Directed by Frank Oz, based on a story by Daniel E. Taylor and Kario Salem, The Score (2001) is a superior heist film with plenty of twists. The story concerns a master thief, who is teamed up with an inside guy, with the mission to steal a valuable 17th Century golden sceptre from the highly-secure basement vault of the Montreal Customs House. Action, smart writing, bright sparks, security computer hacking and safe-cracking create an interesting two hours of art theft. Masterful acting is provided by three generations of of greats: Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro and Edward Norton. Angela Bassett costars, along with real-life Jazz musicians Mose Allison and Diana Krall.
The Score. 2001: Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando
The Score. 2001: Robert De Niro and Edward Norton
The Score. 2001: Robert De Niro, Edward Norton and Marlon Brando
Directed by and starring Marlon Brando, based on the book "The Authentic Death of Hendry Jones", One-Eyed Jacks (1961) was originally supposed to have been directed by Stanley Kubrick and written by Sam Peckinpah. Brando was given the directorial reigns after disputes, and One-Eyed Jacks is the only film he ever officially directed. The story concerns two outlaws, and how one hunts the other down for revenge after a bitter betrayal. The psychological tension Brando brought to the genre was something new to Westerns… adding a palpable edge. The cast is great, including Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Katy Jurado, Ben Johnson and Slim Pickens.
Directed by Arthur Penn, The Missouri Breaks (1976) has grown in Cult status, but was a commercial failure upon it's initial release. Anticipation and high expectations killed the film's chances: It was Marlon Brando's first film since Last Tango in Paris and The Godfather, and Jack Nicholson's first since Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. There was just too much hype to live up to. Nevertheless, The Missouri Breaks is a great Western film, held together by Arthur Penn's masterful direction. Jack Nicholson is crafty as a thieving rustler pretending to be a farmer, and Marlon Brando is chilling as a sociopathic Regulator out for the kill. The supporting cast is good as well, including Randy Quaid, Kathleen Lloyd and Harry Dean Stanton.
The Missouri Breaks. 1976: Jack Nicholson
The Missouri Breaks. 1976: Marlon Brando
The Missouri Breaks. 1976: Jack Nicholson
The Missouri Breaks. 1976: Marlon Brando
The Missouri Breaks. 1976: Jack Nicholson
The Missouri Breaks. 1976: Marlon Brando
The Missouri Breaks. 1976: Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson
The Missouri Breaks. 1976: Marlon Brando
The Missouri Breaks. 1976: Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson
