Interesteg What makes it different from others?

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

Maidexpl Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

calvinnme This is a Mafia drama about, among other things, conflict between some heads of the organization wanting to behave on the surface like a respectable modern business, as opposed to another who is ready to resort on occasion to "the old ways" of brutality and violence with opponents.This film died a quick death at the 1968 box office, becoming enough of a concern that some Paramount executives were worried about spending the big bucks on a film adaption of Puzo's The Godfather a few years later. The Francis Ford Coppola film, of course, was a huge hit which has gone on to become a film legend, while The Brotherhood is pretty much forgotten today.But this earlier Martin Ritt directed Mafia exploration, while lacking the drama and epic quality of the Coppola film, still has some things to recommend it. Kirk Douglas is solid as one of the heads of a Mafia syndicate in conflict with other heads of that organization as to how to deal with "finks," as Douglas calls them. The other heads want to stay out of the headlines as much as possible. They also want to expand the business in ways that the more cautious Douglas doesn't like.The Brotherhood precedes The Godfather by having a big marriage sequence in which all members of the family and old members of the Mafia gather for a festive occasion. Douglas plays the gracious host, and is full of ebullience and charm. At one point, though, he takes a few seconds to talk to two torpedoes who have just returned from having Douglas that is the highlight of the production. For reasons of plot giveaways I can't reveal the contents of this tense sequence. Suffice it to say, if the film had had one or two other scenes as potent as this one The Brotherhood might be better remembered today.A minor crime drama, in the final analysis, one distinguished by some good performances, and that gripping scene between Douglas and Adler. made a hit for him. Reassured from them that all went well, Douglas is immediately back to the smiles and charm as party host.Cast in the role of Douglas's younger brother who wants into the organization is Alex Cord. I'm tempted to call him Alex Cord of Wood because that would best sum up his performance. If ever there was a contrast in what is and is not charismatic on screen it would be a comparison between Cord and Douglas.Irene Papas, playing Douglas's wife, is largely wasted in the film, I'm sorry to say. However, playing an old time Mafioso big boss that Douglas respects is Hollywood veteran Eduardo Ciannelli, and Ciannelli is terrific in his part, with one scene that is quite riveting. It's nice to see the character actor with an opportunity to still strut his stuff in a role that was ideal casting for him (you might regard it as the character that he had played in 1937's Marked Woman thirty years before).Also impressive in this drama is Luther Adler as one of the heads of the Mafia. Luther will play a very strong scene in this film with Douglas that is the highlight of the production. For reasons of plot giveaways I can't reveal the contents of this tense sequence. Suffice it to say, if the film had had one or two other scenes as potent as this one The Brotherhood might be better remembered today.In the final analysis, this is a minor crime drama, one distinguished by some good performances, and that gripping scene between Douglas and Adler.

Michael_Elliott Brotherhood, The (1968) *** (out of 4) Calm but effective tale of Mafia boss Frank Ginetta (Kirk Douglas) who welcomes his younger brother Vince (Alex Cord) into the "family" but soon the two are at odds. Frank, being of an old school, wants to keep old traditions while Vince wants to move ahead and try new things. Soon Frank starts to battle the heads of the other families trying to get his way. THE BROTHERHOOD was apparently a disaster when it was first released and legend has it that this is the film that made Paramount nervous about giving money for THE GODFATHER. Whether or not that legend is true is beyond me but I think it's fair to say that had THE GODFATHER not been a hit and become known as one of the greatest films ever made then perhaps this 1968 movie might have gained a cult following over time. As it is, THE BROTHERHOOD has pretty much been forgotten over time and that's a shame because it's actually a pretty good movie. I think the film's weakest parts are the opening thirty-minutes or so as we get a few flashbacks and at times they don't make too much since. I think director Martin Ritt loses the story at times and a lot of this is due to some rather silly moments where we're being introduced to the mob and the lifestyle. These early scenes really don't add up to much and I think the screenplay also suffers at building up Frank's character. It's never quite clear what type of leader he is and it's never made clear whether we're supposed to be with him or against him. This changes once the real story kicks into place and that's pretty much your typical brother vs. brother thing that we've seen countless times in the past. This aspect of the story is probably the most unoriginal but it's where all the drama comes from and at times this drama is very high. I thought the second half of the film is where Douglas really came to life as well. Once he character starts to crack under all the pressure is when things really started to heat up and this includes Douglas who finally becomes very menacing. I really loved the way Douglas played the old tradition while being at odds with the new stuff in the family. Cord is also very good in his supporting role as is Murray Hamilton, Susan Strasberg, Luther Adler and Irene Papas. While watching the film you can't help but see a minor influence on the Coppola film but also there are a few bits and pieces in Martin Scorsese's GOODFELLAS. There are a couple extremely memorable moments including a "joke" that Douglas tells before carrying out a hit. Then, when we see this hit, it's quite disturbing to watch and even more shocking is that it's done without gore, blood or even much violence. The ending, which you'll see coming, is also done in a very nice way as there's an added twist that is very effective. THE BROTHERHOOD has many flaws but it's still worth viewing and even if you find it starting pretty slow, just stick in there and you'll be rewarded.

