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The Don Is Dead
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Wikipedia article
'The Don Is Dead' is a 1973 American crime film directed by Richard Fleischer and written by Christopher Trumbo, Michael Butler, and Marvin H. Albert, adapted from Albert's novel of the same name. It stars Anthony Quinn, Frederic Forrest, Robert Forster, Al Lettieri, and Angel Tompkins.
It was released by Universal Pictures on November 14, 1973, and received mixed reviews.
Plot
Frank is the ambitious son of an organized-crime boss. He plans a heroin deal with the help of brothers Tony and Vince, but a snitch tips off the cops.
After the death of his father, a mob war breaks out between two rival families. One is run by Don Angelo, but he does not get the support of the brothers, Tony and Vince, and must seek power through other means. He begins a romance with Frank's young and beautiful fiancee, Ruby, which sends Frank into a self-destructive rage.
Cast
* Anthony Quinn as Don Angelo DiMorra
* Frederic Forrest as Tony Fargo
* Robert Forster as Frank Regalbuto
* Al Lettieri as Vince Fargo
* Angel Tompkins as Ruby Dunne
* Charles Cioffi as Luigi Orlando
* Barry Russo as Don Aggimio Bernardo
* Louis Zorich as Mitch DiMorra
* Ina Balin as Nella
* Joe Santos as Joe Lucci
* Frank DeKova as Giunta
* Abe Vigoda as Don Talusso
* Victor Argo as Augie the Horse
* Val Bisoglio as Pete Lazatti
* Robert Carricart as Mike Spada
* Sid Haig as The Arab
* Vic Tayback as Ralph Negri
Reception
A.H. Weiler of 'The New York Times' was positive: "Expertise, if not imagination, is evident in the explosive, action-oriented direction of Richard Fleischer... 'The Don Is Dead' has the attributes of some lively, pithily accented performances that are adult and effectively natural. Among these are Forrest, as the brainly hood who attempts to escape the racket, but winds up a don, Al Lettieri, as his roughhewn, dependent, ill-fated brother, and Forster, as the rising, vengeful muscleman who is eventually cut down.
As the embattled don who is finally felled by a stroke, not a gun, Quinn is moodily menacing and as polished and relaxed as a professional long familiar with this sort of role."A.H. Weiler, "'Don is Dead' Scans Gang Power Struggle" Nov. 15, 1973 https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9405E5DA1731E63BBC4D52DFB7678388669EDE
See also
* List of American films of 1973
References
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