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13 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Oddball Movie, But Intriguing, 20 April 2006 Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States
Here's an odd Edward G. Robinson picture. It has the unusual combination of crime, humor, drama and romance - a real mixed bag - and Robinson pretending he's a monk!It's billed as a crime story but it's more of a comedy. There are lots of snappy lines and expressions of the day, most provided by Robinson, a hoodlum type who winds up in a "floral" monastery (the monks grew and sold flowers).This has a good cast with Ann Southern, Humphrey Bogart, Ralph Bellamy, Donald Crisp and Allen Jenkins all contributing. Bellamy was so young I didn't recognize him, only through his distinctive voice.The first time I watched this I thought it was pretty good. Perhaps it was just more of a curiosity piece, because I really got bored with it on the second look. When it came out on DVD, I gave it a third chance and really liked it. Go figure.
8 out of 11 people found the following review useful: Incorrect Information, 24 August 2006 Author: jebucur from United States
I do wish when individuals watch a movie that they get the person who says the lines correct. It is not Donald Crisp that makes the comments about the watermelon to Edward G. Robinson. Donald Crisp as Brother Superior is walking the young boy out of the room after giving him $2.00 for shoes. The other two monks make the comments to Robinson about not liking watermelon and then Robinson says "I get it." Now that that is out of the way, this is an excellent movie with a cast of characters that will later go on to become major stars i.e.-Humphrey Bogar and Ralph Bellamy. There are also plenty of strong character actors in this wonderful movie such as Allen Jenkins and Cecil Kellaway.
8 out of 11 people found the following review useful: Brother Johnny Sarto, 26 August 2004 Author: jotix100 from New York
This is a delightful comedy with film noir overtones, directed with great assurance by Lloyd Bacon. Viewing it after 64 years since it's original release, it still brings great satisfaction to anyone who is looking for a movie without pretensions, but one with a powerful message about how we get sidetracked in the pursuit of accomplishment, acceptance and being decent to everyone we encounter.The great Edward G. Robinson makes this picture come alive. He was an actor whose presence overshadowed everything else around him. His Johnny Sarto, a man who is into rackets, has had it and decides to go straight and to things that he considers will give him "class". Alas, he discovers in the process that what he takes for class and polish his nothing of what he thought it would be.Johnny discovers, perhaps too late, that whatever he was aiming for doesn't give him any satisfaction. Being drawn into the monastery, for the wrong reasons, he learns from the monks a thing, or two, about humility, charity and fulfillment. It is at this point when Johnny realizes he has finally achieved the class he was looking for in the wrong places.Excellent appearances in the film by Ann Sothern, Ralph Bellamy, Donald Crisp and Allen Jenkins make this gem of a movie worth watching. Humphrey Bogart plays a minor role.
10 out of 15 people found the following review useful: A Walk on the Gentle Side, 14 April 2003 Author: arion1 from Livermore, CA
Edward G. Robinson shines in this unusual picture about Johnny Sarto, a mob boss who's greatest desire is to live in "real class"--a goal shared by so many self-made men. After making his fortune in the rackets, he departs for Europe, to live high on the hog and enjoy the first-class life. But, at every turn, it eludes him.Out of money, he returns to his native land, to find his #2 man (Humphrey Bogart) has usurped his position, and is willing to kill to keep it. Wounded and on the lam, he winds up at a monastery, where he is nursed back to health.Amongst the servants of God, he is tutored in the gentle arts of sharing and self-sacrifice. In one touching moment, the brothers are elated that the sales of their flowers will earn them a little extra money to buy a watermelon for dessert. A moment later, when the same money is spent to buy shoes for a local child, Sarto asks about the expected watermelon. "Watermelon?" Brother Superior (Donald Crisp) says in shock, "I never developed a taste for it!" Sarto (Robinson) slowly smiles, "I get it...".Lured back to his old life by a newspaper headline detailing his fiancee (Ann Sothern)'s betrothal to a Texas cowboy (Ralph Bellamy) Robinson sets matters straight, and shows much of the same self-sacrifice he has learned in his 'retirement'. In one touching scene, he gives all of his money to cleaning woman and walks away without a cent to his name.It's easy--and incorrect--to see this as a 'gangster movie' when the real purpose is to show the value of good works. While set in a film-noir world, Brother Orchid is an enchanting lesson about how the simple things in life are the best. 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!"
