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The Don Is Dead

1973, Movie, R, 115 mins

The Don Is Dead: Review

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Uninspired attempt to cash in on what they thought would be a new gangster cycle after the success of THE GODFATHER. Marvin H. Albert is a fine novelist whose work has been adapted into several movies, some by him (TONY ROME, etc.), and he's even adapted other novelists' work (TWIST OF SAND) to good advantage. But his own screenplay of his excellent novel falls apart here under the heavy hand of Fleischer. Forrest and Forster are accepting delivery of a heroin cache when gunmen burst in, guns blazing. Lettieri has been hidden, just as a precaution, and he gets the drop on the intruders and guns them down. But their presence indicates there has been a leak in their careful security. They return to HQ, and Forrest and Lettieri learn that their father, the Don, has expired. Now two dozen of the syndicate's bosses get together in an almost-papal ceremony to choose the new capo de tutti capi. All that's missing is the puff of smoke coming out of the enclave where the cardinals meet. Quinn is chosen to be the boss, but Lettieri and Forrest announce that they have no interest in aligning themselves with the Quinn-led forces; they'll go their way by themselves. Russo is in stir, so his accountant, well played by Cioffi, reps him at the meeting. But Cioffi has a power-mad streak in him and thinks he might be able to take over. Forster is engaged to comely Tompkins, and Cioffi uses the relationship to get Forster into a rage. He arranges for Tompkins, a singer, to become Quinn's amour while Forster is away on a job. Once Forster learns of this, war erupts. Forster joins Lettieri and Forrest. Quinn's brother, Zorich, tries to smooth matters over between the families, but Quinn cannot conceive that this fight is over a woman and nothing more. There must be something else underneath that hatred, and the battle continues. Zorich is taken by Forrest and held as hostage, while Quinn orders an attack on Fargo's construction business. By this time, Quinn has suffered a heart attack and is recuperating at his Capone-like Florida compound. Zorich is killed, and Quinn has a stroke, almost incapacitating him. He watches weakly as Russo and Forrest gleefully cut up the territory after Forster is murdered in Sicily. Cioffi is killed by Russo's men for daring to overstep his bounds. The movie ends with the Cosa Nostra still healthy after all that bloodshed. leave a comment
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