The Godfather

Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Movie of All Time.
Review: A movie of such size, influence, and power as "The Godfather" isn't simply a movie. It's a life-altering experience. Francis Ford Coppola, barely into his thirties, would team up with author Mario Puzo to create the greatest period gangster epic whose influence remains incalculable. It all begins with the performances. Take a look at the opening scene, in which the undertaker Bonasera comes to Vito (Marlon Brando) for "justice" following the brutal assault of his daughter. That scene is brilliantly played and wonderfully directed, and Brando's portrayal as the Don is nothing short of perfect. The public perception of a Don of this magnitude is someone who is loud, brash, and emotional. Not this one. Brando's Vito is calm, soft spoken, and rarely raises his voice, which makes his character even more intimidating. But while Brando shines in this film, the heart of the movie (and indeed the entire trilogy) belongs to the then-newcomer Al Pacino, who playes Vito's youngest son, Michael. Michael's transformation from a mild-mannered college grad to a ruthless Mafia thug is one of the greatest performances you will see. James Caan as the hotheaded Sonny, John Cazale as the dim Fredo, the suave Robert DuVall as attorney Tom Hagen, and Talia Shire as the troubled newlywed Connie all shine in their supporting roles. Reviewing a movie like "The Godfather" is a bit overwhelming, as it has already been studied by other, more experienced film geeks. But if there's one movie you see in your lifetime, it has to be this verified, straight-up classic. Give three hours of your life to this movie, and what it will give in return will reward you richly.

Rating:
Summary: I'll Write A Review You Can't Refuse
Review: Francis Ford Coppola does something with this movie many filmmakers are unable to do. Coppola makes us feel as if we're part of the"FAMILY". We feel as if were behind the scenes watching the Corleone's up's and down's. A one of a kind screenplay written by Mario Puzo and Coppola,and as we all should know by now,the film the based on Puzo's novel. Truly desevering of the Oscars in won. Brando's performance in this movie,is in my opinion,the best of his career. And the same goes with the rest of the cast:Al Pacino,Diane Keaton,James Caan,Robert Duvall,and Talia Shire. Everyone in this movie delivers a powerhouse performances. Many unforgettable lines and characters that will stay with us forever. Terrific music score by Nino Rota,beautiful camerawork by Gordon Willis,and top notch directing Coppola. Truly one of the greatest films ever made! If there's anyone who hasn't seen this movie,you have no idea what your missing. A must for anyone's video collection.

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Summary: I'm 26 years old...
Review: ...and I saw the first Godfather for the first time today. Of course I've "always" known about the famous trilogy -but for some reason (perhaps because these movies are so long) I haven't taken time to sit down and watch the entire collection (I'm a great moviefan by the way).

It's not like it's the best movie I've ever seen, but now I can sure understand its' reputation. Without doubt it is a masterpiece, Brando and Pacino are great and unique for their parts. It's a movie one shouldn't die before've seen (if you get my meaning), so realistic and engaging. And despite its' lenght it never becomes boring though there's not much action, it's mostly pshycological -and brutal at the same time.

Give it a try, Coppola wont let you down -I guarantee!

Rating:
Summary: Not that great.
Review: I expected more from this film, I thought it would really be brilliant as many people say but it didn't impress me, instead, I almost fell asleep. As the movie goes on it gets more interesting but for some reason it didn't work for me. I must admit that the 1940's sicilian mafia is not a subject that interests me a lot, but the way it was put on the screen made me even less interested. Some people would say it was good for it's time, however there are films from the same time that are really good, Clockwork Orange, just to mention one. So timing is not the issue here, it's just that 7th art must show art and I don't see much in the Godfather. It's so full of gangster politics and so focused on the story itself that forgets to pay atention to other ways of expression. I guess most of the people would disagree with me, according to other comments that I haver read here,but take this as a warning for people who enjoy watching movies that make the difference like me. Watch it to decide yourself but don't expect too much.

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Summary: Whenever I find a horse's head in my bed...
Review: ...I can't help but think of this movie!

Seriously, how great is The Godfather??? It's totally great. I can't even begin to guess how many times I've seen it over the years.

The story grabs you right from the beginning and doesn't let go of you, not even after it's over. As for the acting in this - simply awesome! Brando, Pacino, Caan, Duvall, Keaton - all of them are incredible in this.

You'll often hear people say "you've gotta see it!" about a movie. A lot of times it's just not true. In The Godfather's case, you really DO have to see it if you haven't see it. If you've never seen it, you're truly missing out on one of the best movies ever made.

