Watch The Don Is Dead

The Don Is Dead is a crime drama movie from 1973 directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Anthony Quinn, Frederic Forrest, and Robert Forster. The movie follows a power struggle between different factions of organized crime after the sudden death of the don of the Cleveland crime family. The movie starts with the death of Don Angelo DiMorra (played by Quinn) during a meeting with other Mafia figures. His son Tony (played by Robert Forster) is appointed as his successor, but the other families sense an opportunity to challenge his authority and take over their territories.

One such challenger is Frank Regalbuto (played by Al Lettieri), a ruthless gangster who sees Tony as weak and vulnerable. He joins forces with a corrupt police detective named Lou Bukowski (played by Joe Santos) to plan a coup against Tony.

Meanwhile, Tony tries to solidify his power by making alliances with other crime families and convincing his father's old friend and adviser, Vince Miller (played by Frederic Forrest), to be his consigliere. Vince is initially hesitant, but eventually agrees to help Tony.

Vince and Tony also try to investigate the circumstances surrounding Don DiMorra's death, suspecting foul play. They discover that Regalbuto and Bukowski were behind the assassination, but the evidence they gather is not enough to incriminate them.

As tensions rise between the different factions, Tony and Vince must navigate a complex web of allegiances and betrayals to ensure their survival and protect their interests. The movie builds towards a climactic showdown between Tony and Regalbuto, with Vince caught in the middle.

The Don Is Dead is a classic example of the gangster movie genre, with all the tropes and conventions that fans of the genre have come to expect. The movie is well-written and well-acted, with strong performances from Anthony Quinn, Robert Forster, and Frederic Forrest.

Quinn is especially impressive as the aging don who knows his time is running out but tries to hold onto his power until the very end. Forster, who was relatively unknown at the time, gives a breakout performance as Tony's conflicted consigliere.

The movie is also notable for its realistic portrayal of organized crime, showing how these criminal enterprises operate and how they use violence, bribery, and intimidation to maintain their power. The movie is not glorifying or romanticizing the Mafia lifestyle, but showing the harsh realities of this world.

Overall, The Don Is Dead is a well-crafted and entertaining movie that will satisfy fans of the gangster genre. It may not be as well-known as classics like The Godfather or Goodfellas, but it deserves to be rediscovered and appreciated by a new generation of viewers.

The Don Is Dead is a 1973 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 54 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.2.