The Godfather Analysis

Paper by Sean Handley. Viewed on DVD.

Introduction:
The Godfather was directed by Francis Ford Coppola as a large scale production type movie and released to major film distribution (Paramount) in 1972. According to a personal interview with Director Coppola, he “is fascinated by families, their members, structures, dynamics, rules and rituals… families come in all shapes and sizes – those created by birth [as in The Godfather] and social forces, as well as those springing from shared goals and random circumstances.” “Coppola is intensely interested in how people are able or unable to live and work together” (Dauth). This examination of family relationships is most apparent in his film, The Godfather where the central theme is about “family business.” This includes making others “offers they can’t refuse” in order to support or grow the “family business.” Even though there is a significant amount of violence throughout the film, I believe that the central theme of the movie is about family relationships and how families operate and how its members relate and support one another.

Theme:
This theme is significant in the restaurant scene where young Michael Corleone shoots and kills rival gangster Sollozzo along with corrupt police captain McCluskey in retaliation for an attempt on his father’s life. This is a major turning point in the movie. This scene that I have selected to analyze shows the transition of Michael from the all American boy to gangster. Michael is a college educated, war veteran and has not been a part of his family’s illegal businesses. After an assassination attempt on his father, Don Corleone (the Godfather), Michael finds himself in a position where he has to choose between living an upstanding life or defend his family’s honor. He chooses his family and sacrifices the life he could have had to kill these two men. There is no turning back for him after this.
Even though the story takes place in the year 1946 and today’s audience is from the year 2012, there is a certain verisimilitude to this movie based on the mise-en-scene utilized (i.e., framing of scenes, costumes worn, lighting used, setting decorations, etc.). Since The Godfather was a mass production, major distributed movie (Paramount), the film quality was very high. There are repetitive sub-themes going on throughout the movie, such as:

1) Mobsters continuing to state “it’s business, not personal” whenever someone is killed or run out of business.
2) There is world of difference between men and women within the mafia families. As emphasized by Don Corleone to his son Michael about not being careless. “It’s an old habit. I spent my whole life trying not to be careless. Women and children can afford to be careless, but not men.” (The Godfather). If a woman makes a mistake, no one dies.
3) The movie displays the conflict between personal respect and family legitimacy. Don Corleone tells Sollozzo “I said that I would see you because I had heard that you were a serious man, to be treated with respect. But I must say no to you and let me give you my reasons. It’s true I have a lot of friends in politics, but they wouldn’t be so friendly if they knew my business was drugs instead of gambling which they consider a harmless vice. But drugs, that’s a dirty business.” (The Godfather). In addition, in Don Corleone’s conversation with Amerigo Bonasera, a mortician who asks to speak with him, he says “I understand. You found paradise in America. You had a good trade, you made a good living. The police protected you and there were courts of law. So you didn’t need a friend like me. Now you come and say ‘Don Corleone, give me justice’… but you don’t ask with respect. You don’t offer friendship. You don’t even think to call me “Godfather.” You come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married and you ask me to do murder for money.” (The Godfather).

These sub-themes when taken together express the central theme of the movie which is about family relationships and how families operate and how its members relate and support one another. Note that “families come in all shapes and sizes – those created by birth [as in The Godfather] and social forces, as well as those springing from shared goals and random circumstances.” (Dauth). The movie’s genre creates an expectation of violence in its audience. When a family member is killed, the audience expects retaliation and is not surprised when it happens. The Godfather is a dark (noir) film with a lot of bloodshed taking place while the audience’s expectations are met.

Story Progression:
The movie follows the classic Hollywood narrative through the use of a single narrative voice as told through the main character’s (Don Corleone) point of view. The chronological narrative / story description is interrupted a few times to emphasize important moments, such as the use of parallel storylines taking place showing Sollozzo’s double dealing with Don Corleone and another family right before the an assassination attempt on Don Corleone, as well as the Don’s discomfort about the deal. The movie also uses parallel action to relate the gang wars that follow Michael’s killing of Sollozzo. Parallel structure captures Sollozzo’s double dealing and Don Corleone’s discomfort about the deal. It should not come as a surprise that Don Corleone rejects Sollozzo’s offer at the meeting, nor that shortly afterward Sollozzo tries to have the Don killed. The movie also uses parallel action to relate the gang war that directly follows Michael’s murder of Sollozzo, and the mobster murders done concurrent with the christening of Connie’s youngest son (after the death of family patriarch Don Corleone).

