Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 27, 2014

Posted under

Uncategorized

Comments

Leave a comment

Week One – The Godfather

Title:  The Godfather

Release Date:  March 24, 1972

Director:  Francis Ford Coppola

Writers:  Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola

Major Actors:  Marlon Brando (Don Vito Corleone—the Godfather), Al Pacino (Michael), James Caan (Sonny aka Santino), Robert Duvall (Tom), Richard Castellano (Clemenza)

Summary of The Godfather:

The Godfather begins with Don Vito Corleone, the head of the New York Corleone mob family as well as “Godfather” to the Italian-American community in New York, granting requests of wedding guests at his daughter’s wedding.  Since it is Sicilian tradition for fathers to grant guests’ requests, there are some mighty lofty wishes being made to Don Vito Corleone.  Of course, since this is tradition, no request can go unfulfilled.  Some of the requests include Don Vito Corleone being asked to help someone get a war movie role and save another from deportation.  By these requests to Don Vito Corleone, the audience is able to determine the status of Don Vito Corleone—the status of ultimate power.

Don Vito Corleone has 3 sons and 1 daughter: Sonny, Michael and Tom (foster child) and Connie.  Don Vito Corleone did not want his son Michael to live the life of a “mobster” and kept Michael away from “the family business”, however a violent attack on Don Vito Corleone’s life drew Michael into the mob life when he decided to kill the individuals responsible for his father’s near death—McCluskey, a crooked NYC police Captain and Sollozzo, a drug dealer who owns poppy fields in Turkey.

By the end of the movie, murder and violence have become a normal occurrence.  Don Vito Corleone’s son Sonny is murdered, followed by the death of Don Vito Corleone who leaves Michael as his successor—the son who was not supposed to be involved with the ways of the mafia/mob.

The events in this amazing film are presented in chronological order as opposed to non-linearly.  The writer was able to allow build-up, anticipation and edge of your seat excitement with each chronological event in almost a domino-like sequence of events.  Each event that occurred was the direct result of the prior event, which triggered what followed.

 

References

Goodykooontz, B. & Jacobs, C.P. (2011). Film: From Watching to Seeing. Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

American Film Institute http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/10top10View.aspx?bhcp=1&Movie=54023