Brother's Keeper

Brother's Keeper is a 1992 documentary directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky. The film is about an alleged 1990 murder in the village of Munnsville, New York.

The Ward brothers

In a rural farming community near Syracuse, New York, four brothers lived in a dilapidated house. William, Adelbert (known as Delbert), Lyman, and Roscoe Ward were barely literate, had no formal education, and farmed land that had been in their family for generations.

William's death

William Ward, who had been ill for years, was found dead one morning. Delbert was accused of killing him, perhaps by smothering. Later, accusations surface that there might have been incestuous homosexual undertones to the alleged murder. Delbert Ward was acquitted at trial, largely because the New York State Police violated Delbert's rights by coercing a confession (which he later retracted) and by having him sign a written statement which he was unable to understand due to his illiteracy.

Analysis of the film

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The film contrasts two groups of society; people from rural areas and those from larger cities.

This movie displays two completely opposite views of the Ward brothers. One opinion is that of the locals who find the Ward brothers to be humble old country folk. The other is that of the press, who stereotype the brothers as uneducated hicks.

The film shows how the media flocked to the town to cover the story.

The documentary depicts the brothers as gentle, shy, harmless, uneducated, rural people with Delbert being pursued by aggressive investigators. The community comes to embrace the Wards brothers, for they are part of their town. Repeatedly, the people of Munnsville say that Delbert is incapable of murder. Delbert even puts his hand over a friend's mouth, and his friend just laughs as Delbert is unable to suffocate him at all. In one scene there is a killing and butchering of a pig which the brothers hired someone to kill presumably because they can't bring themselves to do it.

Although the movie is about the trial of Delbert, it also represents the fight of a community to survive. Because the town is sitting on prime suburb property the town is slowly being sold off to developers. However because the murder trial finally gave the town a place in national media the townspeople are taking advantage of their newfound voice and are defending themselves through the brothers.

The Ward sister was not featured in this film because of her death in the 1980s. However, her daughter Pat makes an appearance in the D.V.D.'s special features.

Aftermath

Delbert died at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown on August 6, 1998. The cause of death was unknown.^[1]

Roscoe died June 23, 2007.^[2][3]

Lyman died in Utica on 15 August 2007.^[4][5]

Film title

The title "Brother's Keeper" comes from the Book of Genesis in the Bible. When God asks Cain where his brother Abel is, Cain replies, "I know not; am I my brother's keeper?"

Awards

• Directors Guild of America, USA: DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary/Actuality
• Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards: KCFCC Award for Best Documentary
• National Board of Review, USA: NBR Award for Best Documentary
• New York Film Critics Circle Awards: NYFCC Award for Best Documentary
• Sundance Film Festival: Audience Award for Documentary

Nominations

• Sundance Film Festival: Grand Jury Prize for Documentary

References

1. ^ Adelbert Ward obituary
2. ^ Roscoe Ward dies (includes documentary trailer)
3. ^ 'The Ward Boys' are now just one after Roscoe's death
4. ^ Lyman Ward, 85, Last of 4 Brothers, Dies
5. ^ Lyman Ward obituary

External links

• Brother's Keeper at the Internet Movie Database