Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Written by: Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan
Oh man, here we go. I've heard hundreds of times that The Godfather is one of the best, and I know, it's despicable that I've gone all these years with such an interest in movies and never taken the time to sit down and watch this piece of cinematic history. At the same time, I've seen so many discussion about it, so many homages to it, I've seen so many scenes from it used as examples of great film making, that I've felt like I was already familiar with it.
However, watching the film is an altogether other experience. You are told that the film is one of the greatest of all time, but seeing the film allows the film to show you that it is one of the greatest of all time. With the movie being so acclaimed and so discussed, where and how do I even begin to review it?
I guess, really, I could start anywhere and say the same thing about any aspect of this movie: it's incredible. The whole film is so meticulously and skillfully crafted, from the acting and dialogue to the story structure and direction, the soundtrack and the cinematography, the editing, all of it is impeccable.
That said, I want to focus first on the story. It's broad and intricate, covering the many of the character arcs of the Corleone family.
The character arc of Michael (Pacino) is particularly fantastic. At the start of the film, we are led to the idea that he would never be Don Corleone; yet, at the end of the film that is exactly what he becomes, and at no point does this change in Michael feel unbelievable, because the film takes small steps to make it happen. Some people have greatness thrust upon them, and this is absolutely the case for Michael, but in a time of necessity he becomes what his family requires in order to survive, he takes to his role with such methodical capability you would think he was born for the role. The same could be said for Pacino himself in his performance as Michael; for the duration of the film, he is Michael.
While I'm discussing actors, everyone does a great job in their roles. Brando won an Academy Award for his role as Don Vito Corleone, and he absolutely deserved it, unrecognisable as anyone but Vito, in part due to the excellent make-up at work. I really could go on here; Caan as Sonny, Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen, John Cazale as Fredo, Talia Shire as Connie, they're all pushed to their best, and it clearly pays off fantastically here.
I could talk about this movie for days, but to keep this review from going on too long, I wanna talk about only a couple more things: the film's editing, and its excellent use of visual storytelling.
So much of this film takes advantage of the visual medium. A scene could have no dialogue for a full minute, and yet tension will rise exponentially because of what we see. The dialogue and music are obviously integral to the film as well, but Coppola and Puzo know exactly when to use it, and when to let the experience be silent but for the background noise. There are many scenes that showcase this, including a scene involving Michael getting revenge for the attempted murder on his father; when he kills the men who set the attempt up, very few words are actually exchanged, yet the whole scene is fraught with tension because we know that whatever happens, it will have massive repercussions for the rest of the movie. It's a true turning point of the film that demonstrates how knowing when not to do something can create the most effective moment.
The editing is beautiful all through the experience, but it's shown at its best towards the end of the film, where we witness one of the most well edited sequences in film. As the film comes to a close, Michael has been made Don, and we see him at the baptism of his sister's child. At the same time, he stages a coup and wipes out all of the leaders of the other families at the same time. The way the film juxtaposes the beautiful religious iconography with gritty and brutal deaths is truly incredible, and it's perfected in the moment Michael renounces Satan as the film cuts to bloody murder after bloody murder.
The Verdict: Literally one of the best, if not the best, of the movies I have ever seen. I really cannot overstate how good this movie is. It's flawless as a film, with excellent visual storytelling as tension film ebbs and flows, performances that exemplify people truly becoming their characters, and editing that perfectly accentuates the tone of the film in every scene. That said, the movie is deep with content and requires engagement to get the most out of it, you really have to be ready to sit down and absorb a three-hour magnum opus if you want to watch this film.
I am happy to say without a shadow of a doubt that The Godfather is the first film this year to earn this rating.
Rating: 10/10
Published July 16th, 2016
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