Review of The Godfather (1972) by Swati — 06 Mar 2014

Inspired by the Five Families of New York City, The Godfather tells the story of how the Corleones are pushed against the wall by their rivals and other upcoming gangsters who want to make money by sources Don Vito deems beneath him, and their retaliation and its consequences. Alliances are formed in secret, murders are plotted, enemies are butchered or blown to pieces without remorse.

Don Vito (Marlon Brando) and his sons Sonny (James Caan) and Michael (Al Pacino) are the main characters. The actors bringing them to life have succeeded in their jobs so supremely that these characters have become the stuff of legend. Don Vito's backstory from the novel was pushed into The Godfather Part II, and that was a practical decision as the movie was already three hours long. Sonny and Michael display their acumen for running criminal activities when the reins are handed to them in their turn. Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) is the consigliere, or the most trusted adviser, of the Don.

We are transported from 1940s NYC ripe with Mafia bosses one-upping each other, to Sicily and Las Vegas. The characters are never shown to traverse great expanses of land or sea in search of destiny or whatever. Neither are they shown to be engaging in life-or-death situations where they have to come out on top using their wits or physical strength or endurance. But the change of settings does meet the requirements of the epic genre. Even though we don't get to see large scale gunfights or something like that, the fact that the Corleones are in all these places helps to form that opinion. The story is essentially about a single family, and you get the impression that the message here is that family is important, and that the lengths you're willing to go to to protect them knows no bounds.

The Corleones' peace is fazed when a gangster offers them a deal in drugs. Don Vito expresses his disgust and refuses. This triggers an unexpected ploy for gaining power and upper hand and turns the conflict into a fully fledged gang war. Some characters are displaced, forced to take up arms, or caught in the crossfire. Another calamity strikes when things seem to have cooled down. Finally, the Corleones deal with their enemies effectively and ruthlessly. The victory is theirs, but if it is worth it is for the audience to decide.

The Godfather's success lies in its rich story and characters. Often times, great stories come about by accident. The setting complements the plot and the characters, and becoming a character itself, creates a blend that is greater than the sum of its parts. These characters and plot could quite easily have worked in a medieval setting of dynasties warring for control over a kingdom, or any other setting for that matter, but the fact that the setting was New York City and the control over the city meant control over the most lucrative criminal activities, which is a decadent scheme, and immediately paints even the good guys in a bad light, was what in my opinion made The Godfather much more intriguing and enduring.

There are many enemies to deal with. The film doesn't develop them at all. The Corleones are the only ones who are explored and developed as characters. At first it seems like it is a story of a group of people who have virtually everything they could ever want and the film would only chronicle their exploits as they vanquish this enemy and that. This changes as we move forward and witness the bloodshed.

No good movie can come into being without good plotting, believable characterization, classy cinematography and memorable dialogue, and here it is all brought together nigh perfectly. The production design was impressive. The houses and their interiors, and the cars and costumes were fascinating and left me with a desire to be able to witness that world firsthand. The secondary characters may not have seemed to be given much screen time to develop them but the cast is so huge that if they had done it the movie would have been at least an hour longer. The score is so simple and true to the story that you don't need me to tell you that it may be the most memorable score ever.

A lot of time is spent in contemplation and silence, as the characters decide what the best course of action should be in response to a particular problem. The dialogue fleshes out the characters very well. The Godfather is essentially a film that looks into the lives of the gangsters at the top of the hierarchy. We only see the comings and goings, and not the handiwork, of the men who carry out the orders of their bosses. No shootouts during the gang war are shown. The intrigue that directly affects the main characters is in itself so destructive and deadly that not once the exclusion of the ordinary mobsters bother me in any way.

The Godfather cannot be dismissed as being merely about a mob family and a bunch of criminals. Given his later career, I think it's safe to venture that Coppola was born to make this movie.