4 out of 5 people found the following review useful: "From now on, I'm going after the two things I've always wanted most, good taste and refinement.", 16 January 2005 Author: classicsoncall from United States
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Defying classification, "Brother Orchid" contains elements of film noir, gangster movies, and comedy, and showcases Edward G. Robinson as a mobster who quits the rackets because his tastes have outgrown them. It's a premise that walks a tightrope throughout the picture, and has Little John Sarto (Robinson) alternately swaying between his gangster life and a dreamy vision that may or may not be fulfilled.Although an entertaining enough film, I had difficulty in accepting Sarto's all or nothing approach to each of his mid stream course corrections. At the outset, when turning over the gang to his second in command Jack Buck (Humphrey Bogart), Sarto convincingly claims it's for good. But to leave his girlfriend Flo Addams (Ann Sothern) behind as he squanders his fortune in the capitals of Europe seems a bit overboard; for Flo to keep the romance alive even as she rises from hat check girl to owning the Crescent Club is even more of a stretch. Especially when a reasonably handsome and urbane suitor like Clarence Fletcher (Ralph Bellamy) comes along. Fletcher is charming without being pushy and seems more than a romantic match for Flo, considering her treatment by the almost repulsive behavior of Johnny.What does bring life to the film is the snappy, staccato one liners delivered by Sarto, often so glib that this viewer caught the full nuance well into the next scene. Then you have the colorful names of Sarto's cohorts - Mugsy, Philadelphia, Crack and Willie the Knife. Willie in particular is well portrayed by essential character actor Allen Jenkins, one of the few mugs who stayed loyal to Little John, even as he faked his way into a mental asylum during Johnny's hiatus.When it appears that Flo sets up Johnny to be ambushed by Jack Buck, Johnny makes his getaway to a reclusive Floracian Monastery, where the brothers of the order make their living growing and selling flowers to help beautify the world. Brother Superior is portrayed by affable Donald Crisp in a calm and self assured manner. Entranced by the serene way of life of the brothers, Johnny makes it his own, and takes for his name a personal preference - Brother Orchid. When the brothers' way of life is threatened by their inability to pay tribute to Buck's protective association, Little John is back to his gangster ways to set things right, but this time forming a gang of Clarence Fletcher's Western buddies who have hit town to attend Fletcher's marriage to Flo!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 stars, or of classic films of the 1930's and 40's, all of the films mentioned are recommended.
3 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Prett good stuff, but boy did it have an odd plot!, 25 August 2006 Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida
This is one of the weirder gangster films of its era, as the last half of the film goes in one of the oddest directions I have ever seen--and I've seen practically every film made by Edward G. Robinson and the rest of the "Warner regulars" who made these type of films.The first half or so is pretty conventional, as Robinson is the head of a mob (no big surprise) and after he retires, he gets the itch to once again return to a life of crime. So far, so good. However, after the hoods he left him in control try to rub him out, he hides out in a monastery! And, he re-names himself "Brother Orchid" and sees these gentle souls as a bunch of chumps! Now that, and the particularly exciting finale all make this a definite departure from the norm. While not 100% successful (it did seem a bit preachy and very tough to believe), I admire the studio for at least trying to take a chance and create something unique. Plus, good acting, a light and fun mood and brisk direction by Lloyd Bacon make this a film well worth seeing.
3 out of 4 people found the following review useful: A Versatile Robinson, An Irrelevant Bogart, 3 May 2002 Author: Ralph Michael Stein (riglltesobxs@mailinator.com) from New York, N.Y.