The simultaneous actions taking place are done through parallel editing where two or more actions are shown to be happening at the same time in different places. This type of editing allows for the manipulation of time, such as Connie’s son’s christening where “a 5-minute sequence consists of thirty-six shots made at different locations.” (Barsam & Monahan 47, 344). The primary location is a Catholic Church where the christening is taking place with Michael standing in as his godfather and Kay as his godmother. Director Coppola “cuts back and forth” between the christening, the preparations for five killings at five different locations, and the murders themselves. (Barsam & Monahan 47, 344).

The classic Hollywood narrative / progression of the movie follows the development of the following linear, logical sequenced storylines – Don Corleone is shot; Michael seeks retaliation by shooting Sollozzo and McClusky; The mafia family wars begin with a parallel story of Michael taking refuge in Italy; Don Corleone holds a peace summit between the families; Michael returns to America and becomes the new family Don upon his father’s death. This is a standard “cause and effect” progression with each scene logically leading to the next having characters with differing goals clashing, and obtaining help from other characters to resolve conflicts and meet their ultimate goals. As a result, the characters’ individual actions as well as group interaction help move the movie along.

The film progresses along utilizing a 4-part structure.

Act 1: Introduction to the Corleone family at the wedding ceremony of Don Vito Corleone’s daughter Connie. Guests come to pay their respects to the Don and some are requesting favors of him. Once these favors are granted, at the end of Act 1 (first turning point) is when an attempt made on Don Corleone’s life.

Act 2: A major complicating action taking place is when Michael kills Sollozzo and McClusky in retaliation for the attempt on his father’s life. A change in action then takes place when Michael takes refuge in Italy.

Act 3: The next major development in the movie’s story is the mafia family wars that take place once Sollozzo and McClusky are killed. The end of Act 3 is when Don Corleone holds a peace summit between the families. He wants peace so Michael can return home safely. This is the second turning point in the film.

Act 4: The movie concludes with Michael returning to America and becoming the new family Don upon his father’s death. The end of Act 4 is the final conclusion with Michael calling a hit of the heads of the mafia families. He did this only after the death of his father who swore at the peace summit that he would not seek vengeance for the death of his son, Sonny.

Scene for Analysis:
The restaurant scene in Act 2 that I selected to analyze does its storytelling through the interrupted conversation place between Michael and Sollozzo. Each is a goal oriented character in making their demands of the other in their conversation.

The movie’s theme of family relationships is significant in this restaurant scene where young Michael Corleone shoots and kills rival gangster Sollozzo along with corrupt police captain McCluskey in retaliation for the attempt on his father’s life. This is the first major turning point in the film.

The scene’s setting is an old world Italian restaurant with red neon signs with the restaurant’s name “Louie’s” displayed. Waiter is pouring Italian red wine. The wine glasses are vintage early turn of the century. The tables are covered with white linen. The wall panels are dark wood. The lighting is low making the scene ominous. The actors are all dressed in character and wearing 1940’s appropriate clothing or work uniforms. The noir (dark) film setting fits the genre of the film, criminal gangster action movie.

The scene starts off with an overhead long focal length shot of the entire restaurant. The audience gets a feeling as to how small it is and how few people are there. The characters blend into the background. Then the camera focuses on the table of interest, moving between close ups of Michael to Sollozzo and back again with McClusky between them. Later, there is another overhead shot of the entire restaurant when the manager walks toward the cash register showing less people in the restaurant. Right before Michael shoots Sollozzo, there is an extreme close up on his expressionless face.

The editing of this scene is continuous, seamless where a rhythm is created with the addition of the train noise to symbolize Michael’s psychological state of mine. There is a relationship that develops between Michael and Sollozzo, but the close ups of Michael’s face show that he is disconnected from Sollozzo and not really hearing what Sollozzo is saying. There is a 180 degree / reverse shot rule taking place with the sequential camera shots taken at the table with Michael, Sollozzo and McClusky.

