Family, honour, betrayal, corruption, love and loss.
These are just a few of the many challenging themes running through Francis Ford Coppola’s outstanding adaption of Mario Puzo’s classic novel. The Godfather has been proclaimed by critics and movie goers alike to be the greatest film ever made. And now 37 years after its initial release, this popularity shows no sign of waning.
BY JASON GAMBLE
For the uninitiated, The Godfather is the story of aging mafia patriarch Don Vito Corleone (Brando) and his refusal to involve the family business in the ever growing drug trade. After a consequential attempt on his life, and the brutal murder of his eldest son Santino (Caan), responsibility falls to youngest brother Michael (Pacino) -a recently returned WW2 hero- to restore the Corleone’s power and honour.
The Godfather is truly a rarity in the world of cinema. For its every aspect has been ingrained into popular culture, and into our own individual consciousness whether we have indeed seen it or not. Mention the title to anyone and I can guarantee the iconic image of Marlon Brando -tuxedo clad, red rose pinned in his lapel – will be clearly evoked in their minds. Furthermore, generations young and old still positively revel in quoting that infamous line of dialogue (in their best Sicilian accent) “Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes”.
Deservedly, Brando’s portrayal of The Don earned him his 2nd Academy Award for Best Actor. But the film’s supporting performances literally kick started the careers of James Caan, Al Pacino and Robert Duvall as the families ‘Consigliore’ (legal advisor).
In my opinion, the film’s finest component is the progressive decline in Michael’s once moral high standing. The more he comes to lose (his father, his homeland, his wife and his brother), the further he descends into the world of organised crime his father meant for him to avoid. This decline of course concludes with a spectacular montage of ordered killings, set to the backdrop of Michael being sworn in as Godfather of his sister’s child.
However, it is Coppola’s direction which excels in preventing this complex narrative from becoming stagnant. One of my favourite aspects of his work, is that nothing is ever quite as it seems in The Godfather universe. This ruse is created through the elegant panning back of the camera to slowly reveal new details, and in doing so entirely changing the initial context of the scene. This device is used on the film’s very first frame, where one could be forgiven for thinking Bonasera is addressing the audience, rather than Don Corleone. Moreover, Gordon Willis’ dark, amber tinted cinematography reflects the film’s tone perfectly, while Nino Rota’s beautiful score accentuates the sadness and melancholy felt in many scenes.
Lastly, the legacy The Godfather has created is almost as varied and fascinating as the film itself. From obvious influences in the Scorsese classics Goodfellas and The Departed, to more obscure examples in modern cinema. The least obvious but most interesting of these being Tarantino’s use of restaurant settings to build suspense. The diner scene in Pulp Fiction and the Tavern stand-off of Inglourious Basterds both subtly channel Michael’s assassination of Captain McCluskey and Sollozzo to great effect.
See it at the QFT from the 23rd – 29th October.