The Godfather

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece of atmosphere and character
Review: From the haunting trumpet music leading into the first scene, this is one of the more atmospheric movies I've ever seen. Dark and brooding. The score is as much a part of the film as the actors and scenes. An aging Mafia Don presides over his family's transition of power. Marlon Brando is brilliant in the role of his career, Vito Corleone. Quiet, understated, and controlled. The Godfather is a man to be respected and feared. Of course, we all know, deep down inside, Don Vito is little more than a gentlemanly thug. A man who made his name through viciousness. A common criminal with uncommon power.

At the beginning of the movie, it looks like power will pass to Sonny, the handsome and volatile oldest son. Fredo, the middle son, is semi-retarded and Michael, the youngest, has no interest in the family business. Tom is an adopted son who could never become Godfather. Through a series of events, Michael shows his loyalty to his family and sacrifices tremendously. Slowly, it becomes apparent that he, not his father or his brothers, is the force to be reckoned with. He will hold the strings that maunuever other men. Al Pacino plays him masterfully. As a man who doesn't overcome his demons. Rather the opposite; he embraces them. He allows his soul to die as he willingly succumbs to his fate. He chooses an insulated paradoxical power over independence. The Godfather isn't about getting what you want, it's about accepting your destiny and working within that understanding.

A film about family, loyalty, manliness, sacrifice and the violent, hypocritical, degrading aspects of a criminal empire. Fear, suspicion, revenge, threats, brutality, double-crosses and intimidation are prevailing themes as the Corleone family struggles to maintain status during the convalesence and after the death of the patriarch. A fascinating movie about men who are not heroes, not even good guys. Yet they are dedicated to each other, to family and honor. To codes of conduct, rules and limits. A strangely compelling movie. A wonderful character study. As fine a movie as I have ever seen.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding in every detail, a masterpiece of cinema
Review: Francis Ford Coppola directed an absolute masterpiece on film when he made the immortal classic "The Godfather", which was adapted from Mario Puzo's best selling book about the inner working and ordeals of the Corleone Family who was head of the powerful Mafia organization. An excellent screenplay, excellent actors and excellent cinematography makes this one of the best films ever produced and its not hard to see why.

The film stars Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone aka "The Godfather", Al Pacino as The Godfather's son Michael, James Caan as Sonny who is The Godfather's eldest son and heir apparent, John Cazale as Fredo, the "innocent" son of Vito Corleone, Talia Shire as Connie the daughter and last but not least Robert Duvall as "Tom Hagen" as the adviser to the Don. The rest of the supporting cast is outstanding as well.

The screenplay is faithful to the storyline of the book, which excludes some chapters from the novel, however this doesn't diminish the movie in anyway. It is a story, ultimately a tragic one, about the powerful Corleone Family and the internal strife, struggle, loyalty and love mixed in with a need for power ultimately makes victims of all members of the family. I am sure all who have seen the movie know the plot well, and for those who havent seen the movie, I wont spoil any of it, since it is a movie "you cant refuse" to see. The ultimate lesson of the movie in my opinion is "Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely".

The characters in the movie are supposedly based on real life Mafioso's such as real Gambino crime boss Sam "Boom Boom" Giancana is the inspiration for Vito Corleone and Johnny Fontaine is based on Frank Sinatra as it will be easy to see when the viewer watches the movie.

This is a true classic in every sense of the word and I can't recommend it highly enough for those who enjoy classic movies and movies that last throughout time. This is only the opening chapter however and there are two more movies (Godfather II and III) in this incredible saga that are just as brilliant as this one and I highly recommend that they be viewed as well to see the ultimate tragedy of the Corleone Family.

