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Brother Orchid

Play trailer Poster for Brother Orchid 1940 1h 28m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Mob boss Little John Sarto (Edward G. Robinson) cedes control of his territory to Jack Buck (Humphrey Bogart) and leaves town on a grand European tour. Five years later, Sarto tries to take back his turf, but his moll, Flo Addams (Ann Sothern), accidentally leads him into a trap where he's left for dead. Taken in by the well-meaning Brother Superior (Donald Crisp) of a nearby monastery, Sarto begins to understand the error of his previous ways and makes some drastic life changes.
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Brother Orchid

Critics Reviews

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Mark R. Leeper rec.arts.movies.reviews Oct 21, 2008
3/5
David Cornelius DVDTalk.com Apr 5, 2008
3/5
Just charming enough to keep it from becoming a dud... It's Robinson's delicate touch that keeps us watching. Go to Full Review John J. Puccio Movie Metropolis Mar 20, 2008
7/10
...combines a gentle humor with a touch of sweetness that makes it a delight. (Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 3) Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews May 16, 2007
C+
It's a pic that delights in being so ridiculous and corny. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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acsdoug D @acsdoug Mar 4, 2026 Worth watching not so much because of the story, but because of the chance to see Bogart and Robinson together. See more Steve D @RT35616104 Mar 17, 2024 Ridiculous but also cute and fun. See more ashley h @ashleyhobgood87 Apr 10, 2021 Brother Orchid is an okay film. It is about retired racket boss John Sarto who tries to reclaim his place but former friends try to kill him. Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart give decent performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Lloyd Bacon did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the humor and drama. See more Blobbo X @Blobbo Aug 1, 2019 Movie have heart. (Blobbo like EG Robinson, too.) See more Feb 13, 2019 Completely implausible, with cartoonish plot and the same for the acting. Worst Bogie or Robinson movie ever! See more Thomas M @TMProofreader Jan 27, 2019 Th best gangster comedy movie ever made! Or is it the best comedy gangster movie ever made? See more Read all reviews
Brother Orchid

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Cast & Crew

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Lloyd Bacon

Director

Edward G. Robinson

Little John T. "Johnny" Sarto

Humphrey Bogart

Jack Buck

Ann Sothern

Florence "Flo" Addams

Donald Crisp

Brother Superior

Ralph Bellamy

Clarence P. Fletcher
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Brother Orchid

Brother Orchid (1940) Brother Orchid (1940) Brother Orchid (1940) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Mob boss Little John Sarto (Edward G. Robinson) cedes control of his territory to Jack Buck (Humphrey Bogart) and leaves town on a grand European tour. Five years later, Sarto tries to take back his turf, but his moll, Flo Addams (Ann Sothern), accidentally leads him into a trap where he's left for dead. Taken in by the well-meaning Brother Superior (Donald Crisp) of a nearby monastery, Sarto begins to understand the error of his previous ways and makes some drastic life changes.
Director
Lloyd Bacon
Producer
Hal B. Wallis, Mark Hellinger
Screenwriter
Earl Baldwin
Production Co
First National, Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 29, 1940, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 23, 2016
Runtime
1h 28m
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