By Jason Haskins
There are a lot of great examples of classic American cinema, but the one gem that comes to mind immediately is Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 classic, The Godfather, which changed the entire genre of gangster film. Growing up, my biggest exposure to gangster films were Martin Scorsese's crasser brand of criminals and characters and I seem to think there are two sides--those who dig Goodfellas and those who enjoy The Godfather. I have to find a middle ground, because both films are tremendous efforts. If you've never seen this you are in dire need of catch up.
Based on the Mario Puzo book of the same name published in 1969, The Godfather is about aging mafia boss Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) and his family--primarily his sons portrayed by James Caan and Al Pacino (with a little Robert DuVall thrown in as the adopted one). Two of the sons are preparing to take over for the patriarch while Michael (Pacino) has just returned from active duty and is starting a new life with the beautiful and elegant Kay (Diane Keaton) away from the "family business".
Things head south, though, when a hit is tried on Vito and the sons must band together to not only protect themselves and their father, but the empire that he helped build. It's an epic tale of pride, greed, and respect--but also one of American capitalism and the ultimate redemption that comes with family ties. Sure, parts of the movie definitely glorify the lifestyle and the violent aspect of it, but there's deeper things going on here involving love and honor, which are the driving points of the entire film and make it so powerful. You witness the rise and fall of the Corleone family and the high stakes game of business on the other side of the tracks.
Coppola helped develop the screenplay with Puzo himself and crafted something cutting edge that's still revered to this day. There are many characters you're introduced to throughout the process of the story, but they're kept fresh in your mind and you grow with them up until the fateful climax, which makes the entire film so rewarding to watch. Everything about the script is dead on and stays mostly true to the book, which I appreciated, but it also translates so well to the visual medium. It's no wonder the script netted them an Oscar, one of several this film got (including Best Picture).
Speaking of the Oscars, Marlon Brando won himself one for his portrayal of Don Vito and he has to give one of the best performances of all time. Even people who haven't seen this movie know of his bulldog face, gruffy voice, and the work he did for his unforgettable ending sequence (which hits me every damn time I see this film). He captures the very essence of the film tremendously coupled with the magnificent Italian vibe of the score created by Nino Rota and all of the peripheral actors.
James Caan is fantastic as always playing the quick-fire eldest son, Santino, in all of his buff and hairy glory. Al Pacino broke out big time because of his role as Michael and he's easily the second best asset to the cast who, over the course of the film, gets better and better. Even all of the background actors put a ton of energy into their performances and force you to lose grip that you're watching a movie. It seems like a grueling snapshot in the life of the mafia as unpleasant yet romantic as that is. I also have to say that DuVall is also very stellar playing a background player who's very subtle, but very controlling and electrifying to watch.
As much as I've dug other Coppola productions, this is his crowning achievement. He implemented some truly amazing things--most importantly being able to hold and excite you the whole time over the course of 175-minute film. I won't be the first to say, though, that the running time is a bit long. I could always do with an overture or something to catch my breath--there are at least three great ending scenes that would have sufficed, but the film keeps going. Lucky for us The Godfather is so good. It's just one of those movies I don't watch very often because of the commitment...but that doesn't mean it's not a phenomenal watch every time.
It's violent at times, it's expertly photographed and written, and captures some of the best performances of our time. It's an American classic that seems to get better every time that I see it. Sure, some people won't like the glorified violence, but it certainly doesn't hold a candle to what we see onscreen nowadays. The Godfather is full of intensity, heart-stopping moments of intense drama between the family, and some of the most unforgettable scenes ever conceived. Virtually everything about this film is on the mark from the disgustingly good opening scene to the ending, which will (hopefully) leave you speechless. This is time well spent, people, and they certainly don't make movies like this anymore.
© Jason Haskins, 2011
5 out of 5 Stars
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