The Brotherhood (1968 film)
Encyclopedia
The Brotherhood is a 1968
crime drama film, directed by Martin Ritt
. It stars Kirk Douglas
, Irene Papas
, Alex Cord
, and Luther Adler
. The script was by Lewis John Carlino
.
Released by Paramount Pictures
, the film bombed at the box office, with Paramount deciding not to do another gangster film until it made The Godfather
four years later.
The son of a powerful Mafia
don comes home from his army service in Vietnam
and wants to lead his own life, but family tradition, intrigues and powerplays involving his older brother dictate otherwise, and he finds himself being slowly drawn back into that world.
by plane. A taxi driver at the airport immediately gets word to Frank Ginetta, who hides, armed with a gun, until he realizes that the visitor he's been warned about is actually his kid brother, Vinnie.
Frank happily welcomes his brother and takes him home, catching up on old times. But his wife, Ida, reminds him that "they're going to send someone," suggesting that perhaps Vinnie is the one.
In a flashback, Frank recalls better times in New York
, beginning with Vinnie's homecoming from military service and subsequent marriage to Emma Bertolo. The father of the bride, Dominick Bertolo, is a Mafia don, as is the groom's brother, Frank. And among those paying their respects as guests at the wedding are mob leaders like Egan, Rotherman and Levin, who are the equals of Frank and Dominick in the New York region's organized crime.
The board is increasingly unhappy with Frank, who seems to oppose every new idea. Frank also dispenses justice on his own, without seeking approval from the others, as when two of his hitmen kill a stool pigeon in the marshes, tying him to a chair with a canary stuffed in his mouth.
Frank still fondly remembers his father, who also was a Mafioso before someone in the organization ordered his death. Vinnie is more of a businessman and sides with the other board members in ventures they intend to pursue. Frank resents this, striking Vinnie for defying him and insisting to the board that Vinnie will have no part in what they have planned.
Older, no longer consulted members of the organization make it clear to Frank that it was Dom Bertolo who gave the orders long ago to kill 21 of their Italian brethren, Frank's father included, as he seized power. When it becomes clear that the board is planning a similar fate for him, Frank takes irreversible action. He pretends to befriend Dominick and offer a truce, when in reality he is taking him to a deserted warehouse to be executed.
Frank hides out in Sicily
, but knows his days are numbered. Realizing that it is Vinnie who has been sent by Egan to do the job, Frank accepts his fate, hands Vinnie their father's shotgun, then is killed by his own brother.
1968 in film
The year 1968 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 30 - The film The Lion in Winter, starring Katharine Hepburn, debuts.* November 1 - The MPAA's film rating system is introduced.-Top grossing films :- Awards :...
crime drama film, directed by Martin Ritt
Martin Ritt
Martin Ritt was an American director, actor, and playwright who worked in both film and theater. He was born in New York City.-Early career and influences:...
. It stars Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
, Irene Papas
Irene Papas
Irene Papas is a Greek actress and occasional singer, who has starred in over seventy films in a career spanning more than fifty years.-Life:...
, Alex Cord
Alex Cord
Alex Cord is an American actor who is perhaps best known for portraying the role of Archangel on the television series Airwolf.-Biography:...
, and Luther Adler
Luther Adler
Luther Adler was an American actor best known for his work in theatre, but who also worked in film and television. He also directed plays on Broadway.-Life and career:...
. The script was by Lewis John Carlino
Lewis John Carlino
Lewis John Carlino is best known as the director of The Great Santini starring Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner and Michael O'Keefe. He has worked as a director and screenwriter on a number of movies during a career which has spanned five decades and includes such works as The Fox, The Brotherhood,I...
.
Released by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, the film bombed at the box office, with Paramount deciding not to do another gangster film until it made The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
four years later.
The son of a powerful Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
don comes home from his army service in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and wants to lead his own life, but family tradition, intrigues and powerplays involving his older brother dictate otherwise, and he finds himself being slowly drawn back into that world.
Plot
A young American man arrives in PalermoPalermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
by plane. A taxi driver at the airport immediately gets word to Frank Ginetta, who hides, armed with a gun, until he realizes that the visitor he's been warned about is actually his kid brother, Vinnie.
Frank happily welcomes his brother and takes him home, catching up on old times. But his wife, Ida, reminds him that "they're going to send someone," suggesting that perhaps Vinnie is the one.
In a flashback, Frank recalls better times in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, beginning with Vinnie's homecoming from military service and subsequent marriage to Emma Bertolo. The father of the bride, Dominick Bertolo, is a Mafia don, as is the groom's brother, Frank. And among those paying their respects as guests at the wedding are mob leaders like Egan, Rotherman and Levin, who are the equals of Frank and Dominick in the New York region's organized crime.
The board is increasingly unhappy with Frank, who seems to oppose every new idea. Frank also dispenses justice on his own, without seeking approval from the others, as when two of his hitmen kill a stool pigeon in the marshes, tying him to a chair with a canary stuffed in his mouth.
Frank still fondly remembers his father, who also was a Mafioso before someone in the organization ordered his death. Vinnie is more of a businessman and sides with the other board members in ventures they intend to pursue. Frank resents this, striking Vinnie for defying him and insisting to the board that Vinnie will have no part in what they have planned.
Older, no longer consulted members of the organization make it clear to Frank that it was Dom Bertolo who gave the orders long ago to kill 21 of their Italian brethren, Frank's father included, as he seized power. When it becomes clear that the board is planning a similar fate for him, Frank takes irreversible action. He pretends to befriend Dominick and offer a truce, when in reality he is taking him to a deserted warehouse to be executed.
Frank hides out in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, but knows his days are numbered. Realizing that it is Vinnie who has been sent by Egan to do the job, Frank accepts his fate, hands Vinnie their father's shotgun, then is killed by his own brother.
Cast
- Kirk DouglasKirk DouglasKirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
as Frank Ginetta - Alex CordAlex CordAlex Cord is an American actor who is perhaps best known for portraying the role of Archangel on the television series Airwolf.-Biography:...
as Vince Ginetta - Irene PapasIrene PapasIrene Papas is a Greek actress and occasional singer, who has starred in over seventy films in a career spanning more than fifty years.-Life:...
as Ida Ginetta - Luther AdlerLuther AdlerLuther Adler was an American actor best known for his work in theatre, but who also worked in film and television. He also directed plays on Broadway.-Life and career:...
as Dominick Bertolo - Susan StrasbergSusan StrasbergSusan Elizabeth Strasberg was an American film and stage actress.-Background and career:Strasberg was born in New York City, New York, the daughter of theatre director and drama coach Lee Strasberg of the Actors Studio and former actress Paula Strasberg...
as Emma Ginetta - Murray HamiltonMurray HamiltonMurray Hamilton was an American stage, screen, and television actor who appeared in such memorable films as The Hustler, The Graduate and Jaws.-Early life:...
as Jim Egan - Val AveryVal AveryVal Avery was an American character actor who appeared in hundreds of movies and television shows since the 1950s. In a career that spanned 50 years, Avery appeared in over 100 films and had appearances in over 300 television series.-Early life:Avery was born in Philadelphia...
as Rotherman - Alan HewittAlan HewittAlan Hewitt was an American film, television and stage actor.He never became a major star, but he did have a lengthy career which included smaller parts in several well-known programs, including Daktari, I Dream Of Jeannie, Dr...
as Sol Levin