The Missouri Breaks: Lee Clayton and Little Tod - Adios, Amigo.........

[@237130]

I can watch that cricket scene a million times! Never gets old! I loved the way Marlon Brando’s character didn’t have to be overly macho or aggressive to be the man he was in this film. Hard to put into words other than I really enjoyed the passiveness of this deadly character. Outstanding movie!

[@ThrustusSimmonds]

I believe you did quite well in attempting to put it into words. Marlon's take on sociopathic characters (emphasis on "characters"!) is something; Lee Clayton's eccentric, sui generis-oriented, subtle (sort of...) sadism is a thing of wonder.

[@force263]

Like the hard men used by the settlers heading west, those men who were memorialized by John Ford in The Searchers (Ethan Edwards) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Tom Doniphon), both played, of course, by John Wayne. Lee Clayton is a person who, in society’s future, would be called a sociopath/psychopath. There’s really something wrong with a person whose sole hope in life is to find some people to kill. The fact is, he didn’t care one whit that the rancher played by McLiam stopped paying him, he was going to murder some people (call them “criminals” if you like, and that they “deserved” it, but, as has been posited many times by men smarter than I, Who decides they are judge & jury? Does losing “7%” of their stock justify murder?). Anyway, Clayton got his in the end, and i believe Penn and Nicholson did a good job showing how there’s no pleasure to be had in Avenging the murders of Nicholson’s friends/partners. Nicholson doesn’t play around with Clayton by taunting him before cutting his throat, he’s sure to cut it while he’s still asleep. Smart move. But there’s no joy or satisfaction in Nicholson’s speech while Clayton/Brando is dying, and Nicholson is pretty much sorry he didn’t kill him when he had him dead-to-rights in the bathtub. And Clayton doesn’t seem terribly surprised that he’s been killed. I’m sure Nicholson would’ve loved to torture him before he was dead, but Clayton wasn’t someone to take potential half-measures with. Make sure he’s all but dead. THEN gloat while he’s choking to death 😂 .

[@tomlahr9372]

Brando creates this at times lovable, intelligent, Shakespeare quoting, yet ruthless "regulator", and he upstages everyone in the movie including Jack Nicholson. Only Brando.

[@gomphotherium22leahy]

He's really at his best here. Pulls off all manner of incomprehensible antics.

[@ThrustusSimmonds]

Only the mythical dog who put his tongue on the butter (mentioned by Harry Dean Stanton) can come close.

[@ThrustusSimmonds]

Quotes from Mutiny on the Bounty, with appropriate accent (of course), as well.

[@ppuh6tfrz646]

Rubbish. Brando was a great actor (when he wanted to be) but he's just taking the piss here. Anyone else who gave this performance would have been rightly criticised for it but because it's Brando, there are some (although not many) who think it's an acting masterclass.

[@geneobrien8907]

@@ppuh6tfrz646 It was what this movie needed though!

[@MeteoXavier]

I didn't know Randy Quaid was in this movie. Randy Quaid and Marlon Brando in the same scene is a strange thing to behold.

[@arnarne]

Randy Quaid was perfect for his role in this movie though, I think!

[@cgab12]

Quaid, “This damn horse won’t swim”...

[@ppuh6tfrz646]

Drowned in three feet of water...

[@robinrobyn1714]

Yep.

[@arnarne]

Great scene in all It's cruelty!

[@fourfortyroadrunner]

Wll how art imitates life!!! "Poor" Randy hasn't had it much better, LOL

[@raymondrose6596]

I think that was first randy Quaid movie I seen.

[@fredfat1606]

perfect role for brando

[@martinhyizna3299]

On IMDB under "Goofs" it states: "When Marlon Brando and Randy Quaid are crossing the Missouri River, there, far in the distance, cars driving on an interstate can be seen." NO That is not true. That is a misread, and an amateurish one. While it may 'appear' to be a heavily-trafficked interstate loaded with fast-moving cars along the river's' edge, 2:14 the movement perceived to be blurred traffic is the white breaking waves. It is a mistake one could only make today, buried in media saturation- that kind of traffic never existed in open Missouri or Nebraska in 1976 when filmed. And to think Arthur Penn would be so stupid to overlook such a blatant error. I just cant believe such an erroneous misread is legitimately listed on IMDB.

[@ThrustusSimmonds]

I'm afraid I can (believe IMDB blew it), alas.

[@ppuh6tfrz646]

@Martin Hyizna Quite right. I've just submitted an edit on the IMDb, saying that the goof should be deleted. Hopefully, they'll remove it.

[@ettit6283]

It's a waves on the river in the distance.

[@cameronpickard7456]

brando memacing

[@covertops19Z]

@raymondrose6596 Randy Quiad was also in THE LAST DETAIL (1973) again with Jack Nicolson and another great actor, Otis Young