The Don Is Dead (1973)

 

Richard Fleischer's 1973 gangster saga is getting a Blu-ray release courtesy of Eureka.

When Las Vegas crime boss Don Regalbuto dies, his son Frank (Robert Forster sporting more hair here than he would in Lewis Teague's ALLIGATOR in a couple of years' time) attends a meeting of the city's three rival gangster families to learn the other two are going to split the Don's territory with Don Angelo DiMorra (Anthony Quinn) adopting Frank as his son who will inherit in due course.

But Luigi Orlando (Charles Cioffi) and his partner Marie (Jo Anne Meredith) want the entire territory for themselves, and they put into motion a plan that results in repeated and bloody confrontation.

Richard Fleischer, veteran director of movies like THE VIKINGS, FANTASTIC VOYAGE and CONAN THE DESTROYER had just finished SOYLENT GREEN when he moved onto THE DON IS DEAD, a film  that was very much Universal's answer to Francis Ford Coppola's THE GODFATHER. Like that movie it's a high-end gangster picture with a high profile cast that also includes Frederic Forrest, Vic Tayback and Sid Haig in a tiny role at the beginning. This, combined with a decent budget and Fleischer's skill means THE DON IS DEAD is essential viewing for fans of the genre, even though it's not as well known as some. 

Eureka's Blu-ray comes with a commentary track from Scott Harrison and a trailer, plus you also get a booklet featuring a lengthy essay on the crime films of Richard Fleischer by Barry Forshaw.

Richard Fleischer's THE DON IS DEAD is out on Blu-ray from Eureka on Monday 18th January 2021