1961 melodramatic western Rating: 12/20
Plot: Rio is screwed over by partner Dad Longbutton following a bank robbery in Mexico. He spends five years in a Mexican prison, and his hate drives him to seek revenge. He finds his old partner in Monterey and is surprised to discover that he is not only married with a step-daughter but sheriff of the town. He puts a plan in motion, a plan which starts with the seduction of Dad Longmullet's step-daughter and ends with sodomizing Slim Whitman.
This was Brando's lone direction credit, and apparently, he didn't even like it very much. Spending well over his budget and time allotted, he put together a cut of the movie that was over five hours long. Studio edited to this nearly two-and-a-half version which seems like it is over five hours. There's an interesting dynamic with the protagonist and antagonist, but I don't completely buy what is going on and everything is far too pretty to seem realistic. After all, the hero's wearing more make-up than the step-daughter he falls for. Brando's just shiny. There are some quality scenes and great lines ("You ain't gettin' no older than tomorrow.") and it's always a treat seeing Slim Whitman in anything, but this dragged-out affair is never capable of building enough momentum or making the relationships between the characters anything you can sink your teeth in. Maybe it did need to be five hours long.
Curious about the step-daughter (Mexican actress named Pina Pellicer), I looked her up to see what else I might have seen her in. Suicide at the age of thirty. I blame Marlon.
Here I am wishing this western had more toughness:
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