Rating:
Summary: A Mafia Favorite
Review: I have always heard very good things about The Godfather movies, even from some of my film major friends. I have always wanted to see these films for many years, but when I actually did see them I was kind of disappointed. The first film I enjoyed quite a bit, but the second was rather confusing to me. I did find one thing quite intereesting, I do believe that after seeing the second some things in the first became a little less confusing. I really think that if I were to watch both of them again that both would become a lot clearer. I really never realized how many lines and scenes from these movies were infamous until I watched it. One scene that I was surprised was the horse in the bed scene. I always thought that the gentleman opened his eyes to see the head of the horse lying on a pillow next to him. Although, instead the horse's head is at the foot of the bed and the whole bed is covered with blood. Another thing about this same scene that I did not know before watching the movie was that the head of the horse was this own gentleman's horse that he had paid a laarge sum of money for. Personally I liked Vito's character (the Godfather in the first movie) much better than Michael's character (the Godfather in the second film). This probably plays a big factor in why I enjoyed the first filllm better. Another part of the second film that turned me off from it was the flashbacks. At the beginning of the film the director told us when we were about to see a flashback, but as the film went on he stopped telling us. I had problems in some spots telling which year we were watching. Some of the flashbacks were not so bad, but there were a few that were rather abrupt. I felt like we were in the middle of a scene and suddenly the scene changed and so did the time and the people. To me a lot of people looked alike, and at times they did not do a very good job letting us know who some people were or where they came from. I did not find this to be as true in the first, I understood who most people were in that film. But in the second I flet like as soon as I thought I understood who everyone was half of the people would die and new characters were added. I think I might have understood the movie a little bit better if I would have seen Vito's past as a child at the beginning of the first film. This would have helped me to understand some of his reasons for doing what he did. This would have also taken a lot of confusion out of the second film. All around I did enjoy these two films, although I do believe that if I were to watch them a second time that I would enjoy them a lot more. I would highly recommend watching these films, especially the first film.

