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      The Broken Land

      Released Apr 1, 1962 1h 0m Western List
      Reviews 29% 100+ Ratings Audience Score Will Broicous (Jack Nicholson) makes a big mistake when he rides into a tiny frontier town. The son of a renowned gunslinger, Will finds himself unfairly targeted by the town's unscrupulous lawman, Jim Kogan (Kent Taylor), who throws him in jail. When Billy Bell (Gary Snead) and Gabe Dunson (Robert Sampson) come to his defense, they also find themselves behind bars. The trio's only hope is that waitress Marva Aikens (Diana Darrin) can find a way to break them loose. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

      View All (5) audience reviews
      Audience Member A young Jack Nicholson is the only reason to watch this film. Jack was 25 years old when he appeared in "The Broken Land." At first, I didn't even recognize him, or even his classic one-of-a kind voice. Jack's the only actor in the cast (veteran Kent Taylor comes in second) who can bring to life the lousy dialogue. With a 60 minute run time (the "director's cut" is 75 minutes, according to IMDb), at least it goes by quickly. Maybe this film was the bottom half of a drive-in double feature (if anyone remembers drive-ins). If one does remember drive-ins, there was undoubtedly more action going on in the back seat of Daddy's Chevy then on the screen. Could be grindhouse material as well. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Jack Nicholson in an early 1960's western. Awesome. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Audience Member Someone wanted to make a Western, so they hired actors and a script writer as flat as the fake house and store fronts used in these movies. The typical issues of law, corruption, and romance are present, and none of it is all that convincing. Probably some of the dullest tension one could ask for in a chase and contest of the wills. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member A nice short little film that could only be told in an hour. If it were any longer it would not have worked. The story was pretty basic but the characters who played it out let it come across in their own way. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Nicholson is clearly the best actor from the get go. The dialogue from the others sounds silmilr to children reading from a novel ot loud in literature class. The movie is only an hour long, which makes it easy to digest the slow plot and sub-par filming. Nicholson is very young, but his trademark quick response time is visible. Give the man an hour of your time, he has given so much more to American cinema. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Broken Land

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis Will Broicous (Jack Nicholson) makes a big mistake when he rides into a tiny frontier town. The son of a renowned gunslinger, Will finds himself unfairly targeted by the town's unscrupulous lawman, Jim Kogan (Kent Taylor), who throws him in jail. When Billy Bell (Gary Snead) and Gabe Dunson (Robert Sampson) come to his defense, they also find themselves behind bars. The trio's only hope is that waitress Marva Aikens (Diana Darrin) can find a way to break them loose.
      Director
      John A. Bushelman
      Screenwriter
      Edward J. Lakso
      Distributor
      20th Century Fox
      Production Co
      Associated Producers (API)
      Genre
      Western
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Apr 1, 1962, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Nov 30, 2016
      Runtime
      1h 0m