You cannot truly enjoy Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" with Marlon Brando and Al Pacino unless you've seen Martin Ritt's "The Brotherhood" with Kirk Douglas and Alex Cord. Ritt's saga about La Cosa Nostra lacks the scope and spectacle of "The Godfather," but it touches all the traditional bases for an Italian crime thriller. Kirk Douglas is an old-fashioned Mafioso named Frank Ginetta and he refuses to change with the times. Alex Cord plays Kirk's brother Vince who has survived a tour of Vietnam with the U.S. Army. Unlike Al Pacino ex-G.I., Vince knows he must get into the family business. He explains that he is too old and it's been too long since his college days. He wants into the business and Frank couldn't be happier. Initially, all Vince does is review business deals. Eventually, Frank finds out that the board that he is a part of plans to expand. Frank worries about this change. He worries about the repercussions of the deal and he fears the government. Frank is traditional and likes to hang out with the old mafia types. These types were the company that his father kept. Frank discovers that one of the board member is a canary. Earlier, in the first display of violence, Frank ordered the murder of a canary. Moreover, Frank learns that this canary was responsible for the death of his dad. Later, Vince questions Frank's decision about these new interests. As it turns out, Vince's father-in-law is a member of the board on which Frank serves with other business-minded people. When the feces hits the fan, everybody is into conflict, and blood isn't thicker than business.
Despite several similarities, "The Brotherhood" differs. Whereas Brando refused to traffic in narcotics, Douglas doesn't want anything to do with electronics. Whereas Pacino didn't want to be in the business, Cord asks to be in the business. "The Godfather" cannot match the climax when brother turns on brother. Nevertheless, "The Godfather" boasts more violence and characters in a narrative that occurs over decades. "The Brotherhood" is really the last reel in "The Godfather." Vince commits an unpardonable crime against the board and flees to the safety of Sicily. Frank knows it is only a matter of time before the board dispatches somebody to ice him. When his brother Vince shows up in the old country to visit Frank, Frank welcomes him with open arms and assure everybody, including his suspicious wife that Vince isn't going to kill him.
Kirk Douglas makes a convincing mafia don, and Alex Cord looks like he could be Douglas' kin. Director Martin Ritt takes the subject matter of Louis John Carlino's screenplay with sobriety. The body count of "The Brotherhood" amounts to three. The canary dies in an isolated field. Later, Douglas kills more out of revenge. Finally, his younger brother Vincent carries out an underworld rite of passage. Basically, "The Brotherhood" doesn't wallow in one bloodbath after another. Ritt puts his first-rate through the paces in 94 minutes without let-up, but half of the time nothing exciting happens. The dialogue is largely forgettable, but the situations are genre conventions. Unfortunately, too much talking takes place when more shooting should have rung out. Ritt treats the subject matter as if he were making a crime version of "Death of a Salesman." Lalo Schifrin contributes a fine orchestral score. Part of the action is told in flashback. "The Brotherhood" is a dignified crime drama without a surfeit of violence.
Despite several similarities, "The Brotherhood" differs. Whereas Brando refused to traffic in narcotics, Douglas doesn't want anything to do with electronics. Whereas Pacino didn't want to be in the business, Cord asks to be in the business. "The Godfather" cannot match the climax when brother turns on brother. Nevertheless, "The Godfather" boasts more violence and characters in a narrative that occurs over decades. "The Brotherhood" is really the last reel in "The Godfather." Vince commits an unpardonable crime against the board and flees to the safety of Sicily. Frank knows it is only a matter of time before the board dispatches somebody to ice him. When his brother Vince shows up in the old country to visit Frank, Frank welcomes him with open arms and assure everybody, including his suspicious wife that Vince isn't going to kill him.
Kirk Douglas makes a convincing mafia don, and Alex Cord looks like he could be Douglas' kin. Director Martin Ritt takes the subject matter of Louis John Carlino's screenplay with sobriety. The body count of "The Brotherhood" amounts to three. The canary dies in an isolated field. Later, Douglas kills more out of revenge. Finally, his younger brother Vincent carries out an underworld rite of passage. Basically, "The Brotherhood" doesn't wallow in one bloodbath after another. Ritt puts his first-rate through the paces in 94 minutes without let-up, but half of the time nothing exciting happens. The dialogue is largely forgettable, but the situations are genre conventions. Unfortunately, too much talking takes place when more shooting should have rung out. Ritt treats the subject matter as if he were making a crime version of "Death of a Salesman." Lalo Schifrin contributes a fine orchestral score. Part of the action is told in flashback. "The Brotherhood" is a dignified crime drama without a surfeit of violence.