The Godfather
A mafia movie
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The Godfather, a movie revolving around Don Corleone, the boss of the main mafia family. Yet the Vito Corleone isn’t actually the one and only protagonist.
Summer, 1945, a wedding of the boss’s daughter is taking place, but he is a very busy man. The family business isn’t an easy one to maintain, especially when you’re a wanted man. It’s not quite the cops that want him out, but the other organizations. You see, as a crime lord, he needs power: politics, judicial, law enforcement, you name it. This very power is also what the other 5 families desire. If you want to know a brief explanation of the boss, take this quote from when he’s trying to help Johnny Fontane -a member explaining their position of a previous job-, “What's the matter with you? Is this what you've become, a Hollywood finocchio who cries like a woman? "Oh, what do I do? What do I do?" What is that nonsense? Ridiculous!”
Now, when I said summer 1945, that would be the intended setting of the film, but as I was watching, right away, my first guess was somewhere around the 1940s, and while the entire movie (which is 2 hours & 55 minutes) goes through the decade of 1945-1955. The location choice, while I’m not so sure it’s very New York-y was spot on era mid 1900s. Speaking of atmosphere, the costume design really brought out how old timey this was supposed to be, while fine clothing and suits aren’t as imaginative as Hobbit clothes, these tuxedos got the message through. Amplifying the strengthened image of the mafia, making them having a respectable appearance, it really sets the mood for dark and noir drama action. You really wouldn’t suspect any leads or signs of modern technology, everything fits in perfectly, like the prop cars that completely blend the look. This is a movie I really got immersed into. The costumes are believable, I felt like they had a time machine for the exterior shots of buildings, and each of the props were thought up of with care.
So in the movie, specifically returning to Johnny Fontane’s problem, the mafia tries to negotiate some more, but Jack Woltz still refuses to give the part to Johnny, so a little present was left for him in his bed the next morning. This was my favorite scene because of how it demonstrates just how deep you go when you dive into the Corleones’ naughty list. As Woltz wakes up, he feels something moist. Now concerned, he throws up his covers to reveal the wonderfully decapitated head of his prized, $600,000 betting horse, and if it was $600,000 dollars back then, it would probably be (a still decapitated) $9 million horse. As the camera shows his nice mansion and backyard pool, the only thing you hear are his horrified screams.
You’ve got a good idea of the Corleone mafia family right? Well remember that I said there’s another protagonist? That’s where Michael “Mikey” Corleone, the youngest son of the Don boss himself. A veteran of WWII, Mikey never had an interest in the family business.
Now while the movie has incredibly slow pacing, when Don Corleone gets shot several times by opposing families, that truly lights the fire in Mikeys kettle.
Does the Don survive?
How will Michael exact his revenge?
Will the Corleones prevail in the great gang war?
These are the questions you’ll be asking yourself halfway through the movie, and that’s why I give it a ⅘ rating.