Worth renting or catching on late night TV, "Brother Orchid" is a 1940 hybrid, a film that uneasily coasts between comedy and drama. With both Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart capturing theater marquees with both violent crime and some serious drama roles this film is sort of a detour but it's a good one.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 underboss, Bogart, wants him out of the way - permanently. Bogart's talent is not very much on display in this movie.Robinson winds up hiding in a friary populated by gentle souls and, of course, his condition is gentled under their patient ministration.Ann Sothern is terrific as his "fiancee," 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.For those who enjoy the pre-World War II Hollywood crime films this one is just different enough from the formula, and very violent, ones.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful: Eddie and his "Pretensions", 9 January 2009 Author: theowinthrop from United States
I agree with another writer on this thread that this should have been a better film - but it suffered from a poor script.Until he became a major star (possibly Hollywood's biggest star) in the 1940s, Humphrey Bogart was doomed to rarely be more than a movie menace. Prior to HIGH SIERRA and THE MALTESE FALCON a role like his horse trainer in DARK VICTORY or his frightened stooge of a Klan group in BLACK LEGION were rarities. Most of his roles were villains. Against Cagney in THE ROARING TWENTIES and THE OKLAHOMA KID. Against Flynn and Randolph Scott in VIRGINIA CITY. And definitely against Eddie Robinson in KID GALAHAD, THE AMAZING DR. CLITTERHOUSE, and this film. As we will see, it is a little odd that he got cast as a thuggish villain so often (even with his harsh if handsome presence), particularly in a film like BROTHER ORCHID.For Bogie happened not to be born in a city ghetto like Cagney, or raised in one like Robinson. He was born in an upper class background, the son of a society doctor. In fact, in his early stage training, he appeared in society comedies. Reputedly he was the first young actor to pop up in such a play through the garden doors into the crowded parlor, racket in hand, saying "Tennis, anyone?" Actually (and ironically, as he hated it) the film that closest mirrored his early years was SABRINA, which Bogie did not make until the 1950s.On the other hand, his more successful fellow Warner Brothers actor, Eddie Robinson, relished a chance to alter his public image. Having achieved movie stardom as Rico in LITTLE CEASAR, Robinson constantly tried to get out of movie gangster-dome. Sometimes he succeeded (like his biography films such as A DISPATCH FROM REUTERS and DR. EHRLICH'S MAGIC BULLET) but more frequently the gangster film was altered - particularly the "comic ones". CLITTERHOUSE, for example, has a whimsical premise of a society doctor gathering material for his opus on the criminal mind by becoming one. Better examples are THE WHOLE TOWN IS TALKING, whereas a befuddled little clerk is constantly dragged into crime by his resemblance to a crime kingpin, or A SLIGHT CASE OF MURDER (wherein beer baron Remy Marko has a whole slew of problems to straighten out in one afternoon).BROTHER ORCHID takes off on a different slant regarding Robinson. A Roumanian (and Jewish) immigrant, Emmanuel Rosenberg happened to be pretty well read and educated, and continued showing interests in books and art all through his life. He was far from the "Ricos" he played on screen. Put another way: when he played "Wolf Larson" in THE SEA WOLF, the character personifies "Social Darwinism". Robinson could have critiqued "Social Darwinism".Naturally this culture business may have amused the Warners, and they had already lampooned it in an earlier Robinson film LITTLE GIANT, wherein (again looking for class) Robinson discovers that social position does not make a person nice or decent. There it was the family of Berton Churchill, all seeing him as a sucker to unload worthless stock on. In BROTHER ORCHID it is a gangster who finds that it is a whole change in his life's attitudes that is needed to gain real class.Robinson does a "Johnny Torrio" Act. He leaves his enterprises in the hands of his able lieutenant Bogart, while he takes a long trip to try to acquire class. Instead he slowly gets ripped off by every con-man and salesman who sees him coming. Finally he returns from Europe, and decides to resume his old job. But Bogie is well planted in the seat of power (as Al Capone was when Torrio retired), and Robinson finds his girlfriend (Anne Southern) has married rancher Ralph Bellamy (sort of a flip side to Bellamy's Oklahoma lover in THE AWFUL TRUTH). Bogie, seeing Robinson is trying to force his way back, has the latter taken for a ride and shot. But he is dumped on the grounds of a monastery run by Donald Crisp. Robinson is nursed back to health, and slowly begins to appreciate the finer things of a quiet, spiritual life.The problem of the script is that Robinson's second half should have emphasized his discovering spirituality. Actually the script began to do that at the best moment in the film, when Robinson is almost thrown out of the order due to violating a rule, and protests that it was just a momentary mistake on his part. Crisp decides to give him another chance. His growing abilities to work with flowers in the monastic garden (the title is his name due to his abilities with orchids) could have been used to expand on. Instead the film has to resume the gang warfare - the monastery's income is threatened by Bogie's mob, and Robinson (with Southern and Bellamy's help) beat Bogie's men. That's fine, but it threw aside the triumph of a real type of class that Robinson was finding. Possibly had the writers seen fit to have Bogart avoiding capture by the police because of Robinson and the monastery giving him a temporary sanctuary the story line could have been straightened out, with Bogart wondering in the end if he had really gotten the better of the deal. But unfortunately that was not done here.It is a moderately entertaining film, but it might have been a more meaningful one.
