Brothers Rico

Year: 1957

Grade: B+

Country: USA

Director: Karlson

Review

they say that the rico laws (which are famously used to prosecute the mob) were named after the character rico from little caesar, but i think it’s equally likely that they were named after richard conte’s character in this film. it’s about a brother who has gone legit, but the mob “keeps pulling him back in.” it’s a gangster movie that’s right in between the sort of cartoonish films of the 30s and the more serious gangster films that began with the godfather. it’s a movie that shows blood and opens with conte brushing has hand near his wife’s breast. sure, it wasn’t intentional (he’s supposedly asleep), but it’s pretty risque for the time (1957) and there’s plenty more where that came from. it’s not conte’s best performance, but he’s solid and the story is a good one. definitely a good one for fans of noir or gangster films.