Brother Orchid
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Movie Reviews of Brother Orchid
Movie Review: Brother Orchid
Summary: 5 Stars
Not your ordinary gangster flick. Brother Orchid adds to the suspense of the gang-land era of the twenties and early thirties with a touch of humor and irony. For a gangster looking for class in the world to find it where he least expects it, is the epitomy of twists. To show all of us ultimately that what the world calls class, is but a cheap imitation.Movie Review: Calibrator
Summary: 5 Stars
Great movie, Robinson's light "gangsta comedy" is a relief to the hard boiled, realizm of the serious gansgter films of the 30's. Well written, the ususal cast of character acters of films of that era added so much more to the films which they appeared in.Movie Review: Surprisingly Good
Summary: 4 Stars
I first saw this film on Television and liked it so much I had to order it on DVD. First, let me say that I was not prepared for the story line or the ending at all. I had expected the usual gangster genre faire of violence, sultry molls and cops, only to find this gangster flick with all of these elements and a good deal more. The story starts out with John Sarto (EGR) as a smart and fast-talking gangster boss who gets fed up with his life after his organization takes an especially violent turn. He quits and decides to spend his time and money pursuing something he had always wanted. Sarto travels the world but eventually comes back intending to resume his place as head of the organization. Instead he finds himself out in the cold by his former associates and their new boss, Humphrey Bogart. Broke and with no one to turn to except his girlfriend and a few former alliances, Sarto sets out to build a new organization from scratch using the brain and brawn that served him so well in the past. Things seem to be going well until he is betrayed and barely escapes with his life. Injured and broke, Sarto finds himself inside a Monastery where some well-meaning Monks have taken him into their care. This is where the real fun begins. I especially love the scene where he first opens his eyes inside the Monastery. The Monks in the Monastery are portrayed beautifully as men of God who live in humble and meager surroundings, raising flowers to sell at the market place in town in order to help out the needy. The Monks take in Sarto with the intention of simply nursing him back to health but Sarto sees an opportunity to use the Monastery as a hide-out until things cool off in the outside world. The scenes in the Monastery are hilarious as Sarto sets about wheeling and dealing his way into the "Saps" favor, taking full advantage of their good nature and eagerness to accept him on face value. But as his stay progresses, Sarto gets more than he bargained for when he begins to earn the respect and admiration of the Monks while learning a few lessons about life himself. A chance glance at a newspaper unravels his stint as "Brother Orchid" and sets Sarto on yet another path, this time involving his former girlfriend. I won't go any farther except to say that the film had me in tears at the end with a great sentimental scene. My only problem with the film is that, like another poster commented, it takes too long to get to the scenes in the Monastery which are priceless. EGR gives one of his best and most heart-warming performances. Ann Southern is effective as Sarto's long suffering and faithful girlfriend, with Humphrey Bogart giving a surprisingly uninspiring portrayal of a gangster boss. Ralph Bellamy is on cue as the naive, good-natured and well-mannered wealthy Texan alfalfa farmer, who is always ready for a good brawl. The Monks are played with less character depth than I would have liked but they certainly give acceptable performances, and easily offset Sarto's underhanded and clever persona. I found the film to be very entertaining and poignant. The message of the film hasn't diminished with time. I highly recommend Brother Orchid for all EGR fans and for anyone looking for an entertaining film.Movie Review: "But you can't change a guy overnight. I'm such a mug that was taught to look for angles"...E.G. Robinson
Summary: 4 Stars
Warner Bros. Pictures presents "BROTHER ORCHID" (1940) (88 min/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Starring Edward G. Robinson, Ann Sothern, Humphrey Bogart, Donald Crisp, Ralph Bellamy, Allen Jenkins, Charles D. Brown & Cecil Kellaway
Directed by Lloyd Bacon
While set in a film-noir world, Brother Orchid is an enchanting lesson about how the simple things in life are the best. Robinson plays a gangster chief who quits the mob to undertake a long and financially ruinous Grand Tour of Europe. Returning to the U.S. he is astounded to discover that he can't pick up the reins he once held firmly and that his former under boss, Bogart, wants him out of the way - permanently. Bogart's talent is not very much on display in this movie.
Ann Sothern is terrific as Robinson's "fiancée," a gang moll waiting long and patiently for the march to the altar. Ralph Bellamy is amusing as a Western rancher who exudes a patience and understanding more often associated with saints than cowboys. Ann Sothern as Edward G's girlfriend steals the film in whatever scene she's in.
As Robinson remarks in the final scene, "I always thought class came with having the right clothes or the right car. But this--this is the REAL class!"
Robinson and Bogart made a total of five films together, with Robinson getting top billing in all but 1948's "Key Largo". The others include "Bullets or Ballots" (1936), "Kid Galahad" (1937), and "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" (1938). "Brother Orchid" was the only film in which Ann Sothern appeared with either Bogey or Robinson. For fans of any of these actors, or of classic films of the 1930's and 40's, all of the above films are highly recommended.
BIOS:
1. Lloyd Bacon [aka: Lloyd Francis Bacon]
Date of Birth: 4 December 1889 - San Jose, California
Date of Death: 15 November 1955 - Burbank, California
2. Edward G. Robinson [aka: Emmanuel Goldenberg]
Date of Birth: 12 December 1893 - Bucharest, Romania
Date of Death: 26 January 1973 - Hollywood, California
3. Ann Sothern [aka: Harriette Arlene Lake]
Date of Birth: 22 January 1909 - Valley City, North Dakota
Date of Death: 15 March 2001 - Ketchum, Idaho
4. Humphrey Bogart
Date of Birth: 25 December 1899 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 14 January 1957 - Los Angeles, California
Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 4 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]
Total Time: 88 min on DVD ~ Warner Bros. Pictures ~ (03/25/2008)
Movie Review: Insurance for Flower Merchants
Summary: 4 Stars
In the depression years there was a tendency even in hollywood to show some people involved in gangster activity as nice guys caught up in criminal behavior because of poverty.
From a moral standpoint, this is ridiculous. Yet, this relic from the era attempts to show that a gangster can become good and is very effective.
One of the best sections of this movie is when Robinson goes to Europe seeking "class" and discovers swindlers more clever than he ever was. He is hoodwinked on deals for the largest diamond in the world that turns out to be a door knob, to an antique bed that turns out to have been made recently in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Returning to America broke, he seeks out his old protective association job only to discover that Bogart won't let him back. He is eventually "taken for a ride" but survives to be rescued by monks in a cloisteral existence inside the walls of a monastery. What luck!
He then becomes "Brother Orchid" using his savy as a cheat to fool the brothers in minor jobs here and there. Eventually Bogart's protective association even interferes with the attempts by the brotherhood to sell their flowers. Robinson returns to his former gangster life to clean up the problem because he genuinely cares about the honesty of the brotherhood. In this he is successful and well, all's well that ends well.
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