The scene starts off with external subway train noise. The conversation between Michael and Sollozzo in Italian has no noise except their voices. Then slowly the audience hears a train approaching. Silence again when Michael excuses himself for the restroom. The only noise you hear is from the manager walking by the table and the ring of the cash register. Michael makes sure to turn on the water and flush the toilet while in the restroom. After leaving the restroom, the train noise starts up again and gets louder while Sollozzo continues his talk. By the look on Michael’s face and his eye movement, he’s not hearing anything Sollozzo is saying, but hears only the deafening train noise heard by the audience. Finally, Michael stands up and shoots both Sollozzo and McClusky in the head. The audience hears the gun shots, the gun dropping to the ground, and the fast pace of Michael’s steps walking away. The crashing of the table when McClusky’s head falls on it. Sharp dramatic music now replaces the train noise to indicate a criminal act has taken place.

Actors and Film Appeal:
Audiences appreciate “an actor’s performance when he or she looks, speaks, and moves in ways that confirm their expectations for the character”. (Barsam & Monahan 308). This is exactly the case with Marlon Brando’s performance as a mafia Don here and how he helped tell the movie’s story. The audience identifies with his character is rooting for him to win. This film is less about the audience’s values, attitudes or interests; since most audiences do not relate to mafia gang lifestyles. However, the film’s use of commercially successful actors of that period (1972) definitely helped make this movie a best seller as a contemporary cultural signifier, including Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall and James Caan. “Al Pacino, whose $35,000 salary was, arguably, the bargain of the decade, contributed a performance that would earn him an Academy Award nomination.” (Schumacher 118). “Pacino embarked on his most famous role with such elegant minimalism that it was nearly taken from him… watching Pacino’s cool, unreadable young Sicilian in the rushes, Paramount executives hounded the director to fire him, backing off only after viewing the scene in which Michael avenges his father” and commits his first two murders”. (Phillips 97). “This scene certainly saved me [Coppola comments]… and it won a lot of admiration for Al. He really showed his stuff – his concentration and intensity were riveting.” (Phillips 97). This film also helped launch the acting careers of Diane Keaton and Talia Shire.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the central theme of this movie is about family relationships and how families operate and how its members relate and support one another. Some notable quotes on family from the film which support this theme are as follows:

• “A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.” (Don Corleone to Johnny Fontaine).
• “Fredo, you’re my older brother, and I love you. But don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family again. Ever.” (Michael to Fredo).
• “I never wanted this for you. I work my whole life–I don’t apologize–to take care of my family, and I refused to be a fool, dancing on the string held by all those big shots. I don’t apologize… that’s my life… but, I thought that, that when it was your time, that you would be the one to hold the string. Senator Corleone; Governor Corleone.” (Don Corleone and Michael conversing).
• “Never tell anybody outside the family what you’re thinking again.” (Don Corleone to Sonny).
In addition, the movie progresses along utilizing a 4-part structure. Each Act (1-4) involves a theme based on family. Act 1 takes place at the wedding of Don Corleone’s daughter. Act 2 is where Michael kills Sollozzo and McClusky in retaliation for the attempt on his father’s life. Act 3 is where Don Corleone holds a peace summit with the heads of the mafia families in order to bring Michael home safely. Act 4 is where Michael takes over as head (Don) of the Corleone family upon his father’s death. The scene from Act 2 that I selected to analyze shows Michael making the ultimate sacrifice for his family. He chooses his family’s honor over the legitimate life he could have had in order to kill Sollozzo and McClusky to retaliate for an attempt on his father’s life. There is no turning back for him after this.

References:

Barsam, Richard and Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 3rd Edition. 2010. Print.
The Godfather. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Al Pacino, James Caan, Diane Keaton, and Talia Shire. Paramount. 1972. Film.

Dauth, Brian. Senses of Cinema. Great Directors: Francis Ford Coppola. 2006. Web. Issue 39. .

Phillips, Gene D. Godfather: The Intimate Francis Ford Coppola. Lexington, KY: University Press of KY. 2004. Print.

Schumacher, Michael. Francis Ford Coppola: A Filmmaker’s Life. NY: Crown Publishers. 1999. Print.

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Published:
05.01.12 / 11am
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Academic Papers, DVD, Films