Mat
05-12-2004, 04:57 PM
http://member.netease.com/~freshwin/poster/The%20Godfather.jpg
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Starring:
Marlon Brando
Al Pacino
Robert Duvall
James Caan
Diane Keaton
and "Yo, Adrian" Talia Shire
Rated R for old fashion mafia kickass fun
What makes The Godfather so great that it’s usually voted #1 on most every “greatest” movie lists? It’s a film that celebrates organized crime, isn’t it? We sympathize with Marlon Brando’s Don Vito Corleone as if were our kindly grandfather who looks out for his family’s interests. Indeed he does look out for his family’s interest. “A man is not a real man if he does not spend time with his family” he says in one of him many memorable monologues. He’s an extremely likable character and will stop at nothing to protect his family and their assets, even if it consists of blowing a guy’s brains out if he will not do what they want. The brilliance of Coppola’s film lies in the fact that he can make these men of ill repute likable and seem like any of our friends, neighbors, parents, and grandparents. We would love to be the godchild of Don Vito because you can see he genuinely loves his family. Even after one of his sons is in exile and the other is dead, instead of calling for vengeance of the ones who killed him which any lesser mobster movie would do, he calls for a truce so no more of his family will be hurt. He’s even against selling drugs. What a great guy! Of course, if you say or do something derogatory toward his family, you might wake up with a horse head in your bed or even worse sleeping with the fishes. Brando’s grandfatherly approach to Don Vito Corleone conveys a man who is wise, likable, and at the same time ruthless.
The story of The Godfather concerns Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) ascent from a slightly idealistic World War 2 veteran to a mafia Don more ruthless than even his father. There are so many scenes that are pee-your-pants quality. The first scene of the movie emerges out of complete blackness to see a man pleading with Don Vito to help him get back at his daughter’s rapists in Don Vito’s office. The way shadows and darkness are used greatly throughout the movie possibly signifying the dark, seedy business Don Vito’s dealing with. The opening scenes at the wedding of Don Vito’s daughter perfectly sets up the characters. There’s Don Vito’s overly ambitious and easily angered son Sonnie (James Caan), his reliable adopted son, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), and his gullible, innocent daughter, Connie (Talia Shire, yo Adrian!). There’s the scene where Don Vito is gunned down on a public street while buying fruit (the Don likes his fruit). I also love the scene when Michael moves Don Vito’s hospital bed into another room and we hear then see a figure walking up the stairs. We assume it’s the opposing family’s mobsters coming to finish Don Corleone off, but it’s actually just his baker. Again, the way Coppola and his cinematographer, Gordon Willis, use darkness and shadow makes the scene more than it actually is. Don Vito’s death while playing with his grandson is pure Brando. Then there’s the climax during Michael’s nephew’s baptism juxtaposed to the assassinations of all the heads of the families that oppose the Corleones. Both of these events signify Michael becoming a godfather in actuality and metaphorically as his father was. It’s the passing of the torch of power from father to son.
Michael Corleone is the real lead role in The Godfather (though Brando won the Oscar best leading actor and Pacino was only nominated for best supporting actor). This is probably Pacino’s most subtle and arguably best work. Marlon Brando would have many hits (Apocalypse Now, Last Tango in Paris) and misses (anyone remember Christopher Columbus: The Discovery or Free Money). The Godfather has his most remembered role, but not his most influential (see On the Waterfront). Don Vito Corleone should be more remembered for his character, not his funny voice. Unfortunately that’s not the case here and he’ll be mostly remember by the public as the guy who “made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.” Those of us who bear witness to Coppola’s masterful mafia epic will remember him as something a little more…
A+
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Starring:
Marlon Brando
Al Pacino
Robert Duvall
James Caan
Diane Keaton
and "Yo, Adrian" Talia Shire
Rated R for old fashion mafia kickass fun
What makes The Godfather so great that it’s usually voted #1 on most every “greatest” movie lists? It’s a film that celebrates organized crime, isn’t it? We sympathize with Marlon Brando’s Don Vito Corleone as if were our kindly grandfather who looks out for his family’s interests. Indeed he does look out for his family’s interest. “A man is not a real man if he does not spend time with his family” he says in one of him many memorable monologues. He’s an extremely likable character and will stop at nothing to protect his family and their assets, even if it consists of blowing a guy’s brains out if he will not do what they want. The brilliance of Coppola’s film lies in the fact that he can make these men of ill repute likable and seem like any of our friends, neighbors, parents, and grandparents. We would love to be the godchild of Don Vito because you can see he genuinely loves his family. Even after one of his sons is in exile and the other is dead, instead of calling for vengeance of the ones who killed him which any lesser mobster movie would do, he calls for a truce so no more of his family will be hurt. He’s even against selling drugs. What a great guy! Of course, if you say or do something derogatory toward his family, you might wake up with a horse head in your bed or even worse sleeping with the fishes. Brando’s grandfatherly approach to Don Vito Corleone conveys a man who is wise, likable, and at the same time ruthless.
The story of The Godfather concerns Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) ascent from a slightly idealistic World War 2 veteran to a mafia Don more ruthless than even his father. There are so many scenes that are pee-your-pants quality. The first scene of the movie emerges out of complete blackness to see a man pleading with Don Vito to help him get back at his daughter’s rapists in Don Vito’s office. The way shadows and darkness are used greatly throughout the movie possibly signifying the dark, seedy business Don Vito’s dealing with. The opening scenes at the wedding of Don Vito’s daughter perfectly sets up the characters. There’s Don Vito’s overly ambitious and easily angered son Sonnie (James Caan), his reliable adopted son, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), and his gullible, innocent daughter, Connie (Talia Shire, yo Adrian!). There’s the scene where Don Vito is gunned down on a public street while buying fruit (the Don likes his fruit). I also love the scene when Michael moves Don Vito’s hospital bed into another room and we hear then see a figure walking up the stairs. We assume it’s the opposing family’s mobsters coming to finish Don Corleone off, but it’s actually just his baker. Again, the way Coppola and his cinematographer, Gordon Willis, use darkness and shadow makes the scene more than it actually is. Don Vito’s death while playing with his grandson is pure Brando. Then there’s the climax during Michael’s nephew’s baptism juxtaposed to the assassinations of all the heads of the families that oppose the Corleones. Both of these events signify Michael becoming a godfather in actuality and metaphorically as his father was. It’s the passing of the torch of power from father to son.
Michael Corleone is the real lead role in The Godfather (though Brando won the Oscar best leading actor and Pacino was only nominated for best supporting actor). This is probably Pacino’s most subtle and arguably best work. Marlon Brando would have many hits (Apocalypse Now, Last Tango in Paris) and misses (anyone remember Christopher Columbus: The Discovery or Free Money). The Godfather has his most remembered role, but not his most influential (see On the Waterfront). Don Vito Corleone should be more remembered for his character, not his funny voice. Unfortunately that’s not the case here and he’ll be mostly remember by the public as the guy who “made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.” Those of us who bear witness to Coppola’s masterful mafia epic will remember him as something a little more…
A+