The Don Is Dead ** (1973, Anthony Quinn, Frederic Forrest, Robert Forster, Al Lettieri, Angel Tompkins, Charles Cioffi) – Classic Movie Review 8590

‘In the Fall of 1971, Don Angelo DiMorra began an innocent affair with a beautiful woman. It started the bloodiest carnival of murder in the history of American crime.’

Frederic Forrest and Al Lettieri star as drug-dealing gangsters Tony and Vince Fargo, who break with the mob when Don Angelo DiMorra (Anthony Quinn) is elected new Mafia boss, then Quinn and his underling Forster fight over the affections of singer Ruby Dunne (Angel Tomkins), in director Richard Fleischer’s gory, routine 1973 mob action thriller The Don Is Dead.

A handsomely produced film does have some powerful moments though, and The Don Is Dead is lifted by the vigour in both the performances and the direction, with classy cinematography by Richard H Kline and a strong score by Jerry Goldsmith.

The main problem is the unpersuasive, lackadaisical and frankly unappealing script by Marvin H Albert adapting his own novel as screenplay writer. Writers Michael Butler and Christopher Trumbo are credited for adaptation in their first produced cinema movie screenplay.

Also in the cast are Robert Forster, Charles Cioffi, Jo Anne Meredith, J Duke Russo [Barry Russo], Louis Zorich, Joe Santos, Ina Balin, Frank DeKova, Victor Argo, Anthony Charnota and Abe Vigoda.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8590

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