THE GODFATHER

 

 

 

 Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

 

Screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo

 

Based on the novel by Mario Puzo

 

       The Godfather can no longer be called a motion picture. It is an icon, an institution. It has become as much a part of  Americana as baseball and apple pie. It is the shining example of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. The Godfather has been imitated, parodied, spoofed, lampooned and copied in every form of media. Without The Godfather, Tony Soprano would be bussing tables in a restaurant. There would be no Goodfellas or Mean Streets or Miller’s Crossing. Al Pacino would be doing dinner theatre inPoughkeepsie. For every five people, I can guarantee you that at least three of them can quote dialogue from the film. Entire trivia books can (and have been) written about The Godfather. For example; before the Godfather, did you know that no Sicilian can refuse a favor on the day of his daughter’s wedding? Did you know that ‘sleeps with the fishes’ meant someone was dead? Are these things true? It doesn’t matter; they have become a part of American culture and of the American conscience.    The film begins with four simple words, “I believe inAmerica.” They are the most important words to be spoken throughout the entire film. Like the humble undertaker who speaks those words, the Corleone family believes inAmerica and in the American dream. They know that you can have anything you want in America. Their view of the dream is at the same time noble as it is corrupt. The Corleones know that there is a price for everything, including respect. Don Corleone offers the undertaker justice for the indignity performed on his daughter, but he tells him that he may come to him for a favor some day. For everything, including murder, there is a price.    The Godfather is a film that bears repeated viewings. There is enough subtlety and innuendo in this one film to fill a hundred others. The scene where Don Corleone is nearly assassinated is an example. We know that he is set up, but by who? Do the math, so to speak, and it’s easy to figure that it was from someone who knew the Corleones. Why else would they know that Fredo was the weak one and would offer little to no resistance? I always thought the scene in Saving Private Ryan where the German soldier walks right past the American soldier after he has just murdered his colleague could have been inspired by the scene with Fredo and Don Corleone.

    I could go on and on. The Godfather is the holy grail of motion pictures. It is the film that so many motion pictures hope to be, and it is the one that so few have become. In fact, only The Shawshank Redemption has come anywhere near achieving the level of perfection that The Godfather has. It is sad to say, but with the current state of motion pictures (remakes, sequels and films based on Hasbro toys), it is a sure bet that we will never see another film like The Godfather. What a shame.

Trivia