Based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel, Fyodor Karamazov (Lee J. Cobb) is a wealthy and controlling father who must choose an heir among his four sons. Dmitri (Yul Brynner), the oldest son, is engaged to Katya (Claire Bloom) but starts seeing his father's mistress, Grushenka (Maria Schell). The other brothers, Ivan (Richard Basehart), Alexey (William Shatner) and half-brother Smerdyakov (Albert Salmi), all have designs on the inheritance, ultimately leading to betrayal and murder.