The Godfather (A or 4/4 stars)
Marlon Brando & Al Pacino star as Don Vito Corleone & his youngest son, Michael in 'The Godfather', an epic crime saga directed by Francis Ford Coppola & based on a novel by Mario Puzo. It is the late 1940s in NY & Vito is a "godfather" or "don", the head of an organized crime/Mafia family. Michael, a free thinker who defied his father by enlisting in the Marines to fight in WWII, has returned a war hero. Having rejected the family "business", Michael shows up at the wedding of his sister, Connie (Talia Shire), with his non-Italian girlfriend, Kay (Diane Keaton), who learns for the 1st time about the family "business."
Also at the wedding are Vito's 2 older boys, hot-headed Sonny (James Caan) & Fredo (John Cazale); along with their "adopted" brother, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), the don's right-hand man. A few months later at Christmas, the don barely survives being shot by a drug-trafficking rival whose request for aid from the Corleones' political connections was rejected. After saving his father from a 2nd assassination attempt, Michael persuades his brother Sonny, Tom Hagen & Sal Tessio (Abe Vigoda) that they should be the one to take revenge on the men responsible. With the end of the war, the times are changing and, as much as Don Vito seemed in control at the prior wedding, his power really starts to dwindle. His views on the importance of family, loyalty, & respect seem antiquated.
And even his heir apparent, Sonny, disagrees with his father's refusal to get into the drug business (Vito still hangs onto gambling & alcohol). But Don Vito will not compromise, even when a powerful drug supplier arrives with promises of high profits for those who back him. Don Vito's refusal to do business with the supplier strikes the 1st sparks of a lengthy war that will cost many lives. Over time (including a lengthy trip to Sicily), Michael is groomed to be the new Don; leading the family to a new era of prosperity, & then launching a campaign of murderous revenge against those who once tried to wipe out the Corleones.
Don Vito is one complicated gangster. He is not a brutal killer, & he never mixes business with personal matters. He's a family man ("A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man"). But he also understands the burden of power & even shows sympathy for Michael when he is forced to assume the "throne". Michael's transformation from passive, 'innocent' bystander to central manipulator is something akin to a Shakespearean tragedy. By the end of the film, this man who claimed to be different from the rest of his family has become more ruthless than his father ever was.
'The Godfather' offers some wonderful lines of dialogue. The line "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" is legendary. And so, too, is Brando's performance. With his weirdly raspy voice, specific body/facial movements, & insistent stare, Brando has created a character that will be recalled for as long as movies exist. Another characteristic that sets this movie apart from so many other gangster dramas is its ability to weave the various layers of story into a cohesive whole. It's a story about the Mafia; but also about family; about responsibility; about a father's legacy; about brotherhood; about business; about revenge; about greed; about the corrupting influence of power; and about deflated morals. The list goes on & on.
Strong performances, stellar directing, a superb script, & Nino Rota's mournful score all contribute to The Godfather's success. It doesn't take long for us to be sucked into this movie. And then it never loosens its grip for the next 165 or so minutes. Every moment of this movie rivets. Everything looks & feels authentic. Every character is distinct. The movie plays like a series of mini-climaxes, all building to the devastating, iconic conclusion - with Kay Adams looking on as her husband, Michael, assumes the new role of Don. And Kay's shock of recognition makes for one hell of a lasting image.
Also at the wedding are Vito's 2 older boys, hot-headed Sonny (James Caan) & Fredo (John Cazale); along with their "adopted" brother, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), the don's right-hand man. A few months later at Christmas, the don barely survives being shot by a drug-trafficking rival whose request for aid from the Corleones' political connections was rejected. After saving his father from a 2nd assassination attempt, Michael persuades his brother Sonny, Tom Hagen & Sal Tessio (Abe Vigoda) that they should be the one to take revenge on the men responsible. With the end of the war, the times are changing and, as much as Don Vito seemed in control at the prior wedding, his power really starts to dwindle. His views on the importance of family, loyalty, & respect seem antiquated.
And even his heir apparent, Sonny, disagrees with his father's refusal to get into the drug business (Vito still hangs onto gambling & alcohol). But Don Vito will not compromise, even when a powerful drug supplier arrives with promises of high profits for those who back him. Don Vito's refusal to do business with the supplier strikes the 1st sparks of a lengthy war that will cost many lives. Over time (including a lengthy trip to Sicily), Michael is groomed to be the new Don; leading the family to a new era of prosperity, & then launching a campaign of murderous revenge against those who once tried to wipe out the Corleones.
Don Vito is one complicated gangster. He is not a brutal killer, & he never mixes business with personal matters. He's a family man ("A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man"). But he also understands the burden of power & even shows sympathy for Michael when he is forced to assume the "throne". Michael's transformation from passive, 'innocent' bystander to central manipulator is something akin to a Shakespearean tragedy. By the end of the film, this man who claimed to be different from the rest of his family has become more ruthless than his father ever was.
'The Godfather' offers some wonderful lines of dialogue. The line "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" is legendary. And so, too, is Brando's performance. With his weirdly raspy voice, specific body/facial movements, & insistent stare, Brando has created a character that will be recalled for as long as movies exist. Another characteristic that sets this movie apart from so many other gangster dramas is its ability to weave the various layers of story into a cohesive whole. It's a story about the Mafia; but also about family; about responsibility; about a father's legacy; about brotherhood; about business; about revenge; about greed; about the corrupting influence of power; and about deflated morals. The list goes on & on.
Strong performances, stellar directing, a superb script, & Nino Rota's mournful score all contribute to The Godfather's success. It doesn't take long for us to be sucked into this movie. And then it never loosens its grip for the next 165 or so minutes. Every moment of this movie rivets. Everything looks & feels authentic. Every character is distinct. The movie plays like a series of mini-climaxes, all building to the devastating, iconic conclusion - with Kay Adams looking on as her husband, Michael, assumes the new role of Don. And Kay's shock of recognition makes for one hell of a lasting image.