The GodfatherWhen everything else in the world seems to be crumbling around you, family is the only thing that holds strong against the forces of destruction--the ties that bind. The Godfather is the story of the Corleone family, both in the literal sense and the euphemism used to describe the "family business" of organized crime. Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is the family elder, respected and feared, who rubs a rival branch the wrong way when he refuses to allow his clan to become involved in the drug trade. As things escalate, his youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino), finds himself forced to choose between his loyalty to his family or his freedom.
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The Godfather is a period piece set just after World War II; Michael returns as a war hero and an ivy league graduate to attend the wedding of his sister, Connie (Talia Shire), accompanied by his love, Kay (Diane Keaton). It is sometimes said that soldiers bring the war home with them, although Michael does not appear violent or even temperamental--that distinction belongs to his eldest brother, Sonny (James Caan). There is a clarity and awareness to Michael's behavior, which makes his actions and ascent (or descent, depending on the perspective) into becoming the eventual Don following his father seem all the more justifiable. The Godfather is a movie which exists among paradoxes. Michael's cool, sympathetic--even kind--attitude does not mirror what he becomes at the end, but it is also which makes him so incredibly effective at securing his family's legacy when they are reeling from the protracted war with the Tattaglia family. Vito proclaims that he does not wish his family--or others--to become involved with narcotics not because it is morally reprehensible, but because it is unfavorable to the politicians and judges who owe him allegiance, and because it is "risky". The drug trade, however, is essentially a "macguffin", something which is used to destabilize the Corleone family, and justify an attempted hit on Vito and those close to him solely for leverage, with the axiomatic excuse offered time and again: "it's just business".
During the opening of The Godfather, Vito--along with his consigliere (family lawyer) and honorary son, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall)--hears a request made of him by Amerigo Bonasera (Salvatore Corsitto), who comes to him for "justice" after the beating of his daughter by two young men. Vito Corleone asks Bonasera why he didn't come to him first, but instead went to the police, who proved to be ineffectual. This underscores that, at least in this romanticized portrayal of organized crime found in The Godfather, the mafia exists as a shadowy parallel to the law--paradoxically existing for similar purposes. Michael's emergence at the wedding--in uniform--makes him a representative of "the law" or "order"...an outsider in appearance, even though warmly welcomed by his family. His assertions that he is interested in leading a virtuous life with Kay--as well as his recollection of a famous shakedown story involving his father, mob goon Luca Brasi (Lenny Montana), and a band manager of famous crooner, Johnny Fontane (Al Martino)--makes Michael the least likely member of the notorious Corleones. Michael is, however, evidently the most devoted member of the family outside of his father, and gives up everything for the sake of it, leaping into the proverbial line of fire much like Vito did to try to shield his other son, Fredo (John Cazale), following the attempt made on his father's life.
Vito Corleone's refusal to engage the agent for the Tattaglia family, Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo (Al Lettieri), is done because he resists this "new way" which has even seduced Tom and Sonny with its potential for profitability. He doesn't want to open the door for more opportunities for violence and bloodshed; this ironically serves as the justification for Sollozzo and whoever is pulling his strings to strike first, even utilizing the corrupt NYPD Captain Mark McCluskey (Sterling Hayden) to this end with a blitzkrieg of bullets--the hallmark of the "new way" following the big war. In a sense, Michael is playing by their rules when he offers to meet them as a presumably neutral mediator at a restaurant in an effort to end the hostilities. But Michael is prepared to sacrifice himself (or rather his newfound freedom in the United States) in order to see justice done to these assassins by becoming one himself. The scene in the restaurant is representative of how sharp and aware Michael truly is; just as he understood that the abandoned hospital represented a risk to his father's life, he knows that when he must pull the trigger, his success is due in part to waiting to take advantage of the sound of a passing train car to somewhat mask his gunfire, so as to likely not arouse the suspicions of another gangster waiting outside in the car.
Michael is smart and well-educated, and fosters a better understanding of his familial roots in Sicily during his exile, where he also not only manages to improve his Italian but meet his lovely bride, Apollonia (Simonetta Stefanelli). When Vito learns that Michael was forced to flee the country, he is visibly heartbroken--not as much due to the absence but that in Michael, it becomes clear that Vito was never fully in love with the idea of the mafia, and that Vito wanted a "better life" for his youngest son, the spiritual anchor to the family. To an extent, The Godfather shares some similarities with It's a Wonderful Life, albeit the youngest Corleone has the leadership of his clan (and community) thrust upon him when no one else can rise to the challenge in as successful of a way. Following a series of tragic events, Michael returns to America, where a peace has been brokered with the perceived assistance of mob patriarch, Emilio Barzini (Richard Conte), even if it is one which is slowly choking the Corleones business to death. Michael's return also resembles that of Heathcliff in "Wuthering Heights": a man who returns to his home far wiser, but with an agenda born from grief and a cold rage, one which becomes apparent at the bloody climax of The Godfather.
There is a persistent sense in The Godfather about the new shape of America following the war, and how this transition born of blood is the new shape of the latter half of the twentieth century. Bonasera's first name is "Amerigo", and he talks of how he loves this country, but acknowledges the failings of justice through the courts, calling for the heads of those who beat his child. A Corleone caporegime (lieutenant) named Peter Clemenza (Richard S. Castellano) comments to Michael that they should have killed Hitler before things got out of hand, advocating preemptive action, which is the same kind of actions taken by heralds of the "new way", including the Tattaglia family and Sollozzo, who talks of this in Italian to Michael at the restaurant. When the hot-headed Sonny is convinced that a sickly driver named Paulie (Johnny Martino) was involved in the assassination attempt on Vito, Sonny has him killed out in a field, with the Statue of Liberty in the distance, all while Clemenza urinates into the "amber waves of grain". Following Barzini's Machiavellian mediation at the meeting called by Vito of the heads of the five families, narcotics becomes part of the comprehensive mob's business. He also presses Don Corleone to soften his grasp on his political contacts, albeit for compensation...as he proclaims, "we're not communists" (Of course, this is ironic considering that the families have essentially commandeered Vito's assets and redistributed his "wealth" for their gain.) Ultimately, it is Michael who proves to be the greatest scion of this new order, evidenced not by his cooperation with his captors but by striking first and from the shadows, groomed for this new world by his father...the natural inheritor of the Corleone's grim legacy.
