7.6/10
3,296
27 user 22 critic

Brother's Keeper (1992)

This documentary by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky details the murder trial of Delbert Ward. Delbert's of a family of 4 brothers (the other 3 being Roscoe, Lyman and William - Bill, for ... See full summary »

On Disc

at Amazon

11 wins & 4 nominations. See more awards »
Learn more

People who liked this also liked... 

Brother's Keeper I (2013)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.4/10 X  

Identical twins Andy and Pete Goodwynn have always been there for each other. But in a cruel twist of fate, orchestrated by the town's most powerful family, their lives are forever altered.... See full summary »

Directors: T.J. Amato, Josh Mills
Stars: Michael Rooker, Ray Wise, Travis Tritt
Crude (2009)
Documentary
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.6/10 X  

The story of lawsuit by tens of thousands of Ecuadorans against Chevron over contamination of the Ecuadorean Amazon.

Director: Joe Berlinger
Stars: Dan Ashley, Pablo Fajardo, Kent Robertson
Stevie (2002)
Documentary
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8/10 X  

In 1995 Director Steve James (Hoop Dreams) returned to rural Southern Illinois to reconnect with Stevie Fielding, a troubled young boy he had been an 'Advocate Big Brother' to ten years earlier.

Director: Steve James
Stars: Steve James, Stephen Fielding, Tonya Gregory
Documentary | Crime
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.1/10 X  

A further followup of the case of the West Memphis Three and the decades long fight to exonerate them that finally gained traction with new DNA evidence.

Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky
Stars: Gary Gitchell, Todd Moore, Dana Moore
Crime
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Director: Nelson Moses Lassiter
Stars: Jonathan Gaietto, Ebony Obsidian, Yair Ben-Dor
Documentary | Crime
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.6/10 X  

The case of the West Memphis Three, its questionable circumstances and the parties involved are followed up years later.

Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky
Stars: Damien Wayne Echols, Melissa Byers, Norris Deajon
Documentary | Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.3/10 X  

A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.

Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky
Stars: Tony Brooks, Diana Davis, Terry Wood
Documentary | Crime | History
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

Documentary filmmakers assert that Anthony Porter - a former death-row inmate who was spared the death penalty thanks to the efforts of a college journalism program - was actually guilty, and an innocent man was sent to prison.

Directors: Shawn Rech, Brandon Kimber
Stars: Dexter Hammett, Joseph Alex, Jason Patrick
Documentary | Crime
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X  

"The Trials of Darryl Hunt" is a feature documentary about a brutal rape/murder case and a wrongly convicted man, Darryl Hunt, who spent nearly twenty years in prison for a crime he did not... See full summary »

Directors: Ricki Stern, Anne Sundberg
Stars: Evelyn Jefferson, Fred Flagler, John Reeves
Adventure | Fantasy | Horror
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4/10 X  

A group of tourists arrive in Burkittsville, Maryland after seeing The Blair Witch Project (1999) to explore the mythology and phenomenon, only to come face to face with their own neuroses and possibly the witch herself.

Director: Joe Berlinger
Stars: Jeffrey Donovan, Stephen Barker Turner, Erica Leerhsen
Documentary | Biography
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.8/10 X  

Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes.

Director: Andrew Jarecki
Stars: Arnold Friedman, Jesse Friedman, David Friedman
My Brothers Keeper (Video 2010)
Short | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  

What started out as a night of celebration quickly turned into a night these three friends will never forget.

Director: Jason-Christopher Mayer
Stars: Justin Clarke, Ryan Eppler, Justin Mayer
Edit

Cast

Cast overview:
Delbert Ward ...
Himself
Roscoe Ward ...
Himself
Lyman Ward ...
Himself
Walt Geisler ...
Himself - Ward Supporter
Ken Elmer ...
Himself - Neighbor
John Teeple ...
Himself - Neighbor
Dave Goff ...
Himself - Cousin
Joseph F. Loszynski ...
Himself - Bureau of Criminal Investigation, New York State Police (as Captain Joseph F. Loszynski)
Harry Thurston ...
Himself - Friend
Ralph A. Cognetti ...
Himself - Defense Attorney
Maynard A. Cosnett ...
Himself - Bureau of Criminal Investigation, New York State Police (as Investigator Maynard A. Cosnett)
John W. Graham ...
Himself - Bureau of Criminal Investigation, New York State Police (as Investigator John W. Graham)
Robert J. Killough ...
Himself - Bureau of Criminal Investigation, New York State Police (as Investigator Robert J. Killough)
Donald F. Cerio ...
Himself - Madison County District Attorney
Edit

Storyline

This documentary by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky details the murder trial of Delbert Ward. Delbert's of a family of 4 brothers (the other 3 being Roscoe, Lyman and William - Bill, for short), working as semi-literate farmers, and living together in isolation in a ramshackle shack, until William's death. The subsequent police investigation and medical examiner's autopsy suggested Bill may not have died from natural causes, and Delbert was arrested on charges of second-degree murder. Under questioning by police, Delbert appears to have waived his rights and signed a confession, but, it seems he might not have been competent, and was coerced into doing so. The film explores possible motives for the crime, from mercy-killing (Bill was ill at the time), to progressively more outré hypotheses. It also shows how residents of the rural community of Munnsville, NY rallied to the support of one of their own (residents previously considered the Wards as social outcasts), against what they ... Written by Tad Dibbern <DIBBERN_D@a1.mscf.upenn.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence. | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
Edit

Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

9 September 1992 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Fylakas tou adelfou mou  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Edit

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,305,915
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Show more on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

Picked by Entertainment Weekly magazine as one of the "50 Greatest Independent Films" in a special supplement devoted to independent films that was only distributed to subscribers in October 1997. See more »

Crazy Credits

Dedicated to the memory of William J. Ward (1925-1990) May you rest in peace See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Reviews

 
Politics all over again..
14 August 2007 | by See all my reviews

I didn't think I was going to like this and I was very afraid that the Ward brothers and their rural lifestyle would be made fun of or otherwise trashed, but this was so thoughtful and careful in its examination. The political motivations of some of the real-life people: the cops, the medical examiner, the prosecutor, were a great foil for the (some would think surprisingly) open- minded townspeople and the hardworking defense attorney. Loved the story and really felt for the brothers and the townspeople. Though I work in Boston now, I've lived and worked in rural areas just like this, and maybe that's part of the deal for me.


4 of 6 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
Review this title | See all 27 user reviews »

Contribute to This Page

What Are the Sundance Stars Watching?

"The IMDb Show" sits down with stars of the 2018 Sundance Film Festival to find out their favorite Sundance movies, including such films as L.I.E., An Education, and Whiplash.

Watch now