Rating:
Summary: The Great Movie
Review: The Godfather Part 1 was the greatest movie ever done. Right from the very beginning it holds your interest. It starts with Michael Corleone, the youngest, getting into the family business when he never wanted to. Throughout the whole movie, Michael shows himself to be the best candidate for being the new Don. He is smart, cunning, and knows when to speak and when not to. He is also a very logical and practical man, which comes in handy when creating plans to eliminate the enemy.Another reason that this is a great movie is the actors. Al Pacino does a wonderful job as Michael Corleone. He carries himself through the movie and never loses sight of what is going on. He immerses himself in the character and its almost as if he forgets who he is and becomes Michael Corleone. Marlon Brando also does a wonderful job of acting, though his part is in fact very small. He seemed to know just how his character should be. It was a natural part for him and it almost seemed as if he wasn't even acting. The part was so natural for him that it was like he knew just how the mob was and how they worked.This movie was done very well. The plot always moved along, never stalling at any point. From the very beginning at Connie's wedding, you knew something was going to happen. You could pick up on small clues throughout the whole wedding. The first one I noticed was the one the way the Don was doing business. He saw everyone because "an Italian man can not refuse business on his daughter's wedding day." The clue wasn't in the business itself, it was in the way he handled it. He wasn't as sharp as he would've been, at least I thought. He wanted to be at the wedding enjoying it rather than in his office doing business. It seemed as if he was half paying attention, not really caring about the people's problems. He just wanted to be with his family and friends. The other thing that made this movie so great was the rest of the characters. All of the characters in this movie were believable. The idea of them wasn't so far out there that no one could believe it. Sonny is the hotheaded son who wants to take the business over but can't because of his temper. Fredo is the middle child who was ignored and never given the chance or even the thought to take over the business. Michael wasn't going to take the business over because he wanted nothing to do with the family business, that is, until he realized just how good he was at it. Connie would never be allowed to take over the business just for the fact that she was a woman. Her husband would not be allowed the business just because he was an outsider to the family. Just knowing these simple facts along with the time period, 1945ish, shows just how believable the characters are. This movie was a good story with great actors and a wonderful director. Everything about it was great. I would strongly recommend that you see it. I would also recommend reading the novel by Mario Puzo. He knows what a good story is.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: The Godfather is the finest film in the Mafia genre.The film creates an intriguing world of violence and power that completely engrosses a viewer and draws them into the movie. The storyline, the characters, and the action all contribute to the overall success of the film, and the visuals and setting are very realistic. The film clearly demonstrates the world view of the Mafia and how it differsfrom other criminal organizations. From the wedding scene at the start of the film, the viewer is transported to the world of the Corleone family and the office of Don Corleone, the Godfather. This portion of the film does an excellent job at introducing the characters and giving a good explanation of what the Corleone family business entails. It was also an opportunity forthe son Michael to explain to his girlfriend Kay, who is ignorant of the criminal extent of the family, how the Corleones conduct business. This allows a viewer to immediately recognize the characters that are central to the story, the basic structure of the Mafia family, and what direction the movie is going. The movie begins shortly after the end ofWorld War II. This marked a very important and successful period in the United States, and the Corleone family paralleled this. The movie follows the family as they expanded their power and influence in the New York underworld and the price that had to paid to accomplich this success. The greatest asset to the film were the characters. Vito Corleone, expertly played by Morlon Brando, is the head of the crime family and is developed wonderfully throughout the course of the movie. His thoughts and actions demonstrate how he was able to attain and control so much power in the violent and changing underworld.By making offers that no one could refuse, usuallythrough the use of a firearm, and showing generosity to his friends, he is able to control and rule withnot only fear, but also respect. Vito's youngest son Michael, played by Al Pacino, is another fully developed character that makes this movie a success. The movie follows Michael as he first refuses to be a part of the family business, begins to assume responsibility for the family "business", assassinates two enemies of the family, and is later thrust into the role of Don after the death of his father. The change that takes place in Michael is gradual and movie does a great job showing how circumstances thrust Michael into his father's position, and how he suceeded in maintaining power over the rival Mafia families. The director does an excellent job of not allowing violence to dominate the storyline and action of the film. It is true that many characters were killed or suffered dire consequences, but muchof the action of the film is in the dialogue and interaction between characters. The director realized that the threat of violence and allusions to violent consequencews held as much influence in the actions of the characters as actual violence. The Mafia is shown to be a business and the heads of the criminal organizations understood that decisions had to be based on thoughtful not impulsive actions. The visuals in this movie are wonderful. The dim overcast look of the film is very appropiate to the mood and subject matter,and the editing, especially the baptism scene at the end of the film, creates a sense of intrigue. The film's version of New York City during this time period is very realistic and bears mentioning. Portions of the movie also take place in Sicily. These scenes were also very credible and helped to both transport a viewer to the time period and also gives a glimpse of the environment tht the Mafia culture was born from. The Godfather is a wonderful movie that can appeal to a wide variety of people. The characters in the film were well developed and interesting. The film was also successful in its engrossing storyline and dialogue and did not have to resort to violence and action to hold the interest of the audience. The setting and cinematography is first rate and believable,and can transform a viewer into the film. Overall, The Godfather is one of the greatest American films, and I would recommend this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Cream of the Crop
Review: The Godfather wasn't just about gun toting gangsters. If it were, it wouldn't put to shame every other mafia style movie in existence today, as it has. This movie is a story of epic proportions. The film opens up at a wedding reception for the daughter of a major crime family in New York. The movie goes on to depict the life and times of Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando); From his rise to power, to his death, and then to the passing of the name "Don" to his son Michael (Al Pachino).

It's not often that a film intertwines as many plots and subplots, as well as "The Godfather" has does. Strong writing, directing, and acting also contribute to the success of the film. This movie was not just put together overnight. It was painstakingly crafted as to make it as realistic as possible. Every character, even the minor ones were molded to be as complex as possible. They were each given individual backgrounds, character, and little clicks that push this movie above and beyond and five stars.

The Corleone that ended up getting the most time on screen was Michael. Which might have been a sign for the future. The Godfather 2 was almost entirely based around Michael and his family. In the Godfather the movie is a build up to the rise and fall of Vito, but always having Michael as an underlying theme. Michael started the movie as a good, law-abiding citizen. In fact he was a war hero in world war two. At first he wanted nothing to do with the "family business". But as the movie progressed he got more and more intertwined with the family and ended up killing two men. He then left the country. At that point there was no return to normal life for him. He was now dodging hits left and right, doing anything he could just to stay alive. But soon he began to love it and thrive off of it. After his father died he became the "Don" and started taking charge of the family.

