The Brotherhood **** (1968, Kirk Douglas, Alex Cord, Irene Papas, Luther Adler, Susan Strasberg, Murray Hamilton, Eduardo Ciannelli, Joe De Santiis) – Classic Movie Review 11,229

Director Martin Ritt’s 1968 crime thriller The Brotherhood stars Kirk Douglas as Frank Ginetta, a traditional gangster boss, a Mafia don who takes his younger brother Vince (Alex Cord) into the Mafia with tragic results.

This gripping, realist noir-style mob saga was made four years before The Godfather, and paid the price for its trailblazing by being only a modest success at the box-office. Unlike that epic film, this one is only 96 minutes.

Lewis John Carlino provides a powerful screenplay and Ritt directs with due care and attention both to his sterling story and to his fine actors, who give impressive performances.

The Brotherhood is an adult-themed movie for grown-ups, but the lack of much overt violence told against it at the box-office. Boris Kaufman and Frank Bracht’s Technicolor cinematography, Lalo Schifrin’s score and Tambi Larsen’s production designs are outstanding.

It also stars Luther Adler, Irene Papas, Susan Strasberg, Murray Hamilton, Eduardo Ciannelli, Joe De Santiis, Connie Scott, Val Avery and Barry Primus, with Alan Hewitt, Val Bisoglio, Michele Cimarosa, Louis Badolati, Anthony Marciona and Margot Stevenson.

It is shot at Filmways Studios, 246 East 127th Street, East Harlem, Manhattan, and in Palermo, Sicily.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,229

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