Review of The Godfather (1972) by Byron B — 22 Aug 2013

Just shy of a three hour run time. And fairly evenly breaks down into three parts. It takes place in the post war years, from the mid-40's to the early-50's. The Godfather, Don Corleone, Vito Corleone (Brando) rules over his familia in New York. We meet most of the characters at his daughter Connie's (Shire) wedding party. We find out later her new husband Carlo (Russo) is abusive and is never really included in the family business. The Don's oldest son is hothead Sonny (Caan), then there is foolish Fredo (Cazale), and the youngest, Michael (Pacino), who is returning from college and military service. Michael tells his girlfriend Kay (Keaton) early on that the actions of his family do not define him. We also meet Tom (Duvall), who was an orphan taken in by the Corleone family. Tom is a lawyer and trusted counselor to Vito, and is like a son to him and a brother to the three other boys. Clemenza (Castellano) and Tessio (Vigoda) are also trusted lieutenants to Vito's operation. We see the Godfather doing his business, trading favors, taking care of his family's safety, and making people offers they can't refuse. There is criminal intrigue as the Don meets with Sollozzo (Letierri) representing the Tattaglia family about getting into the drug business. Vito turns down Sollozzo's offer because prostitution, gambling, and alcohol are vices that the politicians and police have few scruples with, but narcotics are too dirty. The first third ends roughly with Don Corleone being shot. He does pull through and survives a while longer.

During his recuperation, Sonny and Tom fight like siblings about who has the better strategy for maintaining the family's power. The question often is revenge or business. Michael realizes his duty to the family and proves his loyalty by protecting his father. He also decides to take a couple lives. Eliminating an enemy of the family is not the same as killing in the armed forces for the government. Or is it? Michael and Kay discuss this issue later. Who is more naive, the person who thinks the influence of organized crime is just like that of men in political power, or the person who thinks that the two are completely different? In one of the tensest scenes, Michael meets with Sollozzo and corrupt police Captain McCluskey (Hayden) with the intention of killing them both. After this is done, it is arranged for Michael to get out of America and spend some time in the old country until things calm down again. This section has a touch of the Neorealist style mainly because of the scenery and the time period. The Corleone family has friends and enemies in Italy so Michael must still be careful. Near the town that is his father's namesake, Michael falls for the stunning Apollonia (Stefanelli). Back in New York, the law is cracking down on crime and Sonny and Tom still haven't completely settled on who is the new Don. This second third ends roughly with Sonny being shot like Bonnie and Clyde at the end of their movie.

Michael is called back. You might say he has been hardened like steel. Vito returns as the Don for a short time. Michael reconnects with Kay, expands the business to include some Las Vegas casinos, and shuffles some men around as his father makes him the new head of the family. This includes sending Fredo and Tom to oversee things in Nevada. Another very famous sequence shows Michael taking Catholic vows to be the Godfather of Connie's son at the baby's baptism, while five murders he arranged are carried out against men who have been obstacles to the Corleone interests. Eventually Vito dies and Michael officially becomes the Don. Coppola, Puzo, Rota, Willis, and the editors have authored a dark and perfectly paced drama of an Italian immigrant, who thought that in nearly thirty years he would have been able to turn the family business legitimate, but finds that this way of life is not so easily transformed.