The
Godfather
(1972)
Rated: R
Runtime: 2 Hours and 55 Minutes
Reviewer: Dale
Grade: AOf all the "Godfather" films, this is the one that has seeped most deeply into our popular culture. How many times have you heard the line "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse"?
How many references have you heard to the horse's head in the producer's bed? How many times have you heard about the moment in the Italian restaurant when Pacino emerges from the restroom with a handgun? The answer to any of these questions would be "A lot".
"The Godfather" is the story of the largest mafia family in New York: The Corleones. It immerses us in the world of organized crime in a way that few films ever have. We get to know the head of the "family": Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). We get to meet his hotheaded son, Sonny (James Caan). We get acquainted with his son Michael (Al Pacino) who wants no part of the family business.
During the course of this film, "favors" are done. People are betrayed. Murders are contracted. Horses are decapitated. People are intimidated. And, most involving of all, Michael is slowly forced by circumstances to ease into the family business. The story arc of Michael's character is the thing that is most absorbing about this film. It hooks you and draws you in. Unlike most of the other characters, who exist and live by rules and protocols that most of us cannot relate to, we can relate to Michael. Michael is nothing more than a normal guy who wants no part of his family's shady business. As played by Al Pacino, he more than gains our sympathy and interest. Pacino is absolutely riveting here.
Not to knock any of the other actors, however, everyone in the film gives a great performance. Much has been said of Brando's performance (perhaps too much) and it is rather excellent. He delves deep into the psychology of this powerful man and gives us a glimpse of what makes him tick. We see that he is not really an evil man. He is a good man who has someone managed to retain his soul despite the evil business that he is in. He takes care of his family and he takes care of his friends and he assures that they are well provided for. He wants no part of the narcotics rackets because he senses that it is wrong. He aids those who have shown him loyalty. He is a respectable man who gains our respect as we watch. It is a very involving performance, one of the man's best. If not his absolute best.
James Caan is perfectly cast as the hotheaded and ill-tempered Sonny. He has been playing a variation on this character for his entire career, in fact. He invests himself wholly in Sonny.
Sonny becomes a volatile force of nature in his hands, one whose decisions we often dread.
Talia Shire does an admirable job as Connie, the sister in the family. John Cazale is also quite excellent as the neglected son of Vito Corleone, Fredo. Fredo tries to do the right thing, but he is a fuck-up. I, for one, can appreciate a character like this. And Cazale does a remarkable job with him. I don't think that enough has been said of this man.
But the real treat here is Robert Duvall. Duvall is excellent as Tom Hagan, adopted brother into the Corleone clan who has emerged as Vito's consigliere and makes many suggestions about the family business. He's a quietly compelling man, stealing almost every scene in which he's involved and without even seeming to try. Duvall has a subtle, understated grace with his role that is sadly lacking in the third film of the series.
The music, the lush scenery, the remarkable use of shadow and light as they play across the screen, the great performances. All of these ingredients help "The Godfather" emerge as a truly remarkable film with its head and shoulders above most of the films of its genre. No, I don't think that it's quite as good as "Once Upon a Time in America" or "Goodfellas", but it does have dozens of moments that live in your memory long after the film is over. There are many lines of dialogue that you might find yourself quoting days or even years later (much like Tom Hanks in "You've Got Mail").
If you haven't seen it yet, you owe it to yourself to at least acquaint yourself with this world. It's an offer that you probably shouldn't refuse.
Reviewer: Jones
Grade: A-
What a difference a second viewing makes!
When I first saw this film, I thought it was heavy-handed, manipulative and about as appealing as a plague victim in heat. That was about a year ago. Now, for whatever reason, I have chosen to revisit it and I must say that I am glad I did. Virtually all of the flaws I saw the first time around were erased with this second viewing. It still has that uneasy tendency to put the mob on a pedestal that I find decidedly inflammatory and it does lose itself momentarily in the final half hour, but, regardless, I must admit that I find it to be quite compelling overall.
What was so much different this time around you ask? I can quite honestly say that I do not have the answer to that question. Maybe I wanted to hate it. Maybe I didn't read the label properly and drank the mouthwash rather than gargling it. Maybe I watched the almighty "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" earlier in the day and was shocked and damaged by the fact that many people in the world consider the pathetic weasel of a film that is "The Godfather" to be a finer film. Maybe... Maybe... Maybe. I'm sure I had reasons. Valid or not. I had them.
Now that I have mined my well of ineptitude for a substantial period of time, let's take a look at the movie itself for a change. After all, I am supposed to be reviewing it.
We begin with a wedding. Not just any wedding, mind you. It is the wedding of the Godfather's daughter to some schmuck who will inevitably get on the bad side of his new family, as is the case with most of the people in this film. It should be a day of rejoicing and celebration, but for the Godfather it means taking requests and seeing them through. He is Sicilian (Of course!) and cannot turn down a request on the wedding day of his daughter.