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Summary: Of course this a great movie - but the quality stinks!!
Review: I can certainly say that this is one of the greatest movies of all times. My big gripe is the quality of the DVD - which by the way it's made in MEXICO. There are blue and white flashes of light on the movie, it is not sharp and a little blurred. I really do not know if the problem is that it hasn't been "remastered" or that it's made in Mexico - which is known for making cheap, low-quality products. I know that I am not the only one who has complained about the quality because I read another review or two where they also complained of the quality.

Rating:
Summary: Not just another mafia film...
Review: After reading several reviews of this film and its sequel, I have come to the conclusion that film is misunderstood. The Godfather isn't just another crime film or another mafia film, it is a story of power, family, and capitalism. The crime is merely an illustration of the power.
The Godfather deals with power on many levels. In the first Godfather, we see the influence of power- for example the Horse head scene or the assasination of Moe Greene- and more importantly how through miscalculations and poor tactical decisions, this power is nearly lost. For example, Sonny's decision to have Michael murder Solozzo and McCluskey proves to be a grave error, as a full-scaled war ensues between the Corleone family and the other five families which results in a considerable weakening of the family's strength. I can't speak on the aquisition of power yet, because that requires a proper reading of the book or alternatively, a viewing of the second film.
Why, you may ask, is power such a central theme in the movie? The Godfather hints that organized crime is yet another form of American business-thatis, capitalism. After all, why is Vito Corleone gunned down in the street near the beginning? Not simply because he refused Solozzo, but because he refused to exert his political influence to help Solozzo's business. The Godfather part 2 deals with this on a more profound level, giving the viewer an exact idea of political corruption(remember Senator Geary?).
But the Godfather is also representative of another phenomenon which came to fruition in America in the 70's: A loss of innocence and corruption. Michael Corleone's character is a full embodiment of these feelings, and wee see in the second film how business robs him of his youth, his trust, and makes him a cynical and lonely man.
Films like Goodfellas and Casino can't hold a candle to this film. In those films, the main characters are portrayed as lunatics and have none of the charm of subtlety of a character like Don Corleone. Before I leave, I might suggest reading the book and paying close attention to the Godfather part 2 to grasp these ideas properly.

Rating:
Summary: Get The Whole Trilogy!
Review: When I first saw this movie, I had been built up to believe that this movie was (and is) one of the best films ever made. My parents, friends, and English teacher, for we studied this film in class, all thought so. However, I beg to differ.

This film may have been new for it's time and left some kind of mark; however, I just can't see this film having any kind of permanence at all.

First of all, the cinematography isn't that impressive. For instance, there are only about three camera shots, three, that stand out as nice, but for the rest of the movie everything is just bland (camera stuff that is). Lighting? Well, it's dark. That's it, just dark. How complicated is that, making a film dark? Now film technicalities out of the way, let's talk about story.

This movie is not an American success story, as some people would like you to think. Think of it this way. When an ethnic group creates an underground crime organization we laud it in films and books, but when real gangs break out they are feared on Channel 5 news. Double standard, right? So, as the supposedly sweet Godfather goes off killing or threatening people remember he's doing just that, and I even liked Marlon Brando's part (the Godfather!)

Once the film becomes Michael's story, one of the Godfather's sons (played by Pacino), that's when I really phase out. This is a story, and the sequel too, about Michael's conflict. However, I think that Coppola actually believes that we are supposed to feel for this cold-hearted person, who was supposed to be the good son.

If you want to watch a film that is drawn out, boring, and shows why "business" is all it is then go ahead. Also, I feel you should watch it just because everyone else thinks it is so "important"; maybe you'll agree. However, I personally feel it just was not a good film by any standards.

Rating:
Summary: The Gold Standard
Review: I think it is fair to say that "The Godfather" is among the most acclaimed films of all time. This movie is huge - an icon - and many since have imitated it's style. For decades I don't know how many movies have been hyped as "The Chinese Godfather" or "The Modern Godfather". They all fall short of the original.

It's interesting to me that much second-guessing surrounded everything from the story to the casting of actors such as Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. Those two are joined by Robert Duvall, James Caan, Diane Keaton, Abe Vigoda and Talia Shire and I see I'm using up space giving you the all-star cast.

The story, the direction, the lighting and the cinematography were all revolutionary. It was controversial to make a movie in which the "heroes" were gangsters, but here Francis Ford Coppola and writer Mario Puzo mesmerized us with the story of men who were at times ruthless killers, yet at the same time devoted to their families and devout to their church. The backstory of how Vito Corleone became "The Godfather" from Puzo's original novel isn't told until the 2nd movie (with Robert DeNiro playing the young Vito), but we see that these Mafia men believe that they are in a country full of opportunity, but also full of corruption - they know that if they don't exploit the world someone else will - so this justfies their careers in their minds.

