In this nice and richly filmed adaptation of the great Russian Novelist,Fyodor Dostoyevsky,we get as good a rendering as Hollywood permits,given the time restraints.Lengthy works of certain novelists have to be tapered and trimmed to be watchable and affordable for a studio.One reason Proust's Remembrance of Things Past,will never be filmed,at least without true scope.Nevertheless The Brothers Karamazov is presented with a gloriously generous combination of set,costumes and individual performances that make this film a pleasant and very waychable experience. With many Hollywood notables present,Yul Brynner being the main focus of contention among his families hierachy,competing with other siblings and mainly his strong-willed and lecherous father,who believes has cheated him out of his fair share of inheritance.So,around and around we go,as to who gets and who deserves what.Since his character is overly concerned with money and paying off previous debts,he becomes obsessed with what should be rightfully his ,from within his apparent wealthy and contented family. Lee J. Cobb plays the overly predisposed and unforgiving father ,who is more than willing to sell his one son short and also teach a lesson,at same time.In fact,he is also obsessed to achieve this calling in life. Maria Schell plays a love interest who both steals the heart of both son and father and is seemingly content to play the field,being both her job{she mingles with guests at inn},and also her fancy,of sorts.She uses her trademark Angelic big grin-smile way too much,but it pays off in end.She didn't make many movies,as she and her brother Maximilian,tended to be very fussy about parts they would play.She does,however smile that big Maria german smile with an afforded proudness. The other characters are well placed and make for almost epic length of movie,but wouldn't be the same without their input. What's really nice about this film is the production value and its effect upon the big screen.The abstract and intensified use of color and lighting are almost perfect.The smoke-filled rooms and intricate makeup of the inside of rooms are both comforting and reassuring to the senses,knowing what bleak and cold lay outside their doors.With an almost gypsy atmosphere of drinking and gayiety,mandolin and prussian dance being played upon with fervor and flight,we are taken into the world of another time and place both distant and yet welcoming.Whether or not the snow flakes are real,the sets on real turf,or the story as true to greatness as Fyodor would have it is secondary.The important thing is ,that here lies a movie that tells a great story with good characters,and mood of surroundings,that both complement and make real enought the gist of overall intent.The main themes of love,honor and obedience,betrayal and surrender are all addressed with an application of care and concern to original story .The Bothered and bewitched elements are for viewer and yours truly to contemplate.since I have I duly credit this movie a 4 out of 5 star or 8/10 for really nice filming of fatherly love gone south for the winter.Dig Daddio's.
Review of The Brothers Karamazov
