| The Brothers | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Original British 1-sheet poster | |
| Directed by | David MacDonald |
| Written by | Muriel Box Sydney Box Paul Vincent Carroll David MacDonald LAG Strong |
| Produced by | Sydney Box |
| Starring | Patricia Roc Will Fyffe Maxwell Reed Finlay Currie John Laurie |
| Cinematography | Stephen Dade |
| Edited by | Vladimir Sagovsky |
| Music by | Cedric Thorpe Davie |
Production company | Sydney Box Productions |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors (UK) Universal (USA) |
Release date | 1947 |
Running time | 98 min |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £162,900[1] |
| Box office | £110,000 (by July 1953)[1] |
The Brothers is a British film melodrama of 1947, starring Patricia Roc and John Laurie, from a novel of the same name by L.A.G. Strong.[2] It is set in the Western Isles of Scotland, and the long and murderous grudge between two clans there, the Macraes and McFarishes. Patricia Roc plays a serving girl, whose arrival to work for the Macraes reinflames the conflict and causes an internal power-struggle between two brothers in the Macrae clan (played by Maxwell Reed and Duncan Macrae).
Cast
- Patricia Roc as Mary
- Will Fyffe as Aeneas McGrath
- Maxwell Reed as Fergus Macrae
- Finlay Currie as Hector Macrae
- John Laurie as Dugald
- Andrew Crawford as Willie McFarish
- Duncan Macrae as John Macrae
- Morland Graham as Angus McFarish
- Megs Jenkins as Angustina McFarish
- James Woodburn as Priest
- David McAlister as George McFarish
- Patrick Boxill as The Informer
- David Keir as Postman
Production
LAG Strong's novel was published in 1932. Strong was friends with David MacDonald and they agreed to make a film of the novel together. MacDonald took the project to Sydney Box who was enthusiastic about making it. Box wanted Ann Todd, star of The Seventh Veil, to play the lead but she refused. Patricia Roc played the role instead. Roc was reluctant to take a role refused by Todd but eventually agreed. Her fee was £5,000.[3]
Roc ended up enjoying working on the film and said the role was her favourite, in part because of an eight week location shoot on the Isle of Skye.[3]
Box wanted Emlyn Williams to play John and Michael Redgrave to play Fergus. Emlyn Williams dropped out and was replaced by Eric Porter. Porter refused to make a film with Todd and was replaced by Duncan Macrae. Redgrave dropped out to make Fame is the Spur and was replaced by Maxwell Reed. Todd did not want to work with Reed as she had not enjoyed working with him on Daybreak[3]
Reception
Critical reception
The Radio Times wrote, "while Stephen Dade's images of Skye are highly evocative, precious little passion is generated by orphaned Patricia Roc and Andrew Crawford, even though she's the housekeeper of his deadliest rival (Finlay Currie). Part of the problem is the straightlaced nature of postwar British cinema, which kept emotions firmly in check.;[4] while The New York Times wrote, "Patricia Roc is lovely in form and grace, but her hair-dos, her dresses and her expressions smack more of Elstree than of the Hebrides";[5] and TV Guide called the film a "fair effort with technical talent outweighing the performers";[6] but Eye for Film found the film "startlingly bold and suggestive for its time...surprisingly gripping." [7]
Box office
The film incurred an estimated loss of £55,700.[1]
External links
- The Brothers at IMDb
- The Brothers at AllMovie
- Review of film at Variety
- Review of film at New York Times
References
- ^ a b c Andrew Spicer, Sydney Box Manchester Uni Press 2006 p 210
- ^ "The Brothers". BFI.
- ^ a b c Hodgson, Michael (2013). Patricia Roc. Author House. p. 104-105.
- ^ David Parkinson. "The Brothers". RadioTimes.
- ^ "Movie Review - The Brothers - ON THE SCREEN; 'The Brothers,' New British Film Starring Patricia Roc, Has Its Premiere at Sutton - NYTimes.com".
- ^ "The Brothers". TV Guide.
- ^ "The Brothers".