2 out of 3 people found the following review useful: Edward G. Robinson becomes a monk!, 10 October 2004 Author: eva25at from Vienna, Austria
(Contains spoilers)"Little John" Sarto (Edward G. Robinson), chief of a "protective organization" decides to become "John P. Sarto - Man of the world, carpet-knight, art collector. Elegance and taste - that's what I'm cut out for!". Jack Buck (Humphrey Bogart), his trusted assistant takes charge of his organization. Since Sarto's plans include playing polo with the high society his devoted fiancée Flo (Ann Sothern) is no longer presentable. Let her make a career in Showbiz instead!Londoners and Parisians welcome the "American sportsman" and fleece him expertly. When Sarto is on the rocks he wants his organization back - guess what Buck tells him! Flo, on the other hand, has bettered herself. She owns a saloon and keeps Clarence (Ralph Bellamy), a kind-hearted farmer in leading-strings. And he can sing like a lark! But she is still attached to Sarto ("I don't wear underwear!")Gradually Sarto calls back some trusted staff members and builds a new organization. A fearful client who was about to sign Buck's "protective contract" agrees to sign Sarto's "all-round protective program" instead...Flo, who wants to make peace, reminds Buck that Sarto knows about his "industrial accident" (murder) and unwittingly lures Sarto into his trap. Buck leaves Sarto in the belief that his girlfriend betrayed him before shooting him...Seriously injured, Sarto drags himself to a "Floracian Monastery".Monastic life is peaceful and pious. The brothers cultivate flowers - their only source of income. Sarto considers them as simpletons and becomes a novice. "Brother Orchid" is quite impressed when they renounce to a luxury - water melons for dessert - in order to buy a poor boy new shoes. Sarto tries to behave like a good boy but he has teething troubles. The abbot commends him "No one ever squeezed more milk out of Millie" but Sarto's milk is watered-down and the boy grooms his flower-beds while he is reading dime-novels...He is caught, of course, but repents - and is forgiven. Sarto decides to leave his seclusion only when he learns that a) Flo is about to marry her cowboy and b) The monks are no longer able to sell their flowers because Buck controls the market...Amusing, snappy and very enjoyable. The only viewers who could find fault with this film are Bogey fans who resent that their idol has to play the baddie...The gullible but self-assured gangster who thinks he is designed for higher things is a role that Robinson could play in his sleep. Sothern was nearly a blond Vivien Leigh lookalike in her youth and Bellamy - broad shoulders, slim waist - was a sight for sore (female) eyes. 8/10
A mobster hides out in an unlikely place, 17 December 2009 Author: blanche-2 from United States
Edward G. Robinson becomes "Brother Orchid" in this 1940 film directed by Lloyd Bacon and also starring Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sothern, Ralph Bellamy, and Allen Jenkins. Robinson plays a mobster, Johnny Sarto, who works protection. He quits the business, turning it over to his right hand man, Jack Buck (Bogart) and spends five years touring the world in search of class. He comes back home broke from bad investments (the Borgia's bed was made in Grand Rapids) and wants back in.Jack Buck, however, doesn't want to give up his position. When Johnny's airhead girlfriend Flo (Sothern) speaks with Jack about reconciling with Johnny, she reminds him that Johnny witnessed Jack murder someone. Jack pretends to go along with the reconciliation, but in reality, he plans on killing Johnny. Johnny escapes the hit men and, believing Flo set him up, realizes he has no one to turn to. He passes out in front of a monastery and winds up donning the monastic robe and raising flowers.Very funny and warm film with wonderful performances. Robinson always played comedy very seriously, making his sinister gangster seem even funnier here. Beautiful Ann Sothern is great as the ditsy girlfriend who loves Johnny but can't get a commitment out of him. Bogart is still portraying crooks at this point, and he does an excellent job as the dangerous Johnny Buck. Donald Woods and Cecil Kellaway are two of the monks Johnny encounters.Director Bacon did a lot of gangster films at Warners, and he really knew how to pace them.Very enjoyable.
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