Missouri Breaks

Directed by Arthur Penn.   Written by Thomas McGuane (and an uncredited Robert Towne according to IMDB.)  Stars Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, Randy Quaid, Kathleen Lloyd, Fredric Forrest, Harry Dean Stanton.
1976, 126 minutes, Color, Rated R.

I guess this is really when Brando's reported boredom with acting came to a head.  As written his character was threatening and downright evil and if Brando had gone down that road it probably would have ranked as one of the all time great movie villains.  But that would have been too easy I suppose, for Brando goes off on an idiosyncratic tangent that transforms the character into something altogether different.  I've read that if you just accept that Brando's character is insane the movie is a lot easier to take, but I don't think that's entirely correct.  Granted, his character is somewhat deranged, but insane?  I don't think so.  Damaged is more accurate.

Nicholson is outstanding in this movie, and I personally dug Brando.  Kathleen Lloyd is also in it, and I liked her as well.  The setting is the 1880's and the film depicts this with aplomb.  Arthur Penn directed it and I'd be interested in reading what his experience making this movie was like.