I re-read one of Simenon's Noir novels:
The Brothers Rico (Les fr貥s Rico- 1952)
Simenon wrote The Brothers Rico in 1952, during his ten years
stay in the US (published in English in 1954).
This novel is rather atypical by its background that deals
with the Organization (read: the Mafia), as Simenon normally
never used organized crime to that extend in a novel. But,
it's still the story of a man facing a crisis and dealing
with it, or at least trying, restricted by his own temper and
by his own views about life and death- all data more common
to Simenon's novels.
This short novel tells the story of Eddie Rico, the eldest of
three brothers from an Italian family originated from
Brooklyn. Eddie is an important member of the Organization,
controlling a good part of Florida. He never tried to cheat
or to operate individually, he always respected the rules and
behavior imposed by his bosses, deeply convinced it was the
way to keep everything together, and that this was beneficial
for everybody. His views allowed him survive inside the
Organization, and rather well. On the surface he's a
respectable member of the community, a good family man and a
successful businessman. His unspoken daily tasks involve in
fact to control the local racket operations, avoiding any
excess of violence, any danger of involvement of the Justice
system, all things he does successfully and firmly since
years. His two younger brothers work for the Organization
too, but in another region and on a lower level: Gino is a
hit man, and Tony is a helper, mainly as a driver. But, one
of the organization's plots involving Tony and Gino goes sour
and a man is murdered. Apparently, too many tracks could lead
to the organized crime and the District Attorney is convinced
that Tony could be a prime witness. Fearing for the
Organization, Eddie's bosses will ask him to find out where
his brother hides with his young wife. SPOILER FOLLOWS (TO
AVOID: GO DIRECTLY TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH )
SPOILER SPOILER Knowing very well he's manipulated by the
Organization that pretends they just want to sent Tony abroad
for the safety of the involved persons, Eddie will pursuit
his mission and will apply all the duplicity he can to obtain
some information from his family. When Tony is finally
located, Eddie will speak to him trying to convince him of
the genuine intentions of the Organization: he's only the
messenger to inform Tony about the Organization's wish to
send him to another country.
Eddie has to face what he knew all the time: his
brother will be killed by the two hitmen sent for the
purpose. Worse, by accepting to track down his brother he
knew he was just scouting the path for the killers and that
by this he could not hide Tony from the Organization that was
watching him all along his investigation, in every town, in
every neighborhood, day by day, hour after hour… But Eddie
was convinced that the rule prevailed, that it was the way,
that it was the only way.
Simenon, in this novel, masterfully let us see the slow
disintegration of Eddie, terrorized by what he feels, knowing
what will happen to his brother and refusing to admit it
openly, continuing his mission in the name of his code of
conduct that led his whole life. But what is really left now
from his real life? END OF SPOILER - END OF SPOILER END OF
SPOILER
In an insidious and efficient manner, Simenon will lead his
central character to face his own destiny, after the
artifices of his position and all the false rewards and
comforts of a "successful life" suddenly become meaningless
in front of the events and of their tragic consequences for
Eddie. By this process, Noir is slowly invading the novel all
along a story seen through Eddie, until he reaches the total
darkness wherein he is left at the end… a real negative
climax. A very good novel.
E.Borgers Hard-Boiled Mysteries http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6384
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