Brotherhood of Murder

Last updated
Brotherhood of Murder
Genre Crime drama
Based on
Brotherhood of Murder
by
  • Thomas Martinez
  • John Guinther
Teleplay by Robert J. Avrech
Directed by Martin Bell
Starring
Music by Laura Karpman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
  • Nelson I. Korchak
  • Thomas DeWolfe
Production location Vancouver
CinematographyJames Bagdonas
EditorNancy Baker
Running time90 minutes [1]
Production company Showtime Networks
Original release
Network Showtime
ReleaseDecember 12, 1999 (1999-12-12)

Brotherhood of Murder is a 1999 American crime drama television film directed by Martin Bell and written by Robert J. Avrech, based on the 1988 autobiography by Tom Martinez and John Guinther. The film stars William Baldwin, Peter Gallagher, and Kelly Lynch, and tells the true story of the white supremacist group The Order, its founder Robert Jay Mathews, and the largest cash robbery in US history. [2] [3] It centers around group member-turned-FBI-informant Martinez and his involvement in the group. It aired on Showtime on December 12, 1999.

Contents

Synopsis

Following his military discharge, Tom Martinez returns home to Philadelphia and learns his wife Susan is pregnant. He struggles to find work to support his family. After losing a job at a bakery, he begins working as a janitor where he is taunted by some black kids. After meeting Walter West in a bar, West invites Tom to a meeting of The Order. There, he is introduced to Bob Mathews, leader of the white supremacist group.

The Order funds its activities by robbing video stores and armored cars. But their real source of income turns out to be counterfeiting. After Walter is killed as a traitor, Tom is apprehended by the FBI and used as an informant and witness in their case against The Order.

Cast

Background

The film is based on the self-published book Brotherhood of Murder by Tom Martinez and John Guinther about Martinez's recruitment into The Order, and subsequent involvement in the group. [4] [5] [6] Filming took place in Vancouver. [1]

Reception

Writing for Variety , Laura Fries described Baldwin's portrayal of Tom Martinez "sympathetic instead of believable", Lynch's performance as "listless", Laura Karpman's music as "uneven", and Nancy Baker's editing as "entirely random". [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Fries, Laura (1999-12-09). "Brotherhood of Murder". Variety . Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  2. Mark Deming (2007). "Brotherhood of Murder (1999)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on December 4, 2007. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
  3. Fee, Christopher R.; Webb, Jeffrey B. (2019-05-24). Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories in American History [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 583. ISBN   978-1-4408-5811-6. Archived from the original on 2023-04-16. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  4. Richardson, Chris (2020-08-11). Violence in American Society: An Encyclopedia of Trends, Problems, and Perspectives [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 508. ISBN   978-1-4408-5468-2.
  5. Kaplan, Jeffrey; Weinberg, Leonard; Weinberg, Leonard G. (1998). The Emergence of a Euro-American Radical Right. Rutgers University Press. p. 220. ISBN   978-0-8135-2564-8.
  6. Martinez, Thomas; Guinther, John (1999). Brotherhood of Murder. iUniverse. ISBN   978-1-58348-580-4.

Brotherhood of Murder at IMDb