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The Missouri Breaks

Play trailer Poster for The Missouri Breaks PG 1976 2h 5m Western Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
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 Mar 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 Nov 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 Jun 24, 2008
As a film achievement it's corned beef and ham hash. Go to Full Review
Steve Warren The Barb (Atlanta) May 6, 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 Oct 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 Jun 16, 2020
he Missouri Breaks is a unique film that is not necessarily a great film. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Jacob W @RT17896586 9 hrs ago This is a brilliant movie that does not get shown enough and credited enough for its performances Brando is a priest with a past and is very funny in the role. While Nicholson plays an outlaw. Both are really good and it’s a shame that neither one of them was recognised for this. It’s directed well by AP and if you haven’t seen this movie I can’t recommend it enough. See more Kerry J @kjpargolf Aug 1, 2026 Marlon Brando is hilarious in this movie. Underrated. See more Pat B @pbabinchs Jul 13, 2026 Love the dialogue between characters and the look of the film See more thiago S @Thiagostone Jun 3, 2026 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more grain j @RT65328220 Sep 16, 2025 Great actors, but slow and boring See more Jorge A @Jartell Feb 27, 2025 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 Read all reviews
The Missouri Breaks

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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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