John T. Ryan PREDATING the Mario Puzo tale of Mafiosi in immediate Post World War II NYC by over four years, THE BROTHERHOOD (The Brotherhood Company/Paramount Pictures Company, 1968) was a great example of the underworld life, every bit bas good as THE GODFATHER (Paramount Pictures, 1972) It did not compare to the latter in respect to its stature and epic standards, but nonetheless it has the proper spirit and twisting storyline to make it ever so engaging.TOLD in flashback from the point of view of Frank Ginetta (Kirk Douglas), the elder and prominent Underworld Mob Boss and Vince Ginetta (Alex Cord) the younger and much less criminally involved of the family. Frank has returned to the land of his ancestors, being in Sicily in current times; being 1968, when the film was made.BOLDLY the scene returns to NYC several years earlier, where Frank Ginetta is celebrating at the Wedding of his younger brother, Vince. Shortly thereafter, he is confronted by a couple of old line Mafiosi or "Mustached Joes"; being Sicilian born, transplanted to the New World. The two men, Don Peppino (Eduardo Cianelli) and Pietro Rizzi (Joe DeSantis) have information about certain now High-Ranking Mafia Bosses had been instrumental in having many a Sicilian born mobster killed years earlier.* One of the victims was the Ginetta Boys Father.Further complicating matters is the revelation that the main informant was the now Mob Boss, Dominic Bertolo (Luther Adler), who's Daughter, Emma (Susan Strasberg) has just married Vince Ginetta (Alex Cord) in a sort of Royal Underworld Wedding and a securing a veritable political alliance at the same time.BEING a highly traditional type, Frank knows that it is his Sacred Duty to avenge this foul deed; so with Pietro Rizzi (Joe De Santis, again) acting as his chauffeur, Frank lures Dominic into a trap. Following an impromptu luncheon, Frank relates some amusing "war stories" from the "Old Days"; after which he confronted him with being the informer of those long days ago. With the help of Pietro Rizzi, he binds the hands of Bertolo and rig a neck to feet over the back rope, which slowly strangles the victim as his strength is ebbed away with his impossibly successful struggling.AS the doomed Bertolo lies struggling, unquestionably facing the eventual fate that Frank has decreed him, the elder Ginetta reads the names of the slain who the bound and gagged gangster-chieftain had condemned.MAKING the traditionalist Ginetta the obviously prime suspect is the fact that he uses so many of the old-line signs and symbols of intentional "hits"; such as his favourite of shoving a dead canary into the mouth of the "fink", leaving no doubt as to the reason for the murder.FLEEING to Sicily, among many relatives, Frank and Mrs. Ida Ginetta (Irene Pappas) are in a seemingly endless Mediterranean vacation, when Brother Vince suddenly shows up in Sicily. The revelation doesn't upset Frank any, but it obvious that there's some major event by the expression on Ida's countenance.MEETING the younger Brother and Junior Partner in their Construction Company at the Palermo Airport, Frank takes Vince to lodging among relatives and talks of tradition and its relevancy to today's world. Drinking Wine together and walking out into the Sicilian hills, Frank hands a Sicilian shotgun to his younger brother; imploring him to shoot, saying' "Go ahead, shoot! They got you by the throat!" THE 'they' referred to in Frank Ginetta's dying declaration were the modern day Crime Syndicate's Bosses, who demand that the Bertolo Slaying must be avenged by the younger Ginetta Brother.THE BROTHERHOOD in addition to being a work of fictional gangs and mobsters, is maybe the first to emphasize the multi-ethnic make-up of the modern American Underworld. Gangsters of Irish Ancestry such as Jim Egan (Murray Hamilton), Jewish like Jake Rotherman (Val Avery) and others are present and prominent from the earliest of scenes in the Picture; emphatically underscoring that the Italian Mobster is far from being alone in the Nation's Underworld.MAKING the one point crystal clear, that the make-up of the Crime Syndicate in modern days is far from being populated strictly with Italian hoods; but rather it is a sort of League of Nations. It is one that has a large number of ethnicities on its long list; being an ever growing roster of organized crime.NOTE: * This event of many multiple executions of the "old line" gangsters is referred to in Urban Legend as "the Night of the Sicilian Vespers." There are two sides to the argument, with both great numbers of believers and just as many detractors who believe that the Sicilian Vespers never occurred.POODLE SCHNITZ!!

dbdumonteil This Martin Ritt work,which is not among his best (Hombre,Hud,etc) ,features a prologue and an epilogue,which take place in Sicily(but a studio Sicily as the final cast and credits says);two short bits which frame an endless flashback which explains(?) why Vince (Cord) must(!) kill brother Kirk.This long hour features the de rigueur mafioso -the good(?) and the bad ones-,the obligatory wedding scene ,proud family chronicles ,etc etc etc:plus ça change..It's too bad Ritt did not focus his story on Sicily ,a Sicily he should have filmed on location instead .The only good scenes are the final ones ,and Irene Papas could have added a Greek tragedy touch ,hadn't her part been so underwritten.Some will find here roots of "the godfather" ,but I would go as far as saying that it questions the hitherto excellence of the Coppola movie.Its eternal triumph (with an obnoxious subject) leaves me with a bitter taste in the mouth.As for Martin Ritt,there are plenty of estimable works to choose.Avoid this.