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The Brothers Karamazov (1958 film)

January 06, 2023

The Brothers Karamazov is a 1958 American period drama film[3] directed by Richard Brooks from a screenplay co-written with Julius and Philip Epstein, based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's eponymous 1880 novel. It stars Yul Brynner, Maria Schell, Claire Bloom, Lee J. Cobb, Albert Salmi, Richard Basehart, and William Shatner in his film debut.

The Brothers Karamazov
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRichard Brooks
Screenplay byRichard Brooks
Julius J. Epstein
Philip G. Epstein
Based onThe Brothers Karamazov
by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Produced byPandro S. Berman
StarringYul Brynner
Maria Schell
Claire Bloom
Lee J. Cobb
Albert Salmi
Richard Basehart
William Shatner
CinematographyJohn Alton
Edited byJohn Dunning
Music byBronislau Kaper
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
Running time
145 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2.7 million[2]
Box office$5.4 million[2]

The film was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on February 20, 1958. It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, though the performances were widely praised. It was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival,[4] and Lee J. Cobb received an Oscar nomination performance as Fyodor Karamazov. The National Board of Review ranked The Brothers Karamazov as one of its Top 10 Films of 1958.

Plot

The story follows Fyodor, the patriarch of the Karamazov family, and his sons. When he tries to decide on an heir, the tensions among the brothers run high, leading to infighting and murder.

Cast

Source:[3]

Production

Marilyn Monroe was rumored to be in negotiations to play the role of Grushenka, but several conflicting accounts arose around the time the film entered production. An MGM executive said she'd turned down the role in part because she was expecting a baby, but Monroe's agent denied this and claimed that the studio had never even made her an offer.[5] Richard Brooks said that Monroe would have made a "fine" Grushenka, but claimed that negotiations fell through "because of her contractual demands and personal troubles."[6] Carroll Baker was the next choice for the role, but Warner Bros. put her on suspension and would not loan her out after she refused to play Diana Barrymore in Too Much, Too Soon. Maria Schell stepped in instead, making her American film debut.[7][8] It was also the film debut for William Shatner, Albert Salmi and Simon Oakland.

The film was shot from June to August 1957[1] on location in London and Paris.[8]

Release

The film had its premiere at Radio City Music Hall in New York on February 20, 1958. It opened at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles on February 26 and a day later at 3 theaters in Florida before expanding to 20 US cities in March.[9]

Reception

In its opening week at Radio City Music Hall it grossed $157,000.[10] In its third week of release, the film reached number one at the US box office.[11] According to MGM records, the film made $2,390,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $3,050,000 in other markets, resulting in a profit of $441,000.[2]

Critical response

Contemporary reviews were mixed to positive.

Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote "Except for a halfway happy ending that blunts the drama's irony, [Brooks] has done a good job of compressing the substance of the book...But most of all, Mr. Brooks and Mr. Berman have put upon the screen a large splash of vigorous drama and passion involving interesting, robust characters."[12] Variety declared "Sumptuous and sensitive MGM production by Pandro S. Berman doesn't sacrifice art to entertainment nor lose entertainment in a false conception of what constitutes art. 'The Brothers Karamazov' should be one of the year's commercial successes."[13] Harrison's Reports wrote: "Excellent is the word for this absorbing and vigorous screen version of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's epic novel...The acting is superb, with brilliant performances turned in by Lee J. Cobb, as the lecherous and crafty father, and by Yul Brynner, as his fiery, quick-tempered eldest son."[14] For the Los Angeles Times, Philip K. Scheuer called Brynner's performance "impressive" and wrote that Lee J. Cobb as Fyodor "succeeds in striking a recognizable and responsive chord with an audience," but found that Maria Schell's Grushenka was played "with a persisting Mona Lisa smile that I felt was not only foreign to the role of the materialistic, venal harlot but was also incomprehensibly at variance with her changing moods."[15]

In more critical reviews, John McCarten of The New Yorker declared that the film "goes on for about two and a half hours, most of which you'd be better off spending at some more rewarding pursuit...I think that Mr. Brooks, in addition to being saddled with actors who just can't stand up to the obligations they've assumed, never quite grapples with the ideas that Dostoevski was trying to propound."[16] The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote "There is none of Dostoievsky's profundity or exciting exploration of motive. All the brothers emerge as quite inexplicable people. It is hard to be sympathetic to Dmitri, and not to be embarrassed by Alyosha or scornful of Ivan. The performances throughout suggest that the cast never really knew what it was all about."[17]

Awards and nominations

Award Category Nominee(s) Result
Academy Award Best Supporting Actor Lee J. Cobb Nominated
Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or Richard Brooks Nominated
Directors Guild of America Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures Nominated
Laurel Award Top Male Dramatic Performance Lee J. Cobb Nominated
Top Cinematography – Color John Alton Nominated
Top Music Composer Bronislau Kaper Nominated
National Board of Review Award Top Ten Films 8th Place
Best Supporting Actor Albert Salmi (also for The Bravados) Won
New York Film Critics Circle Award Best Director Richard Brooks Nominated