The movie is a series of virtuoso sequences and performances. Small nuances are performed with fluorishes - Brando affectionately petting the purring kitten in the opening sequence while men are lining up to come into his office to pay their respects or ask favors of him - because it's his daughter's wedding day he cannot refuse.

The wedding introduces the broad cast of characters and we get time to see that Santino is the hot-headed lover, Fredo is the dim-witted brother and Michael is the returning war-hero who distances himself from the "family business". Although there are literally hundreds of individual sub-plots, the main story of the entire Godfather Trilogy is Michael's, (after his father) and how he goes from youngest son, determined to stay out of the business, to a Godfather more ruthless than them all.

After the wedding is another virtuoso scene that sets up most of the rest of the movie. Al Lettieri as Sollozzo requests a meeting with the Corleone family. He wants to establish a drug empire and he has already made arrangements for getting the opium and distributing it. From the Corleones he needs "a little finance" and political protection for when his men are inevitably stopped by police. Vito Corleone has made his fortune first hijacking delivery trucks, then in gambling and bootlegging, which he tells Sollozzo the police regard as "harmless vices". He is disdainful of a rival Don who deals in prostitution. At one point he tells his son "Tattaglia is a pimp" with complete disgust. He tells Sollozzo that he must refuse the offer because his political friends will no longer be his friends if he begins to deal in drugs. Sollozzo replies that the Tattaglia family guarantee the investment, and that the riches are projected to come pouring in. Hot-headed Sonny speaks out of turn and abruptly interjects "you mean the Tattaglia's GUARANTEE our investment". His father has already decided for his entire organization, and Santino, the 2nd in charge, reveals his eagerness to Sollozzo for trying this drug plan. No word is spoken after Vito shuts up his son with a gesture, but knowing looks are passed between everyone in the room. There will be trouble because Sollozzo now knows that Sonny is hot for the deal.

Sollozzo arranges to hit Don Corleone and his most trusted bodyguard, the fearful Luca Brasi. What he doesn't plan on is that Sonny's loyalty to his family, and his famous rage, are going to take precedent over any desire to join Sollozzo in the drug business.

I have only encapsulated the first act of one of America's greatest film epics. Although they are gangsters, these characters stick with you. For many of them, there is "honor among thieves", and at one point a long-time trusted Capo is led to betray the family and you really feel sorrow for him as he is led away and states remorsefully "Tell Mike it was only business."

The business of this movie sucks you up into Mario Puzo's world and you hardly feel as if time has passed when the credits roll almost three hours later. This is the King of the Gangster movies.

Rating:
Summary: The Legend of the Godfather
Review: This film starts on a wedding day, and introduces the characters. One scene shows an offended father asking for justice (or revenge) on the two men who beat up his daughter. Another example of the influence of the rich and famous over civil courts? But the girl's father seeks an older system of justice, and succeeds. This would be known as the unwritten law. Later we see how negotiations can influence movie production. Its who you know, not what you know (as on Wall Street). Changing conditions presents Don Corleone with a chance to enter a more lucrative business. But he refuses, since this business could damage his relationship with important politicians. [Could this be true given the events over the past fifty years?] This results in an attempt to give Don Corleone an early retirement. (We later find out who was the traitor.)

The incident at the hospital, when Michael finds it deserted, shows powerful forces at work. Michael acts quickly to safeguard his father. (And we find another crook.) Michael devises a strategy to eliminate business problems; it works. Michael's coolness contrasts to Sonny's emotions. Then Michael takes a long vacation afterwards. Sonny is lured into a trap, and killed in a spectacular manner. But this results in an end to the warfare. Don Corleone agrees to let the others draw water from the well (use his political influence to allow drug dealing). [And what does that tell you about out Establishment? But this is only a work of fiction, not journalism.]

After the death of Don Corleone, Michael plans a take-over move to reduce or eliminate his business competitors. This will take place after his nephew is baptized. [Dramatic effect? Waiting could let opportunities slip away.] Old scores are settled with the liquidation of Michael's rivals. But some cleaning up has to be done close to home. The film ends with the Corleone family moving west to the unspoiled lands of Las Vegas (the California trade). Will that bring them more happiness?

Most films are condensed versions of the book. You may want to read the 1968 novel for background, and to better judge the filmed version. Events are simplified and telescoped to fit within the constraints of time and budget. There is no mention of the political and economic conflicts of those days. It is not a coincidence for organized crime to flourish in the financial capitals like New York, Chicago, Boston, etc. Its as if Big Corporations need people to do the things that lawyers can't legally accomplish.