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06Tin IKMSTttThur*., April 14, 19770C FILM REVIEWIBrothers.’ A Dramatic Work(iBY ELIZABETH REICHBrothers” may very well be chalked off by the general public as just another film exploiting black suffer age.And it’s easy to see why Just released by Warner Brothers, the movie depicts a true story of injustice in a small eastern prison.David Thomas (BernieCasey) is sentenced to one year to life for being an accessory to a crime he knew nothing of At prison the gruesome reality of black existence among insensitive white guards creates hatred inside Thomas.He manages to control his anger as blacks must resort to continual harassment, cruel havior and unnecessary punishment by the guards, who undoubtedly emerge as the true evil forces in the film.1*5After already serving three years, Thomas rooms with Walter Nance (Ron O'Neal), a self-educated, mild-mannered mulatto who throws a handfulof publications at Thomas, exclaiming, “You’re just doing time, you’re not using time. Ignorance will kill you quicker than cancer.”Thomas proves to be a ready pupil as he sits in his cell, getting by with four hours or lesssleep a night, devouring books on black awareness.Nance is murdered by two guards who report his death as a suicide. This sparks a wave of violence inside the cell walls and a series of investigations outside The black inmates unite and create an organization titled, justly, “The Underground.” From here on the audience is subject to unexpected bouts of violence and, inturn, sadness.Thomas thinks, while alone in his cell, “I may never get outta here. Sometimes I thinkif someone isn’t gonna stab me, a guard is gonna beat me to death.”Although typically portraying the handsome black hero. Casey shines as thq tormented Thomas.Vonetta McGee comes through with a fine performance as Paula Jones, a college professor who falls in love with and helps Thomas by publishing some letters he wrote to his family.Direction by Arthur Barron is flawed through a poor sense of timing sequential events. Gone are the usual credits explaining what year the event took (dace or the noteworthy hints of the same natureCertainly nothing out of the ordinary in its field, “Brothers” will probably disappear after a short running.Jazzmen SlateSunday ConcertSANTA ANA - Dixieland music, New Orleans style, will be featured by Jazz, Inc. at its regular monthly session at Moose Lodge, 717 So. Lyon St., Santa Ana, starting at 1:30 p.m. Suiday. April 17.Mike Olson’s The Cores ofJazz Combo, featuring Mike,his son George, Duke Burrel and Gene O'Neil will set themood for the happy, foot stompin’ afternoon.The Merrymakers will add to the festive mood with ArtDavis, Glen Woodmansee, Bob Reitmer, Jack Berka, Maurie Levange, George Carr, Gil Kraus, and Jazz, Inc. President Lloyd Grafton, most of whom are alumni of the great bands of the past such as Tommy Dorsey, Glen Miller and Harry James, just to mention atew
Newspaper Details
Orange County Register
Orange, California, US
Thu, Apr 14, 1977
Page 41
Full Page
Clipped by
Rotten T.
USA 21 Sep 2020
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