“The Missouri Breaks” (ミズーリ・ブレイク), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1976, Bob Peak Artwork, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) T94

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1976 for the first Japanese release of The Missouri Breaks, starring Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson, with artwork by Bob Peak. The film opened in Japanese cinemas on 28 August 1976, distributed by United Artists.

Directed by Arthur Penn, with a screenplay by Thomas McGuane and music by John Williams, this unconventional Western brings together two of American cinema’s most distinctive actors. Nicholson plays Tom Logan, a horse rustler whose gang becomes the target of Lee Clayton, an eccentric and increasingly dangerous hired killer portrayed by Brando. Set in Montana, the film combines frontier violence, dark humour and a tense struggle between outlaws and wealthy landowners.

The Japanese poster preserves Bob Peak’s expressive original campaign illustration, combining it with striking local typography. Peak’s intricate linework gives the portraits an almost etched appearance, capturing the rugged features and contrasting personalities of the two stars.

Nicholson’s bearded portrait fills the upper right, his battered hat casting deep shadows across his eyes. Below and to the left, Brando appears with flowing hair and a patterned headband, looking directly outward. Sweeping lines extend through the hair and clothing, while warm ochre, amber and sepia tones give the composition a unified, dusty frontier atmosphere.

Beneath the portraits, a smaller illustration of mounted riders driving horses introduces movement across the lower right. The contrast between this lively scene and the enormous faces above gives the artwork both intimacy and scale.

The Japanese title, ミズーリ・ブレイク, dominates the bottom in bold red lettering with deep, shaded three-dimensional sides. The English title and the stars’ names appear immediately above, while the Japanese production credits and United Artists logo complete the lower margin.

The prominent Japanese promotional text reads:

「ついに対決する ２大アカデミー賞スター!!」
“At last, two great Academy Award-winning stars face off!”

With its richly textured illustration and powerful Japanese lettering, this is a particularly attractive piece for collectors of Bob Peak, Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson and 1970s Western cinema.

Condition: Excellent+.

Please review all photographs, including the front and reverse, as they show the exact poster for sale.

Japanese B2 format: approximately 51 × 73 cm.
Stock code: T94.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.

About Japanese B2 posters
Japanese B2 posters typically measure approximately 51 × 73 cm and were produced for theatrical display. Their distinctive combinations of photography, illustration, typography and locally written promotional copy offer a fascinating record of how films were presented to Japanese audiences.