Brother Orchid (Warner Bros.) (1940)

Mat 402—60c. Edward G. Robinson as “Brother Orchid” is an expert on horses (upper left). He’s good at making friends (upper right) and at losing them, too (lower left). And, of course, he’s a wow with the women (lower right). “Brother Orchid’? has Eddie Robinson in the starring role. Ann Sothern and Humphrey Bogart are featured. First local showing at the Strand on Friday. Robinson in Action As ‘Brother Orchid' Strand to Show Hilarious Satire on Gangsters “Brother Orchid,” starring Edward G. Robinson as a gangster who goes gunning for culture will be the next attraction at the Strand Theatre, starting on Friday. Based on the Collier’s Magazine story by Richard Connell, “Brother Orchid” includes in its feature cast blonde and dynamic Ann Sothern, in the romantic role opposite Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Donald Crisp, Ralph Bellamy and Allen Jenkins. Long the ace gangster portrayer of filmdom, “Little Caesar’ Robinson turns to kidding the denizens of gangland in this hilarious comedy. The story opens with Robinson deciding to quit the rackets and get some culture. He cashes in his assets, sets girl friend Ann Sothern up as hat-check girl in a night-club, and boards a boat for Europe, determined to buy himself some swank. A sucker for anything that is supposed to be ‘“‘classy,” he buys a diamond, only to find out that all the doorknobs in the hotel are made of the same kind of glass. A few more such purchases and, down to his last pawn ticket, he has to return home. He decides he will go back into his old racket and recoup. Strand to Show New Robinson Film What happens when a big-shot racketeer goes in for culture? The riotous answer will be found in “Brother Orchid,” Edward G. Robinson’s new starring picture for Warner Bros. which makes its local debut at the Strand Theatre on Friday. Ann Sothern, Humphrey Bogart, Ralph Bellamy, Donald Crisp and Allen Jenkins are featured with him in the film comedy. ‘Brother Orchid” is based on the Collier Magazine story by Richard Connell. Lloyd Bacon directed. When he gets back to the States, however, he finds that time has marched on, and that his erstwhile henchman, played by Humphrey’ Bogart, has “taken over.”’ Robinson, getting ready to put up a fight goes to see his old girl friend and finds her ensconsed in luxury. She is now the owner of the night club where he set her up as hatcheck girl. He is more than suspicious when he learns that she got the money from a millionaire rancher. Ralph Bellamy plays this role. But his suspicions are allayed after he meets the backer, Little John Sarto Flo Addams Brother Superior Philadelphia Powell ..0000..00000....... Mugsy ODay aoe, Hedy. Mantinyseciitee (ct... Bee Curley Matthews................ eee BUNCION BUNS ee Pattonsville Superintendent......... Prench brent sien Pl Maller, 2a a oan ae cee ibtterra tre nit re cot tae ence re teat hurkeyoMclowe lick sceates tc ete Handsome Harry ..................00..0..... Dopey Perkins.... ..... ERENCE Ta Sal ga Joseph ..... 2 ee ie Bile es oe ee, Clarence Fletcher... Willie the Knife.............. BE ea Brother gw rele sar sss eke ec a shy fellow, who although in love with Ann, is content to bask in her presence. Ann, who is nearly as dumb as she is beautiful, decides that Robinson and Bogart should make up and be friends, so she arranges with Bogart to bring Robinson to a rendezvous in an out-of-way road house. Bogart, of course, brings his gang along, with intentions of “rubbing out” their old boss. They lead him to a nice quiet spot in the woods, but he breaks away from them and dashes through the woods to safety, although one of their Eee ek EDWARD G. ROBINSON sah Telas Samar eta fio eat Ann Sothern sali ees SN Humphrey Bogart Pano ok, NOEL: 2 Baia Donald Crisp Shr peice neste cei 0: Ralph Bellamy EM a een ee Seen en bk Allen Jenkins Bo ie Siena Charles D. Brown Cecil Kellaway Rem aes ete dy a Morgan Conway DRE en Sin AR! Richard Lane tects it ic... Re Paul Guilfoyle BeAr Ey, Tray fe ORE Me a am oa John Ridgely offs Ss Aamiec tinh Selene en Wie Joseph Crehan ve ea ck tee, 2 ge Wilfred Lucas cade rhe ee i Re RT | A Tom Tyler Ft ee eR ee Dick Wessell NED acon eet ee ee Granville Bates SAAR S PN a ea Le Paul Phillips Ra raya epee tite Co tae TUN EN Don Rowan everday SAN Ne ay Nanette Vallon RRO mak Tim Ryan Ride eee Uneaten tie arin Joe Caites meee etsclipsnl ea ne loaner iri oe Pat Gleason ee Let. a Omni ockcer PRODUCTION Directed by LLOYD BACON Screen Play by Earl Baldwin; Based on the Collier’s Magazine story by Richard Connell; Director of Photography, Tony Gaudio, A. S. C.; Art Director, Max Parker; Dialogue Director, Hugh Cummings; Film Editor, William Holmes; Gowns by Howard Shoup; Music by Heinz Roemheld; Makeup Artist, Perc Westmore; Musical Director, Leo F. Forbstein; Sound by C. A. Riggs; Special Effects by Byron Haskin, A. S. C. and Willard Van Enger, A. S. C. Orchestral Arrangements by Ray Heindort. a ey, [4] bullets has winged him. He wakes to hear birds singing and an organ pealing. He thinks he’s in Heaven, but it turns out to be a monastery. The brothers nurse him back to health and encourage him to stay on. The monastery is devoted to raising flowers, which they sell for the benefit of the poor. Robinson adopts the name of ‘“Brother Orchid” because orchids have so much class. He is happily content there, working in the flowerbeds, until one day the flower truck comes back from the city still loaded. They cannot sell their blooms because they aren’t members of the ‘‘protective” association. Brother Orchid goes out into the world once more, cleans up the “protective agency,” and returns to the monastery, to spend a peaceful life tending the Zinnia bed. Critics who have previewed “Brother Orchid” in Hollywood have unanimously acclaimed it as the funniest satire on gangsters that has ever been made, with Robinson turning a superlative performance as the gangster who goes gunning for culture. Lloyd Bacon directed the film from the screen play by Earl Baldwin, based on Connell’s original story. "Brother Orchid’ to Have Friday Opening Edward G. Robinson heads the cast of the hilarious new comedy, ““Brother Orchid,” which is scheduled to have its first local showing at the Strand Theatre on Friday. Based on the Collier Magazine story by Richard Connell, it is a rib-tickling satire on the big shots of the underworld with Robinson cast as a racketeer who goes gunning for culture. Featured with Robinson are Ann Sothern, Humphrey Bogart, Ralph Bellamy, Donald Crisp and Allen Jenkins.