The World of Cinema: Has Richard Brooks Managed to Be Faithful to Fyodor Dostoevsky?

The World of Cinema

When Sigmund Freud finished reading "The Brothers Karamazov" he said: "Dostoevsky has written the most beautiful story that has appeared so far."

Nor were Zweig, Bennett, Proust, and other world novelists and critics any less admiring of the psychological writer's work, and the many writings in criticism and analysis of "The Brothers Karamazov" were on a worldwide scale.

One may well ask in astonishment: how did time pass over the seventh art without the men of the cinema — they who search and dig so earnestly for a strong story to guarantee the success of their productions — how did they not think of translating the Russian writer's pages into talking pictures?...

In fact, this great dream tempted more than one producer, writer, and director. But it would fade after the first study of the subject, for the backbone of the story of "The Brothers Karamazov" is the deep psychological analysis — in which it perhaps reached its very peak — which it is difficult for the picture to express with precision and fidelity. Hence arose the peril of venturing upon this enormous literary and artistic work, and the cinema men shrank from it.

It was the right of the writer and director Richard Brooks to have his share of the "great dream." After devoting himself to a thorough study of the story and acquainting himself with everything written about it, he made up his mind to carry it to the screen, defying the obstacles and the expressive means of the seventh art, and to condense the six hours of showing that the story requires into two hours, without its losing its psychological meaning and its literary splendor.

He had to have acting elements genuine in their art, intelligent, full of delicate feeling, able to live "The Brothers Karamazov" truthfully; so his choice fell on world-famous actors, and he secured Yul Brynner for the role of Dmitri, Maria Schell for the role of Grushenka, Lee J. Cobb for the role of the father, and Claire Bloom for the role of Katya.

The question now is — has Richard Brooks succeeded, after five months of attempts, serious work, and execution, in the difficult task that the men of the seventh art considered a great adventure?

... The critics' predictions all point that way, for Richard Brooks, the moment he set about selecting the actors for his leading roles, hit upon two faces that stand in the front rank of actors and reach farthest in popularity among the patrons of the cinema. Maria Schell, the enchanting blonde, is counted today the first rival of the lady of the screen after Garbo — I mean Ingrid Bergman... And the name of Yul Brynner has shone these past two years throughout the world, above all in his two films: "The King and I" and "Anastasia," which carried off a grand prize.

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In any case, it is thought likely that the film "The Brothers Karamazov" will be the master of the screen of 1958 and will enter the history of the cinema through the gate of honor.