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "The Brothers Karamazov - Details". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  3. ^ a b "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  4. ^ "Festival de Cannes: The Brothers Karamazov". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  5. ^ "Marilyn and Studio Differ on Role Offer". Los Angeles Times: 2. May 7, 1957.
  6. ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (June 16, 1957). "'The Brothers Karamazov' Rolling — Without Marilyn". Los Angeles Times: Part V, p. 2.
  7. ^ Pryor, Thomas M. (May 3, 1957). "Warners to Hold Actress to Pact". The New York Times: 20.
  8. ^ a b "The Brothers Karamazov - History". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  9. ^ "M-G-M Back On Top in '58!". Variety. February 19, 1958. p. 15. Retrieved September 26, 2021 – via Archive.org.
  10. ^ "B'way Snaps Back; 'Karamazov' Sock 157G, 'Cowboy' OK 32G, 'Sing' Mild 10G, 'Witness' Mighty 53G, 2 Houses". Variety. February 26, 1958. p. 9. Retrieved September 27, 2021 – via Archive.org.
  11. ^ "National Boxoffice Survey". Variety. March 12, 1958. p. 3. Retrieved September 26, 2021 – via Archive.org.
  12. ^ Crowther, Bosley (February 21, 1958). "Screen: 'The Brothers Karamazov'". The New York Times: 18.
  13. ^ "The Brothers Karamazov". Variety: 6. February 19, 1958.
  14. ^ "The Brothers Karamazov". Harrison's Reports: 32. February 22, 1958.
  15. ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (February 16, 1958). "'Karamazov' People Full of Complexities". Los Angeles Times: Part V, p. 1–2.
  16. ^ McCarten, John (March 1, 1958). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker: 104, 106.
  17. ^ "The Brothers Karamazov". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 25 (295): 98–99. August 1958.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Brothers Karamazov (1958 film).

