Brother Orchid (1940)

Brother Orchid is a 1940 crime/comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon. It stars Edward G. Robinson, Ann Sothern and Humphrey Bogart, with featured performances by Donald Crisp, Ralph Bellamy and Allen Jenkins. The film was written by Earl Baldwin, with uncredited contributions from Jerry Wald and Richard Macauley, based on a story by Richard Connell originally published in Collier's Magazine on May 21, 1938

Plot

Crime boss Little John Sarto (Edward G. Robinson) retires suddenly, giving leadership of his gang to Jack Buck (Humphrey Bogart), while he leaves for a tour of Europe to acquire "class". However, Sarto is repeatedly swindled and finally loses all his money.

He decides to return home and take back his gang, as if nothing has changed after five years, but Buck has him thrown out of his office. The only ones who remain loyal to Sarto are his girlfriend Flo Addams (Ann Sothern) and Willie "the Knife" Corson (Allen Jenkins). Sarto raises a new gang and starts encroaching on Buck's territory.

When Flo tries to get Buck to reconcile with Sarto, Buck sees his chance. He agrees, getting Flo to lure Sarto to a tavern without telling him why. Flo is not totally fooled; she brings along a strong, good-natured admirer, mid-western rancher Clarence P. Fletcher (Ralph Bellamy), just in case, but he is knocked out by Buck's men. Sarto is taken for a ride, believing Flo has double crossed him.

Sarto escapes, but is shot several times. He manages to make his way to the Floracian monastery, run by Brother Superior (Donald Crisp). Finding it a good place to hide out, Sarto signs up as a novice, naming himself "Brother Orchid". At first, he treats it as a joke, calling the monks the "biggest chumps in the world", but the kindness and simple life of the brothers begins to change his opinion.

Then Sarto sees a newspaper announcement that Flo is going to marry Clarence. He rides into the city with Brother Superior when he goes to sell the flowers that provide the monastery's meager income. After Flo gets over the shock of seeing Sarto alive, she proves she did not betray him and agrees to break up with Clarence.

Sarto breaks the news to Brother Superior that he is leaving, but then learns that the flowers have not been sold. The "protective association" run by Buck bans flower growers that do not pay for its services. Buck is hiding out from the police, but Sarto has a good idea where he is. Reinforced by Clarence and some of his friends from Montana, Sarto pays a visit to the association and a brawl breaks out. When the police arrive, Sarto presents them with Buck and his men. Then, he gives up Flo to Clarence and returns to the monastery, where he has finally found "real class".

Brother Orchid (1940) NY TIME Original Review
THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; 'Brother Orchid' Finds Edward G. Robinson in an Excellent Farce at the Strand 
By BOSLEY CROWTHER
Published: June 8, 1940

Some eighteen months ago Edward G. Robinson informed this department that he had struck a deal with Warner Brothers; for the privilege of playing Dr. Ehrlich he had agreed to appear in just one more gangster picture. Dr. Ehrlich has gone on by, to the distinction of every one involved, and now, thank goodness, the Warners are driving home their bargain. For the conditional result of it, a spanking farce-melodrama entitled "Brother Orchid," arrived yesterday at the Strand, and a funnier piece of hardboiled impudence hasn't been enjoyed hereabouts since Mr. Robinson's Remy Marco found his new house all cluttered up with certain parties not so tastefully composed in "A Slight Case of Murder."

The sublime—and essential—thing about Mr. Robinson's comic gangsters is that they are cultural snobs, superior to the sloppy muggs around them, and for this reason they are the inevitable prey of an incongruous situation. Thus, in this case, when Little John Sarto gets taken for a ride by a few of his disrespectful rivals and happens to land, with a slight flesh wound, in the infirmary of a cloistered monastery—a perfect hideout, he resolves—the situation is set for some highly amusing contrasts.

Does Little John comprehend? Naturally he doesn't. The suggestion that he become a novice and undergo a probationary period fills him with uneasy suspicion. The discovery that the highest "reward" for good work by a brother is the privilege of tending a zinnia bed is utterly bewildering to him. He doesn't "get" the racket. And the charitable brothers, in turn, are full of innocent amazement when they find that Brother Orchid (the name which they give to Little John) is getting sixteen quarts of milk per day from a cow which had previously given only twelve. (Of course, they never think of the near-by water pump.)

An irreverent subject? Hardly that. Nor is it irreverent even when Brother Orchid returns briefly to the outside world to rub out his old-time opposition which has been throttling the monastery's flower business. For the essence of the comedy is kind, and the beauty of the farce resides in the mutually confusing conflict of the tough with the gentle, of gang versus golden rule.

Obviously, this is a story which was destined for no one but Mr. Robinson, and he plays it with all the egotistical but vaguely cautious push that one would expect from a gangster who found himself in such a spot. Mr. Robinson can't help but swagger, even down to putting a feather in his monk's hat, but he is also inwardly aware of a feeling of humbleness. Fra Eddie makes a strange but earnest convert.

And others in the cast are equally well disposed toward the beautiful incongruities of the picture. Ann Sothern, as the dizzy doll whom Little John lightly loved in his worldly days, is excellent; Ralph Bellamy, as the ranching Westerner who comes into their lives, is—well, Ralph Bellamy. And fine performances are also contributed by Donald Crisp as a gentle Brother Superior, Humphrey Bogart as the old-time "opposition," Allen Jenkins as a gangland pal who hides out in an insane asylum—and all the rest.

Earl Baldwin, who scripted "A Slight Case of Murder," has done the same for "Brother Orchid" and has done it with vigor and sharp wit. "Would you like to have him imitate a robin?" inquires Miss Sothern, with reference to Mr. Bellamy. "What'll he do," snaps Mr. Robinson, "eat a worm?" That's the sort of tough stuff you will get in this lively farce about humble monks and gorillas.

BROTHER ORCHID; screen play by Earl Baldwin; based on the story by Richard Connell; directed by Lloyd Bacon for Warner Brothers. At The Strand.
Little John Sarto . . . . . Edward G. Robinson
Flo Addams . . . . . Ann Sothern
Jack Buck . . . . . Humphrey Bogart
Brother Superior . . . . . Donald Crisp
Clarence Fletcher . . . . . Ralph Bellamy
Willie the Knife . . . . . Allen Jenkins
Brother Wren . . . . . Charles D. Brown
Brother Goodwin . . . . . Cecil Kellaway
Philadelphia Powell . . . . . Morgan Conway
Mugsy O'Day . . . . . Richard Lane
Brother MacEwen . . . . . Joseph Crehan
Buffalo Burns . . . . . Dick Wessell
Superintendent . . . . . Granville Bates
French Frank . . . . . Paul Phillips
Fifi . . . . . Nanette Vallon
Joseph . . . . . Tommy Baker