Recommended for: Fans of a quintessential mob intrigue thriller, which defined the genre and spawned two sequels. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo for the screen by Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather itself left a cinematic legacy, blessed with an enormously talented cast and crew which made it possible.
During the opening of The Godfather, Vito--along with his consigliere (family lawyer) and honorary son, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall)--hears a request made of him by Amerigo Bonasera (Salvatore Corsitto), who comes to him for "justice" after the beating of his daughter by two young men. Vito Corleone asks Bonasera why he didn't come to him first, but instead went to the police, who proved to be ineffectual. This underscores that, at least in this romanticized portrayal of organized crime found in The Godfather, the mafia exists as a shadowy parallel to the law--paradoxically existing for similar purposes. Michael's emergence at the wedding--in uniform--makes him a representative of "the law" or "order"...an outsider in appearance, even though warmly welcomed by his family. His assertions that he is interested in leading a virtuous life with Kay--as well as his recollection of a famous shakedown story involving his father, mob goon Luca Brasi (Lenny Montana), and a band manager of famous crooner, Johnny Fontane (Al Martino)--makes Michael the least likely member of the notorious Corleones. Michael is, however, evidently the most devoted member of the family outside of his father, and gives up everything for the sake of it, leaping into the proverbial line of fire much like Vito did to try to shield his other son, Fredo (John Cazale), following the attempt made on his father's life.
Vito Corleone's refusal to engage the agent for the Tattaglia family, Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo (Al Lettieri), is done because he resists this "new way" which has even seduced Tom and Sonny with its potential for profitability. He doesn't want to open the door for more opportunities for violence and bloodshed; this ironically serves as the justification for Sollozzo and whoever is pulling his strings to strike first, even utilizing the corrupt NYPD Captain Mark McCluskey (Sterling Hayden) to this end with a blitzkrieg of bullets--the hallmark of the "new way" following the big war. In a sense, Michael is playing by their rules when he offers to meet them as a presumably neutral mediator at a restaurant in an effort to end the hostilities. But Michael is prepared to sacrifice himself (or rather his newfound freedom in the United States) in order to see justice done to these assassins by becoming one himself. The scene in the restaurant is representative of how sharp and aware Michael truly is; just as he understood that the abandoned hospital represented a risk to his father's life, he knows that when he must pull the trigger, his success is due in part to waiting to take advantage of the sound of a passing train car to somewhat mask his gunfire, so as to likely not arouse the suspicions of another gangster waiting outside in the car.
Michael is smart and well-educated, and fosters a better understanding of his familial roots in Sicily during his exile, where he also not only manages to improve his Italian but meet his lovely bride, Apollonia (Simonetta Stefanelli). When Vito learns that Michael was forced to flee the country, he is visibly heartbroken--not as much due to the absence but that in Michael, it becomes clear that Vito was never fully in love with the idea of the mafia, and that Vito wanted a "better life" for his youngest son, the spiritual anchor to the family. To an extent, The Godfather shares some similarities with It's a Wonderful Life, albeit the youngest Corleone has the leadership of his clan (and community) thrust upon him when no one else can rise to the challenge in as successful of a way. Following a series of tragic events, Michael returns to America, where a peace has been brokered with the perceived assistance of mob patriarch, Emilio Barzini (Richard Conte), even if it is one which is slowly choking the Corleones business to death. Michael's return also resembles that of Heathcliff in "Wuthering Heights": a man who returns to his home far wiser, but with an agenda born from grief and a cold rage, one which becomes apparent at the bloody climax of The Godfather.
There is a persistent sense in The Godfather about the new shape of America following the war, and how this transition born of blood is the new shape of the latter half of the twentieth century. Bonasera's first name is "Amerigo", and he talks of how he loves this country, but acknowledges the failings of justice through the courts, calling for the heads of those who beat his child. A Corleone caporegime (lieutenant) named Peter Clemenza (Richard S. Castellano) comments to Michael that they should have killed Hitler before things got out of hand, advocating preemptive action, which is the same kind of actions taken by heralds of the "new way", including the Tattaglia family and Sollozzo, who talks of this in Italian to Michael at the restaurant. When the hot-headed Sonny is convinced that a sickly driver named Paulie (Johnny Martino) was involved in the assassination attempt on Vito, Sonny has him killed out in a field, with the Statue of Liberty in the distance, all while Clemenza urinates into the "amber waves of grain". Following Barzini's Machiavellian mediation at the meeting called by Vito of the heads of the five families, narcotics becomes part of the comprehensive mob's business. He also presses Don Corleone to soften his grasp on his political contacts, albeit for compensation...as he proclaims, "we're not communists" (Of course, this is ironic considering that the families have essentially commandeered Vito's assets and redistributed his "wealth" for their gain.) Ultimately, it is Michael who proves to be the greatest scion of this new order, evidenced not by his cooperation with his captors but by striking first and from the shadows, groomed for this new world by his father...the natural inheritor of the Corleone's grim legacy.
Recommended for: Fans of a quintessential mob intrigue thriller, which defined the genre and spawned two sequels. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo for the screen by Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather itself left a cinematic legacy, blessed with an enormously talented cast and crew which made it possible.