“For justice, we must go to Don Corleone.”
It’s gruesome, it’s moving and it has probably been quoted to you at one point or another. Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather,” based on the novel by Mario Puzo, will go down in history as one of the greatest movies of all time, and for good reason, as it’s not just a story about mobsters but a complicated saga about principle.
The story follows Michael Corleone after he returns home as a war hero. Virtuous and idealistic, he is trying to stay out of the family business of organized crime. However, when his father, Vito Corleone or the “Godfather,” is threatened, Michael is forced to protect the Corleone legacy. In this epic story of sacrifice and action, the audience witnesses a battle of power and control, in which only those worthy enough will live to tell the tale.
The cast’s performance convinces the audience that they were destined to play these roles. Michael Corleone is Al Pacino’s breakout role, and his portrayal goes from being quiet, subtle and reluctant to a transformed leader. Michael’s brother, Sonny, is played by James Caan, who is a short-tempered, impassioned and aggressive character. Of course, Diane Keaton’s smaller role as Kay Adams, an outsider, was vital to the film as her character was a grounded, trapped observer, a contradiction to the violent mafia.
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone is phenomenal. Brando redefined acting through this role, emotionally and physically transforming into the Godfather. In his audition, he used cotton balls in his mouth to create larger, “bulldog” jowls, adding a sense of dominance and uniqueness to his character. His raspy voice, his slow, calm demeanor, and his unmatched authority throughout the film will forever be remembered on the silver screen. However, this didn’t mean Brando was easy to film. He didn’t memorize all of his lines and had to use cue cards on set, often making the process difficult for Coppola. Nonetheless, this performance was essential to the movie.
“The Godfather” is about principle, and in its own twisted way, morals. Although the film is filled with violence, death and murder, there’s a code of honor. This is what Vito’s empire is built around. He follows a set of principles that he built from the ground up. It is that exact concept that drives the movie, which is how Michael gets involved in the family business in the first place. However, this raises the question: Does “The Godfather” glorify or romanticize crime, or is it really criticizing it? Within the movie, there is an everlasting tension between fascination and critique. While being part of the Corleone family seems exhilarating, there’s an unmissable feeling of decaying ethics. Living within a world of power outside the law can easily draw the audience in. However, the film ends on a dark and eerie note, as viewers witness characters losing all sense of normalcy and humanity while protecting their family’s legacy. However, the audience forms an attachment to these characters, as their sinister behavior reveals a devout love for family and justice.
To heighten this theme, cinematographer Gordon Willis uses deep shadows and low lighting, often putting scenes with high intensity and aggression in dark settings, or obscuring characters’ faces to reflect secrecy. This, coupled with Nino Rota’s musical score, can make even intimate scenes feel threatening. The music is slow, sometimes romantic, yet gloomy, once again showing this fight between beauty and violence.
It is this contradiction, between destruction and devotion, that makes “The Godfather” such a timeless film. Ultimately, this movie endures because it doesn’t clearly define good and evil. Inviting the audience into a world based on a principle different from ours, it creates an unsettling and unforgettable story.
