The Brothers Rico

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Audience Member As pointed out by TCM's Eddie Mueller, the Hollywood sanitization of the original story, Georges Simenon's novel Les frères Rico, whitewashes the story of much of its grit. What remains is a solid lead performance by Richard Conte and not much else. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member To me, Richard Conte seems the epitome of the noir villain, probably due to his evil role as the crime boss in The Big Combo (1955). So, when he shows up as a mob accountant turned small business man named Eddie Rico, you aren't quite sure where he stands. As it turns out, he's on the straight-and-narrow - but his younger brothers are still involved with the mob. And when a once-fatherly mob kingpin asks Eddie to find his brothers (who have gone missing) so that they can be "protected", Eddie naively helps out (persuading his aging mum to tell what she knows). Of course, mob kingpins are never that generous and nefarious ulterior motives soon appear; Eddie's safe family life (he and his wife are about to adopt a child) is soon jeopardised. Director Phil Karlson doesn't do anything fancy visually with the material (and Martin Scorsese notes this in his introduction to the film, arguing that this makes it come across tougher); but he's an old hand at noir and it shows (previous films include Scandal Sheet, 1952; Kansas City Confidential, 1952; 99 River Street, 1953; and The Phenix City Story, 1955). This isn't top tier but it's solid. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member An entertaining film noir as the genre was nearing its end. Here we had a look at the gangster-mob life from a different perspective. Richard Conte plays Eddie Rico who worked for his uncle Kubik. The film begins with an ominous phone call as Eddie is told he needs to take in a mob member who is hiding from the justice. Eddie complies although he wishes to not get involved. He is currently trying to adopt a child with his wife. Eddie is called out by Kubik to find their missing brother Johnny. When Eddie runs into his brothers Gino and Johnny, he tells them to trust the mob and follow their instructions. Eddie believes that fidelity is still a virtue among the mob bosses. He is committed to the cause and will do anything to make sure his brothers continue to survive. As a noir, it moves from Florida to New York to Phoenix and California, becoming one of the few national noirs (there is none I can think of right now). The film is shot in a minimalist fashion. Most of the sound is diegetic based on the scenes on screen. On several occasions, melodramatic music plays which actually tones down the suspense, but clearly it is a tool used by the director to deprive the viewer of expected non-diegetic music. Richard Conte and his wife are very playful in the early scenes and risqué for the period as they engage playfully in the bathroom. As a mob movie with an Italian background, it continues the early gangster movies but takes the angle of the people down the line who are at the mercy of those at the top. The Brothers Rico is worthwhile as an entertaining movie if you like film-noir and tracing the developments of gangster films. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member a good crime noir movie from 1957. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Pretty good crime drama...with a weak plot--Wheeeeer's Johnny!! Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member good mob story but noir to me Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Brothers Rico

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