The Missouri Breaks gets its title from the fact that the scene of the action takes place in Montana at the head waters of the tributary streams that eventually flow in and make up the Missouri River. It seems like you have to cross a lot of streams in order to get any place in that country, no matter which side of the law you're on. And we do get to see it from both points of view.
Jack Nicholson heads an amiable gang of horse thieves who probably are no better or worse than a lot of those who might be deemed on the right side of the law. They've been stealing a lot from big rancher John McLiam and he's about had it. His answer though might be worse than the horse thieves.
It's to call in a regulator which is a fancy term for a bounty hunter. The guy he gets is Marlon Brando who it could be argued is in his most villainous role on the screen. This is a swaggering Irish brogue speaking gunfighter who really does love his work.
Brando's ways start to rub McLiam the wrong way not to mention his daughter Kathleen Lloyd the wrong way. She's on bad terms with her father and has taken a shine to Nicholson in any event.
A lot of the same issues are dealt with in The Missouri Breaks that were in the fine Kirk Douglas western, Posse. The difference is that Douglas operates with a professional posse and he's got career plans which call for him to bring in outlaw Bruce Dern and his gang by any means necessary. Brando's not got any plans other than to do what he does, kill people with a license which he thoroughly enjoys.
The final confrontation with Nicholson and Brando is a gem from director Arthur Penn. There's very little words, but the expressions on the faces of both men are absolutely priceless, worth 10 pages of dialog.
The Missouri Breaks is the last of three westerns that Marlon Brando did, One Eyed Jacks and The Apaloosa are the others. This is definitely the one I enjoyed best.