January 06, 2023
brothers, karamazov, 1958, film, this, article, missing, information, about, film, theatrical, home, media, releases, please, expand, article, include, this, information, further, details, exist, talk, page, july, 2019, brothers, karamazov, 1958, american, per. This article is missing information about the film s theatrical home media releases Please expand the article to include this information Further details may exist on the talk page July 2019 The Brothers Karamazov is a 1958 American period drama film 3 directed by Richard Brooks from a screenplay co written with Julius and Philip Epstein based on Fyodor Dostoevsky s eponymous 1880 novel It stars Yul Brynner Maria Schell Claire Bloom Lee J Cobb Albert Salmi Richard Basehart and William Shatner in his film debut The Brothers KaramazovTheatrical release posterDirected byRichard BrooksScreenplay byRichard BrooksJulius J EpsteinPhilip G EpsteinBased onThe Brothers Karamazovby Fyodor DostoevskyProduced byPandro S BermanStarringYul BrynnerMaria Schell Claire BloomLee J CobbAlbert SalmiRichard BasehartWilliam ShatnerCinematographyJohn AltonEdited byJohn DunningMusic byBronislau KaperDistributed byMetro Goldwyn MayerRelease date20 February 1958 1958 02 20 New York City premiere 1 Running time145 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget 2 7 million 2 Box office 5 4 million 2 The film was released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer on February 20 1958 It received mixed to positive reviews from critics though the performances were widely praised It was nominated for the Palme d Or at the Cannes Film Festival 4 and Lee J Cobb received an Oscar nomination performance as Fyodor Karamazov The National Board of Review ranked The Brothers Karamazov as one of its Top 10 Films of 1958 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Release 5 Reception 5 1 Critical response 5 2 Awards and nominations 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksPlot EditThis article needs an improved plot summary You can provide one by editing this article July 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message The story follows Fyodor the patriarch of the Karamazov family and his sons When he tries to decide on an heir the tensions among the brothers run high leading to infighting and murder Cast EditYul Brynner as Dmitri Karamazov Maria Schell as Grushenka Claire Bloom as Katya Lee J Cobb as Fyodor Karamazov Albert Salmi as Smerdyakov William Shatner as Alexey Karamazov Richard Basehart as Ivan Karamazov Judith Evelyn as Anna Hohlakov Edgar Stehli as Grigory Harry Townes as Ippoli Kirillov David Opatoshu as Captain Snegiryov Miko Oscard as Illusha Snegiryov Simon Oakland as Mavrayek William Vedder as Father Zossima Frank DeKova as Captain Vrublevsky Jay Adler as Pawnbroker Gage Clarke as Defense Counsel Ann Morrison as Marya Mel Welles as Trifon Borissovitch Friedrich von Ledebur as Chief Judge Ziva Rodann as Gypsy Singer Gloria Pall as Peasant Girl Source 3 Production EditMarilyn Monroe was rumored to be in negotiations to play the role of Grushenka but several conflicting accounts arose around the time the film entered production An MGM executive said she d turned down the role in part because she was expecting a baby but Monroe s agent denied this and claimed that the studio had never even made her an offer 5 Richard Brooks said that Monroe would have made a fine Grushenka but claimed that negotiations fell through because of her contractual demands and personal troubles 6 Carroll Baker was the next choice for the role but Warner Bros put her on suspension and would not loan her out after she refused to play Diana Barrymore in Too Much Too Soon Maria Schell stepped in instead making her American film debut 7 8 It was also the film debut for William Shatner Albert Salmi and Simon Oakland The film was shot from June to August 1957 1 on location in London and Paris 8 Release EditThe film had its premiere at Radio City Music Hall in New York on February 20 1958 It opened at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles on February 26 and a day later at 3 theaters in Florida before expanding to 20 US cities in March 9 Reception EditIn its opening week at Radio City Music Hall it grossed 157 000 10 In its third week of release the film reached number one at the US box office 11 According to MGM records the film made 2 390 000 in the U S and Canada and 3 050 000 in other markets resulting in a profit of 441 000 2 Critical response Edit Contemporary reviews were mixed to positive Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote Except for a halfway happy ending that blunts the drama s irony Brooks has done a good job of compressing the substance of the book But most of all Mr Brooks and Mr Berman have put upon the screen a large splash of vigorous drama and passion involving interesting robust characters 12 Variety declared Sumptuous and sensitive MGM production by Pandro S Berman doesn t sacrifice art to entertainment nor lose entertainment in a false conception of what constitutes art The Brothers Karamazov should be one of the year s commercial successes 13 Harrison s Reports wrote Excellent is the word for this absorbing and vigorous screen version of Fyodor Dostoyevsky s epic novel The acting is superb with brilliant performances turned in by Lee J Cobb as the lecherous and crafty father and by Yul Brynner as his fiery quick tempered eldest son 14 For the Los Angeles Times Philip K Scheuer called Brynner s performance impressive and wrote that Lee J Cobb as Fyodor succeeds in striking a recognizable and responsive chord with an audience but found that Maria Schell s Grushenka was played with a persisting Mona Lisa smile that I felt was not only foreign to the role of the materialistic venal harlot but was also incomprehensibly at variance with her changing moods 15 In more critical reviews John McCarten of The New Yorker declared that the film goes on for about two and a half hours most of which you d be better off spending at some more rewarding pursuit I think that Mr Brooks in addition to being saddled with actors who just can t stand up to the obligations they ve assumed never quite grapples with the ideas that Dostoevski was trying to propound 16 The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote There is none of Dostoievsky s profundity or exciting exploration of motive All the brothers emerge as quite inexplicable people It is hard to be sympathetic to Dmitri and not to be embarrassed by Alyosha or scornful of Ivan The performances throughout suggest that the cast never really knew what it was all about 17 Awards and nominations Edit Award Category Nominee s ResultAcademy Award Best Supporting Actor Lee J Cobb NominatedCannes Film Festival Palme d Or Richard Brooks NominatedDirectors Guild of America Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures NominatedLaurel Award Top Male Dramatic Performance Lee J Cobb NominatedTop Cinematography Color John Alton NominatedTop Music Composer Bronislau Kaper NominatedNational Board of Review Award Top Ten Films 8th PlaceBest Supporting Actor Albert Salmi also for The Bravados WonNew York Film Critics Circle Award Best Director Richard Brooks NominatedSee also EditList of American films of 1958References Edit a b The Brothers Karamazov Details AFI Catalog of Feature Films Retrieved July 13 2018 a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger Los Angeles Margaret Herrick Library Center for Motion Picture Study a b AFI Catalog catalog afi com Retrieved September 28 2022 Festival de Cannes The Brothers Karamazov festival cannes com Retrieved February 9 2009 Marilyn and Studio Differ on Role Offer Los Angeles Times 2 May 7 1957 Scheuer Philip K June 16 1957 The Brothers Karamazov Rolling Without Marilyn Los Angeles Times Part V p 2 Pryor Thomas M May 3 1957 Warners to Hold Actress to Pact The New York Times 20 a b The Brothers Karamazov History AFI Catalog of Feature Films Retrieved July 13 2018 M G M Back On Top in 58 Variety February 19 1958 p 15 Retrieved September 26 2021 via Archive org B way Snaps Back Karamazov Sock 157G Cowboy OK 32G Sing Mild 10G Witness Mighty 53G 2 Houses Variety February 26 1958 p 9 Retrieved September 27 2021 via Archive org National Boxoffice Survey Variety March 12 1958 p 3 Retrieved September 26 2021 via Archive org Crowther Bosley February 21 1958 Screen The Brothers Karamazov The New York Times 18 The Brothers Karamazov Variety 6 February 19 1958 The Brothers Karamazov Harrison s Reports 32 February 22 1958 Scheuer Philip K February 16 1958 Karamazov People Full of Complexities Los Angeles Times Part V p 1 2 McCarten John March 1 1958 The Current Cinema The New Yorker 104 106 The Brothers Karamazov The Monthly Film Bulletin 25 295 98 99 August 1958 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Brothers Karamazov 1958 film The Brothers Karamazov at IMDb The Brothers Karamazov at the TCM Movie Database The Brothers Karamazov at AllMovie The Brothers Karamazov at the American Film Institute Catalog The Brothers Karamazov at Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Brothers Karamazov 1958 film amp oldid 1117483672, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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