The Brothers Karamazov (1958)

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Fyodor Dostoevsky (novel)
Julius J. Epstein (adaptation) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 February 1958 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Ryevsk, Russia, 1870. Tensions abound in the Karamazov family. Fyodor is a wealthy libertine who holds his purse strings tightly...

Plot Keywords:

Russia | Murder | Foreign Language Adaptation | Remake | Patricide

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Yul Brynner	...	Dmitri Karamazov
Maria Schell	...	Grushenka
Claire Bloom	...	Katya
Lee J. Cobb	...	Father Karamazov
Albert Salmi	...	Smerdjakov
William Shatner	...	Alexi Karamazov
Richard Basehart	...	Ivan Karamazov
Judith Evelyn	...	Mme. Anna Hohlakov
Edgar Stehli	...	Grigory
Harry Townes	...	Ippoli Kirillov
Miko Oscard	...	Ilyusha Snegiryov
David Opatoshu	...	Capt. Snegiryov
Simon Oakland	...	Mavrayek
Frank DeKova	...	Capt. Vrublevski (as Frank de Kova)
Jay Adler	...	Pawnbroker
Gage Clarke	...	Defense Counsel
Ann Morrison	...	Marya
Mel Welles	...	Trifon Borissovitch
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Barrows	...	MP (uncredited)
Sam Buffington	...	Tipsy Merchant (uncredited)
Gene Coogan	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
Giselle D'Arc	...	Party Girl (uncredited)
Mollie Glessing	...	Mother (uncredited)
Leonard Graves	...	Third Court Officer (uncredited)
Clare Higgins	...	(uncredited)
Harry Hines	...	Moronic Prisoner (uncredited)
Charles Horvath	...	Polish Officer's Bodyguard (uncredited)
Len Lesser	...	Jailer (uncredited)
Michael Mark	...	Juror (uncredited)
Gregg Martell	...	Juror (uncredited)
Shepard Menken	...	Peter (uncredited)
Dorothy Neumann	...	Old Crone (uncredited)
Gloria Pall	...	Girl (uncredited)
Guy Prescott	...	Friend (uncredited)
Diana Quick	...	(uncredited)
Stafford Repp	...	Innkeeper (uncredited)
Jerry Riggio	...	Second Court Officer (uncredited)
Stephen Roberts	...	Michael (uncredited)
Ziva Rodann	...	Gypsy Singer (uncredited)
William Vedder	...	Father Zossima (uncredited)
Friedrich von Ledebur	...	Chief Judge (uncredited)
Than Wyenn	...	Waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Brooks

Writing credits
Fyodor Dostoevsky		(novel "The Brothers Karamazov")
Julius J. Epstein		(adaptation) &
Philip G. Epstein		(adaptation)
Richard Brooks		(writer)
Constance Garnett		English translation

Produced by
Pandro S. Berman	....	producer
Kathryn Hereford	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Bronislau Kaper

Cinematography by
John Alton

Film Editing by
John D. Dunning		(as John Dunning)

Casting by
Mel Ballerino		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Paul Groesse
William A. Horning

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace
Robert Priestley

Costume Design by
Walter Plunkett

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup creator
Frank La Rue	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Peggy Shannon	....	hairdresser (uncredited)

Production Management
William Kaplan	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Shanks	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller	....	recording supervisor (as Dr. Wesley C. Miller)
John Speak	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Lee LeBlanc	....	special effects

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Albert Conti	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Lambert Marks	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Vicki Nichols	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Dave Saltuper	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant

Music Department
Robert Franklyn	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Andrei Tolstoy	....	technical advisor (as Andrey Tolstoy)
Ted Butcher	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Avon Productions (II)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1965) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (France) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2011) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

145 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:TV-PG | Australia:M

Company:

Avon Productions (II)

Trivia:

Debuts of William Shatner and Albert Salmi.

Quotes:

Alexi Karamazov:How can anybody spend five thousand rubles at one time?
Dmitri Karamazov:I admit it requires skill,brother.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mathnet: The Trial of George Frankly (#1.4)" (1987)

Competent but decidedly superfluous

The optimum method for bringing a major literary work to the screen is the mini series, (though the television adaptation of Dostoyevski's "Crime and Punishment" was not to my liking.) There's no possible way a novel of the length and complexity such as "Brothers Karamazov" can be done justice to by the cinema, even given 145 minutes.

This 1959 Hollywood version deserves full marks for summarizing and depicting the plot faithfully, but since so much of the essence of the book is missing one cannot help feeling the pointlessness of the entire exercise.

Director Richard Brooks manages to sustain the emotion intensity of the piece, keeping the proceedings on an intimate scale, (David Lean no doubt would have blown it up to epic proportions). The cast are largely satisfactory with Yul Brynner is at his charismatic best as Dmitri and Claire Bloom is spot on as Katya. Iridescent Maria Schell is far too genteel for the earthy Grushenka, a part Marilyn Monroe somewhat misguidedly felt she was born to play, according to Hollywood lore. Lee J. Cobb tends towards hamming it up and an almost unrecognizably young William Shatner is a pleasant surprise as the mystically inclined Alexi.

While there is some enjoyment to be gained from this movie, one can only wholeheartedly offer the recommendation – read the book.