Except for the strangely out of water Jack Nicholson as a cowboy, this movie has nothing to recommend it. Here, he looks and sounds like a TV sidekick, the only thing missing is a comb to run through his hey, daddy-o hair. No where near as compelling as his later western, RIDE THE WHIRLWIND, which, if you think about it, is basically the same story as this one. Except, with Monte Hellman directing, it was watchable. This movie wasn't good back in the early sixties when it was made-- it certainly hasn't stood the test of time. This looks and feels like a contract obligation movie-- meaning they had a slot in the production schedule and threw this junk together to fill the opening. The direction is boring, strictly point the camera and shoot-- one take by the look of it. The female lead, a pivotal role for the last half of the movie, can be seen looking down every time she moves, to make sure she hits her mark. Unwatchable.
Review of The Broken Land
