The Godfather (1972)

For over one full year, from August 13th 2010 to October 14th 2011, the 2010 Edgar Wright film Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World was my favorite film. Then came the day of October 15th 2011. I sat on the couch, staring completely for five minutes shy of three hours, and watched Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 adaptation of Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. The spot has been filled. Mr. Coppola, I congratulate you. You have done what many people deem impossible. You have appeased a published cynic. Well done. Chronicling the events of the Italian-American Corleone family between 1945 and 1955, The Godfather is a tale of betrayal, corruption, murder, and family. And with some families, those like the Corleones, those four words mean the exact same thing. At the beginning of this little morality tale, the patriarch (that word is honestly one of my favorite words) of the family is Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in this), a man who, after an assassination attempt due to a lack-of-help in protection of a heroin business, is forced to be bed-ridden, and unable to perform his duties. There is a great line in the film-“He put a gun to the man’s head and told him it would either be his brains or his signature on the contract. Then he changed his mind.” This combined with the murder of Sonny (James Caan, in a performance nominated for Best Supporting Actor), one of Vito’s sons (the one who put the severed horse head in a man’s bed), leads one of Vito’s other sons Michael Corleone (Al Pacino, who was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor), who previously wanted nothing to do with the family business, to take up a much darker personality and lifestyle. Consider the story of Michael Corleone to be similar with the story of Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars films. In the original trilogy, you think the story is about Luke Skywalker. In the first hour of the first film in The Godfather trilogy, you think that Don Vito Corleone is the main character. And despite the fact that he won Best Actor, he is not the main actor in it. Al Pacino is. The Godfather is the tale of the corruption of Michael Corleone, as he takes his father’s place in the business. And what a beautiful tale it is. Nothing, even by the standards of those who nit-pick all films to the bone, is wrong with this film. It is a purely perfect movie. The direction by Francis Ford Coppola (nominated for Best Director) is outstanding, the screenplay by Puzo and Coppola is perfect (winner for Best Adapted Screenplay), and the acting is truly some of the single best and most memorable performances in human history. Seriously, do watch this fabulous film. You cannot call yourself a lover of film without it. I was lying when I called myself a lover of film. Now I am not.
10/10