The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather (1972)

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and James Caan

Plot: Vito "The Don" Corleone is the head of a crime family in New York during the 1940s.  They have many ties to political leaders, gambling rings, and celebrities, and do dirty work for them in exchange for money, favors, and loyalty.  Business seems to be going well for the Corleone family, until a rival family, the Tattaglias, start hunting them down, starting with Vito.  Pretty soon, all the gangs and crime families in New York are at war with each other.  Through a series of twists and turns, the youngest of Vito's sons, Michael, who originally didn't want to be a part of the family business, gets more and more involved in the situation, and he begins to climb up the ladder of power in the family.  Will they be able to stop the war without familial blood being spilled, or is it already too late? 

Good: There's a reason this movie is held in such high regard.  The acting alone makes this movie a must watch.  Al Pacino as Michael Corleone does a very layered and complex performance.  The evolution of his character as he becomes more and more involved with the family business.  He starts out uninterested and unassuming, but as darkness overtakes him, he becomes more confident and grows into the power he gains.  James Caan is also great as Sonny Corleone.  His dedication to his family is very evident from the start, becoming furious whenever something bad happens.  He also has some of the more entertaining fight scenes, since his character is the most violent of the family members.  Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen is also good, keeping a level head whenever things get bad, along with being one of the most intelligent people in the family.  He is very convincing as the family's lawyer and consigliere.  But the best performance by far comes from the legendary Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone.  His acting in this film is absolutely stellar, his slurring slow speech patterns making him almost hypnotic to watch.  He portrays both the power he has over people and his fondness towards his family brilliantly.  The make up effects on him are also wonderful.  The subtle aging of the character is really effective, especially when you compare his first scene with his last.  The rest of the production design is amazing as well, with the 1940s New York setting looking very convincing.  The progression of time is evident from the subtle changes in the costumes and vehicles.  The score, composed by Nina Rota, is a beautiful composition, capturing the haunting atmosphere of many of the scenes, as well as the Sicilian roots of the story.  Even though the story is about gangsters in the 1940s, the writing can make any audience in any generation identify with and care for the characters.  The story deals with themes of power, corruption, and most of all, family.  This last point is probably why so many people can care for the characters, despite the crimes they commit.  Their familial bond with each other makes them very sympathetic, no matter how many people they murder.

Bad: Yes, even in a masterpiece such as this does have some issues.  Due to the three hour run time of the movie, some audience members might become bored at certain points.  This includes the part where Michael goes to Sicily, when there isn't a whole lot that happens.  Further more, there are a lot plot points that may be difficult to understand if someone wasn't paying attention to an earlier scene.  This film requires the audience's full attention, which can be a turn off to some.  Also, Marlon Brando can be a bit hard to understand when he's speaking, but for the most part, he's pretty clear.

Trivia:

• Marlon Brando had to wear a mouthpiece in order to get the signature bulldog-like look down.
• The smack that Vito gives to Johnny Fontane was improvised by Brando.
• Most of Brando's lines when he's holding the cat had to be dubbed since it was purring too loudly.
• Francis Ford Coppola insisted that the film be titled Mario Puzo's The Godfather, since his script was so faithful to the original book, and Coppola thought Puzo should get a writing credit for the film version.

Final Verdict: What can I say about The Godfather that hasn't already been said.  The acting is fantastic, the score is beautiful, and the story is one that will last for many more years to come.  I would only dissuade people from watching it if they couldn't handle the sight of blood, since there's a fair amount of it in the film.  Otherwise, this is a must see for anyone who has even the slightest interest in movies.  You won't be disappointed.

Next time, we'll take a look at the film that split movie goers in two.  Whether you love it or hate it, I'm going to review Twilight.  Oh boy...

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