This movie in my book is worthy of much more than five stars. It is a classic that deserves recognition. If you ever get a chance to view it definitely check it out. If you are not satisfied, I will take your copy. J

David Johnson

Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Mobster Movie
Review: Jeff Sweet The Perfect Mobster Movie The Godfather is one of the best films I've viewed in a long time. The film possessed an excellent view of the mob life, great actors, and a perfect ending that could and did lead to an awesome sequel. When thinking of the mob life, Italian Mafia, one may think of money, murder, trust, and back stabbing, all of which this movie contained. The basis of this story was about how the Corleone family went from nothing to one of the largest mafia families in New York. They accomplished this by making money, though not always legit, but that's how the mob does it. When the family dealt with a lot of money, they also had to know whom they could and couldn't trust. There were some people that worked for the Corleone family that got greedy and in turn betrayed the trust of the family. In the mafia, when someone superior, like the Godfather, doesn't trust you, you end up "sleeping with the fish" and there was plenty of sleeping in the ocean in this movie. The cast of actors for this film was remarkable, but two actors shined above the rest. Marlon Brando, the Godfather, was an excellent actor. He played the role of an older heavyset man that people came to for favors because of the power and connections he possessed. He was a family man and he was a businessman. The best part of his role was he was always calm and was soft spoken with a combination of an Italian and New York accent. The other actor was Al Pacino who played Michael, one of the three sons' of the Godfather. Michael went from not wanting anything to do with the crooked lifestyle, to killing people and becoming the head of the Corleone family. Michael, like his father was also soft spoken and calm yet had the coldness to put hits out on people. No matter what the circumstances, these two men always got what they wanted by any means necessary. Not many movies have the ability to set up for a good sequel. This one was an exception. The movie ended very much like it started. In the beginning, the Godfather, Marlon Brando, was in his office talking with his "people" about doing some illegal business for some friends. At the end of the film, you sensed that the new Godfather, Al Pacino, was also talking about dirty business with his fellow mobsters. The last scene was the Godfather's office door being closed on the conversation making it perfect for a new door to open. It was the perfect ending for a new beginning. I would recommend this film to anyone who likes an exciting movie that always keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are many twist and turns never allowing you to know who's working for who and what's going to happen next. It also lets you, for a few hours, to live the life of a mobster in the comfort of your own home. It's jam packed with excellent actors such as Marlon Brando and Al Pacino that do a superb and believable job as if they really were in the Corleone family. Finally, the movie ends perfect making it feel that you almost have to see the Godfather II.

Rating:
Summary: The Godfather-- Forever Fantastic
Review: Though almost thirty years old, Francis Ford Coppolla's The Godfather still lives on to be one of the greatest films ever made. The movie remains incredibly entertaining and undated by the three decades passed. The story revolves around the Corleone family who are at the center of one of the most powerful organized crime families in New York during the mid-1900s. At the head of the Corleone family is the Godfather himself, Vito Corleone known as the Don, played by Marlon Brando. His family includes his wife, three sons, Sonnie, Fredo, and Michael, one adopted son, Tom, and his daughter Connie. However his "family" is not limited to only his blood relatives. The Godfather refers to all of his business partners and friends as part of his "family." This mob family struggles with betrayal, getting whacked, and all the other usual problems that come with living life above the law. Don Corleone openly gives out his help to anyone who asks him for a price that will be collected at a later time, and in return he asks those he helps to accept his friendship and openly declare it. Without giving too much away the turning point in the film comes when the times are beginning to change and the Don is not ready for change. Backed up by an amazing cast, constant action, beautiful scenery, and wonderful music this film has to be seen. The Godfather, which was adapted from the book of the same title by Mario Puzo, is not merely a movie about mob violence. Surprisingly at times the film is humorous, is a story about love and devotion to family, and contains tragedy all at the same time. I loved the rich Italian culture and how it was immersed into an American lifestyle and even found myself wishing I was Italian after seeing the beautiful countryside in Italy and listening to the language and music throughout the film. The creators of this film found a way to make a family of criminals completely likable and even lovable no matter what horrendous acts they committed. The film made the mafia lifestyle romanticized amongst all the violence and I began to long for the criminal Corleone family's survival. I think part of what makes these characters lovable despite their many flaws is the actors themselves. I doubt there could have been a better Don than Brando, a more charismatic Sonnie than James Caan, nor a more morally torn Michael than Al Pacino. Though definitely not suitable for children, the horse scene might give them nightmares, the film keeps viewers completely captured in the lives of those on the screen. The film has a way of making you see life differently when seen through the eyes of those living under the ways of the mafia. I found myself developing a type of understanding for their lives despite my own morals. I consider this film to be of epic material and three hours of pure entertainment. The story left me longing to know and see more and fortunately it was followed up by a great sequel, The Godfather II that helps satisfy your leftover curiosity from the first film. If you have not seen this film yet you are missing out. Rent it / buy it, see it, enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: Godfather Review
Review: Mario Puzo's novel is brought to life on screen in Godfather. The story of the Corleone family and the Mafia. Puzo co-wrote the screenplay with Francis Ford Coppola, also the director of the film. This is a great movie of the story of one family and the rise and fall of that family's sons. The movie has realistic actors and compelling characters that keep us on the edge of our seats. Al Pacino plays Michael, the youngst of the three sons, who takes over the father's position as head of the Corleone family. Pacino does a great job holding our attention. Pacino can light up the screen and keep us interested. He leads us through the film with excitement. Michael's rise to Don Corleone is a great story. He picks up the role of the Don unexpectedly and runs with it. You see him change throught out the movie. You may move him in the beginning and hate him in the end. He makes his change from a war hero to the ruthless leader of the most powerful family in the Mafia. This movie is a great story of family life in the mafia. The importance of the father son relationship. From the first immigrants to the children carrrying on the family name and more importantly the family business. Family is stressed greatly in the film. But it's how the family is defined that's different. The Corleone family is not just made up of immediate family(example wives and children). The Corleone family is huge and is considered a business. The "Family" encompasses many other smaller families to create a large "business". Godfather introduces a new type of family to us. This movie was very interesting and keeps you thinking. There is a great amount of history in this movie. It protrays the book wonderfully. Having Puzo co-write the film gave a great deal of truth to the book. Overall this was a great movie. Some may be bothered by the violence but it is nothing like the violence we see in the movies today. The violence in the Godfather is the violence we see on everyday television. Without the violence you do not have story of the mafia and the story of the Corleone family. This is the greatest explaination of the Corleone family and the Mafia.