Some goofy tradition or something I guess. Regardless, it sets up the key ingredients of the film. Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone AKA "The Godfather", James Caan as his son Sonny, Robert Duvall as Vito's adopted son and lawyer Tom, and Al Pacino as his war hero son Michael.
These are the people who mean something in the world of the Godfather. He is a man who will dispatch his men to carry out a hit while bouncing a grandchild on his knee. He is a man who loves his family more than anything and will do anything to ensure their livelihood. He doesn't consider one to be a true man unless he spends time with his family whenever possible.
It doesn't take long to realize that it is not wise to piss this man off. Animals are beheaded, muggers killed, and struggling entertainers are given jobs thanks to this man. All is going well in his world until a hit is carried out, due to his lack of interest in the drug trade, that leaves the family in the hands of his eldest son Sonny.
Sonny has a fiery temper and is not fit to lead. He knows how to be on the physical end of things, but he doesn't know when to pull his punches. Tom attempts to guide him with limited results. Meanwhile, Michael has never been one to be tempted to take part in the family business, but, with the tension increasing after the assault on his father and Sonny's halfwit decision-making, it becomes more and more apparent that he will have to step in if there is to be anything left of the family.
Director Francis Ford Coppola has made better films than this, but that is no slight when you consider the fact that he is responsible for films like "Apocalypse Now", "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and "The Conversation" to name a few. He manages to helm the ship fairly well here keeping the down time to a minimum. Most of the down time that does occur happens with about half an hour left, which is unfortunate, because it bogs the film down slightly when it should be building towards it's stunning finish. Overall though, a fine job by a man who had many great things ahead of him after this film.
It used to be that when people talked about this film they spoke of Marlon Brando. Recently, however, it seems people have brushed him aside and cast their attention towards Pacino's performance, which is completely without merit. Brando is the lifeforce of this film. Without him, this film would fall back into the average bin where I had once placed it. His is easily (and surpisingly) the most developed character in the film, even though the film's focus shifts strongly towards Michael after the first hour. The layers that Brando brings to this man, who could have very easily played as a hollow caricature, are extraordinary. When I think of this film, I think of him as a grandfather playing "monster" with his grandson. I think of him gaining and maintaining the respect of his friends through words first, and then actions if necessary.
Beautifully done. Marlon Brando, I salute you.
Pacino does a good enough job with the role of Michael. The son of a mob boss who wants nothing to do with the "business". Now that has possibilities. Possibilities that are explored with a great deal of care and attention by Coppola and Pacino, for the most part. Something
I didn't care for is how quick Michael is to change colors when he father has been attacked.
Granted that would piss me off too, but he suddenly goes gangster with the blood in his veins suddenly turning to ice and him knowing exactly how things should be handled even though he has been away during wartime and never wanted to have anything to with the "business" in the first place. I guess I'll let it slide though. Desperate times, desperate measures and all that nonsense.
The rest of the cast fills their roles nicely. James Caan as the hot-headed (Can he play anything else?) Sonny. The scenes that show him becoming enraged by his brother-in-law's actions towards his sister are very well done. Speaking of his sister, Talia Shire (YO ADRIENNE!!! herself) does some solid work here in a role that doesn't give her much more to do than get pissed and cry. Robert Duvall turns in his usual awe-inspiring performance as the adopted son turned family lawyer, Tom. He has many great moments, and he makes the most of them as always.
Anything else notable about this film? Let's see. I can't think of much else other than the infamous scene involving the horse and the "baptism in fire" ending (Which is one of the more masterfully done conclusions to a film that I have seen.). The only other thing worth mentioning is this film's subtle pretentiousness that only irked me a couple of times. Every so often, when watching this film, I get the unsettling feeling that I am being preached to. "Jason bow down and kiss my big-bloated Grand Canyon of an ass." At that moment, I tell the movie to piss off and the preaching diminishes. If I wanted to bow down and worship I would put in an Eastwood movie, and be on my knees with lips puckered. But guess what. This isn't an Eastwood movie and inevitably that means that I'm not in my pew on Sunday kissing this film's celluloid ass.
Now then. Sorry for the tirade, but I don't need to be sermonized by a bunch of pretentious fools in suits that have speech patterns that have speech therapists, the world over, wincing in pain.
Despite that little diatribe at the end, I did find "The Godfather" to be a surprisingly entertaining film. While not being the greatest film ever made, as some would have you believe, it is a film that can rest on it's own laurels and be assured of it's status as a finely crafted film that even I couldn't bring down from it's pedestal.
Although, if it starts getting overly preachy again (Like it did the first viewing.), I may be forced to revise this review as I see fit.
Godfather..... You've been warned.