 Great actors, but slow and boring See more Jorge A @Jartell Feb 27 Having read the not very enthusiastic reviews you find here, I was ready for a disappointment, of course. But fortunately I was wrong. Sure, Brando’s role is a bit eccentric but not out of place for a character that seems to hate society and to love hurting humans and animals alike. He is really something here. Nicholson is superb too, as a tough but sensitive horse thief, and all those great secondary roles feel real and hard to forget. The Arthur Penn’s direction is subtle and the action flows in a relaxing way until it doesn’t. Just remarkable. Great bittersweet western that deserves a bigger audience. See more nick s @Nick_S 10/29/2024 The movie had some good points and improved as it went along. I didn't warm to the comedic moments, accompanied at times with an almost goofy score. Curiously that tone stopped after a while. Brando's performance was a little too heavy handed for me. I wasn't sure if his Irish accent was meant to be put on by the character, because it was completely dropped for some scenes, or if the actor was getting lazy. Either way I found his character distracting and almost slipping into a Brando "look at me I'm crazy" stereotype. The rest of the cast did well. Nicholson great. See more Narciso R 07/28/2024 Horrible movie, still some of it worth watching. But ultimately not worth it. Love Brando, and Nicholson, but not movie. NRJ. See more KB B @Okbullard 10/06/2023 This was such an amazing movie with it all; drama, action, comedy and a superb storyline. Jack Nicholson was excellent as usual but Marlon Brando stole every scene he was in. It's definitely worth the watch. 4.5 stars See more David R 09/22/2023 Listen. I have no idea how some people including critics have given this classic with an avant- grade touch western middling reviews but I promise you that if you like Nicholson and Brando at their best in a wonderfully complex bloody movie with a great script you will have to really search to find better. It's that good. See more Read all reviews
The Missouri Breaks

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Cast & Crew

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Arthur Penn

Director

Marlon Brando

Lee Clayton

Jack Nicholson

Tom Logan

Randy Quaid

Little Tod

Kathleen Lloyd

Jane Braxton

Frederic Forrest

Cary

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The Missouri Breaks

The Missouri Breaks (1976) The Missouri Breaks (1976) The Missouri Breaks (1976) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When vigilante land baron David Braxton (John McLiam) hangs one of the best friends of cattle rustler Tom Logan (Jack Nicholson), Logan's gang decides to get even by purchasing a small farm next to Braxton's ranch. From there the rustlers begin stealing horses, using the farm as a front for their operation. Determined to stop the thefts at any cost, Braxton retains the services of eccentric sharpshooter Robert E. Lee Clayton (Marlon Brando), who begins ruthlessly taking down Logan's gang.
Director
Arthur Penn
Producer
Elliott Kastner, Robert M. Sherman
Screenwriter
Thomas McGuane
Production Co
Devon/Persky-Bright
Rating
PG
Genre
Western, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 19, 1976, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016
Runtime
2h 5m
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