The Brothers Karamazov

The Brothers Karamazov is a 1958 American period drama film directed by Richard Brooks from a screenplay co-written with Julius and Philip Epstein, based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's 1880 novel. It stars Yul Brynner, Maria Schell, Claire Bloom, Lee J. Cobb, Albert Salmi, Richard Basehart, and William Shatner in his film debut. The film was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on February 20, 1958. It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, though the performances were widely praised. It was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and Lee J. Cobb received an Oscar nomination performance as Fyodor Karamazov. The National Board of Review ranked The Brothers Karamazov as one of its Top 10 Films of 1958. Plot The story follows Fyodor, the patriarch of the Karamazov family, and his sons. When he tries to decide on an heir, the tensions among the brothers run high, leading to infighting and murder.