The Godfather 2: 1974

I skipped 1973's The Sting for now in order to watch The Godfather films in order. And I'm glad I did because I was left with questions at the end of the first Godfather. What I wanted to know after the first film was what would happen in Vegas, and The Godfather: Part 2 answers that and more. Surprisingly, the Vegas storyline isn't the one that's holding my interest in the second one; it's Vito's story, where we learn about his past and how the family formed. I think that's due to Vito being a more noble character (yes, a noble mobster) while Michael is deceitful and cold-hearted.

I knew after the first movie that Vito cared about his family, and in the second, he's shown as a loving father who holds his babies, tells them how much he loves them, and even soothes them when they're fussy. Early in the film, he goes to a bar with a friend to see a show, and when the friend asks Vito for his opinion about an actress, Vito says he only has eyes for his wife and son (baby Santino). The moment is so sweet and heartfelt. Even before this scene, Vito is shown as a young boy immigrating alone to the United States.

While the Vito storyline develops the original Godfather as a good person, the Michael storyline continually shows how deceitful and despicable Michael is. I can't say that I liked Michael at the end of the first film, but he seemed somewhat justified in his actions. His selfishness becomes all to apparent early in the second film and seems to grow (as if it was possible) as the film progresses. It's really all about whether or not people are respecting him and following his wishes, not what is best for the family. He isn't a good father to his children (spoiler alert: he and Kay break up and he refuses to let his children have contact with their mother), his deals are focused on how people will help him, and he manipulates and kills whenever the situation seems somewhat out of his favor. At no point do his actions seem justified, but I think there are points in Vito's life where, while his actions are wrong, he seems to have a good reason for doing them.

I won't be watching The Godfather 3, in part because I heard it was pretty terrible and I think I know how things are going to end and in part because I need to get back to work on Best Picture winners, but I'm glad I watched both of these back to back.

The Godfather: 1972

I had seen The Godfather before, back when I was in grad school in a film class, and at the time, I didn't really like the film. I wasn't sure what I expected at the time, but for whatever reason, I thought the film was too long and didn't really have a unique story to tell. What I realized as I watched the film again, though, is that while the story may not be particularly unique, the way it is told is the power of the film. The actors are convincing in their roles, and I appreciate Brando's portrayal as the Godfather more now that I've seen more of his other work (including On the Waterfront, which was an earlier Best Picture winner). Coppola's decisions with shots and music effectively and dramatically convey the family dynamics, suggesting that while Michael wants to be separated from his family, he cannot help but being pulled in.

One scene that stood out to me during this viewing was when Don Coreleone tells Michael that he never wanted him to be in the family business.

The moment is sweet. Coppola's decision to start the scene with two-shots as Vito gives advice to Michael keeps the talk focused on business, but as the scene progresses, Coppola zooms in and uses close-ups. To further emphasize Vito's agitation with having Michael in the business, Vito begins walking around as he talks. Through this scene, the audience better understands Vito's love for his son and for his family. His whole life may have been one of crime, but he believes he did everything for his family. It's these scenes in the film, including Sonny trying to take care of his sister and seeking revenge on her husband, that make me realize that while the story deals with organized crime, it can be seen more as a movie about family and what we're willing to do for our families. Through this lens, I find I like The Godfather a lot more than I did the first time.