Brother Orchid-1940-Edward G. Robinson-Humphrey Bogart

Edward G. Robinson plays orchid-loving gangster Little John Sarto, who aspires to "real class." During a power struggle with usurping mobster Jack Buck (Humphrey Bogart), Sarto is taken for a one-way ride, but he escapes his would-be assassins and hides out in a monastery overseen by Brother Superior (Donald Crisp). Sarto insists that he'd like to become a monk himself, but in fact he's using the monastery as a hideout, the better to mount his counterattack against Buck. Eventually Sarto's resolve is weakened by the kindness of the monks, and he decides to turn over a new leaf. He sees to it that Buck is brought to justice, and also fixes up his true-blue "moll," Flo Addams (Ann Sothern), with good-hearted Texas rancher Clarence Fletcher (Ralph Bellamy). (News flash! Bellamy gets the girl for once!) Sarto, now known as "Brother Orchid," returns to the monastery for good, declaring that he's finally found the real class. Though Edward G. Robinson didn't want to play another gangster, he agreed to star in Brother Orchid in exchange for being allowed to essay the lead in Warner Bros.' historical drama A Dispatch From Reuter's (1940).

The cast, turning in performances that are first-rate. They're wonderful company to be with, and they push Orchid into the winner's circle.



Cast:



Edward G. Robinson - Little John Sarto

Humphrey Bogart - Jack Buck

Donald Crisp - Brother Superior

Ralph Bellamy - Clarence Fletcher

Allen Jenkins - Willie The Knife

Charles D. Brown - Brother Wren

Cecil Kellaway - Brother Goodwin

Morgan Conway - Philadelphia Powell

Richard Lane - Mugsy O'Day

Paul Guilfoyle - Red Martin

John Ridgely - Texas Pearson

Joseph Crehan - Brother MacEwen

Wilfred Lucas - Brother MacDonald

Tom Tyler - Curley Matthews

Granville Bates - Pattonsville Supt.

Paul Phillips - French Frank

Don Rowan - Al Muller

Nanette Vallon - Fifi

Joe Caits - Handsome Harry

Tim Ryan - Turkey Malone

Pat Gleason - Dopey Perkins

Tommy Baker - Joseph

Joan Blondell

Harlan Briggs - Thomas A. Bailey

Charles Coleman - Englishman

G. Pat Collins - Tim O'Hara

Gino Corrado - Artist

Jean del Val - Frenchman

Charles de Ravenne - Stable Boy

Frank Faylen - Superintendent of Service

James Flavin - Parking Attendant

Mary Gordon - Mrs. Sweeney

Creighton Hale - Reporter

George Haywood - Reporter

William Hopper - Reporter

Armand Kaliz - Frenchman

Sam McDaniel - Janitor

Leonard Mudie - Englishman

Edgar Norton - Meadows

Frank Orth - Waiter

John Qualen - Mr. Pigeon

Ann Sothern - Flo Addams

Dick Wessel - Buffalo Burns