Rating:
Summary: The Godfather, Watch It!
Review: Hold on to your popcorn and soda, The Godfather is going to be a bumpy ride! Mario Puzo's novel turned movie is about a man named Don Corleone, played by actor Marlon Brando, and his family. We enter the movie in a dark room. A man is pleading for the Don to help him where the courts could not. The man's daughter's attackers go free after they brutally assault her, leaving the man to want true justice done on these boys. The Don says he'll help. The man will be called on for a favor later on in the movie. This is how the Godfather runs his affairs: he does you a favor and you return a favor for him. Brando's traits, such as the soft voice and sagging cheeks, make the character out to be a hard man, one who wouldn't take anything sitting down. I enjoyed watching him as the Don; what he would do next was what kept my attention. Director Francis Ford Coppola's star-studded cast includes Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen, the adopted son of Corleone. Other popular and well-known actors and actresses in this film are Al Pacino as Michael Corleone (son), James Caan as Santino "Sonny" Corleone (son), Talia Shire as Constanzia "Connie" Corleone (daughter), and Diane Keaton as Michael's girlfriend Kay Adams. This movie is not one for the weak stomach. Many scenes are filled with gangsters filling bodies with bullets and some scenes catch the viewer off guard. Not to ruin the film for the viewer who has not yet seen it, but one of Corleone's sons is murdered. He's on his way to defend his sister, Connie, and at a tollbooth, a rival "family" guns him down. That is just one scene that will surprise you. If you've heard of The Godfather, then you've probably heard of the second film in the trilogy, The Godfather, Part II. This movie covers past and present, pushing us as viewers to readjust our mindset every time locations and dates change. The first movie runs in order of events, and a viewer may find this easier to follow what is happening. While The Godfather, Part II is an excellent and unique film on it's own, many moviegoers prefer the first film to the second and third. The action in this movie is phenomenal. Puzo wanted to show the life that the Don and other mob members lived without "sugar-coating" anything. Coppola knows this and portrays Puzo's novel very well. The movie will fill you with emotion and leave you wanting to know more about the Corleone family. But before you go and see the movie, remember to do three things: go to the bathroom (it's a long movie), find a comfortable chair, and sit back and relax as The Godfather unfolds.