Back in the 1930s-1960s, the gangster genre was classified or categorized as shoot-em-up stories that allow you to follow the characters along and to see where their fate lie in the end. You had a lot of gangster movies such as White Heat, The Little Enemy, Howard Hawks' Scarface and Bonnie and Clyde. They all focus on the characters' rage and violence and then it became too stereotypical for that genre that people got tired of the same old shtick. However, when Mario Puzo wrote The Godfather and it was published in 1969 about a fictional family that lives in New York. It was a best-seller. However, it attracted both Paramount Pictures and director Francis Ford Coppola to make the movie and also revive a genre and create another chapter in motion picture history.
In 1945, Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is listening to many Sicilian men's request on his daughter's, Connie's (Talia Shire), and his son-in-law's, Carlo's (Gianni Russo), wedding. He, his adopted son/lawyer, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) and his older and hot-headed son, Sonny (James Caan) handle the mob business as Tom Hagen says to his wife that no Sicilian is ever refused a request on his daughter's wedding. While doing business with fellow Sicilians, his third son, Michael (Al Pacino) arrives with his girlfriend, Kay Adams (Diane Keaton) to his sister's wedding.
Michael tells a little anecdote about how his father operates his business. Vito has a godson named Johnny Fontane (Al Martin), a famous singer, who had to make a deal with a client. But, when things go sour, he and his hitman, Luca Brasi (Lenny Montana), go to the same client to threaten with an offer he could not refuse: either his brains or his signature on the contract. But, Michael states and it is the signature line of his whole journey in the trilogy that "it is his family, it is not him."
After another sour deal with Fontane's studio head and things get resolved, shortly before Christmas, Virgil "Turk" Sollozzo (Al Letteri), nicknamed "The Turk" because he is good with a knife, wants to do business with Vito. He is in the narcotics business. Vito declines Sollozzo's offer because he thinks the business is very dangerous. In retaliation, Sollozzo's goons shoot Vito and kill Brasi. Vito survives after that attempted assassination and Sonny wants to investigate what is going on and kill Sollozzo. However, Michael is now directly involved after he kills Sollozzo and a police captain, McCluskey (Sterling Hayden) in the infamous scene and has to now hide in Sicily.
SPOILER ALERT!
Now, I want to try to talk about this movie and not compare it to the rest of the trilogy. However, there is one structure that comes across all three movies. They all open with a celebration of some sort with some business. In this movie, it is a celebration of one's next chapter: her marriage. Both the Corleone family and the mob operation are tight-knit communities who are loyal to one another. They want the best for each other without any disrespect. We will get to the inner circle of their business in a moment. But, for the Corleone family, loyalty to their family is a way to get what they want. Vito Corleone wants what is best for his family without getting carried away. He is a smart and fruitful man to deal business the right way without anything remorseful or dangerous linking to his family.
Vito Corleone deals with crime in a business-like manner not in a fun or dirty manner like Sollozzo's narcotics deal. The reason is not solely that drugs will hurt his operation; it is because narcotics, at that time, will be a way of the future and that will have his political connections to line up to join with Sollozzo and he wants his connections safe with him. Politicians know they can trust Vito because he is a smart businessman, unlike, Sollozzo. It is contradicting to know that killing a movie producer's horse is acceptable business but accepting to be part of the narcotics business is unworthy.
The theme of society and class is karma biting Michael up and chewing him alive into the system. Vito did not want that in the beginning because he wanted Michael to grow up in the social ladder legally by becoming "a senator or governor". Plus, Michael did not want to get involved in the business. However, he had no choice when he shot Captain McCluskey and Sollozzo. He was already in because he committed an act of violence that will start a war and allow him to hide in Italy. While in Italy, Michael had a chance for redemption and hope by falling in love with Apollonia, a kind Italian girl. He got married and wanted to live a happy life with Apollonia. However, that business and that system caught up to Michael as lies and deceit always surround the criminal underworld as one of his henchman kills Apollonia and erases all hope. He returns to America, as Vito is very sick, to work under him as he is appointed the acting Don.
In the end, their old-fashioned, European organization is over as the New World is transitioning, abandoning the Old World as the heads of the five families side with another Don that is now organizing narcotics. Michael and Vito are old school as they represent the patriarchs of the system as they rely on force and loyalty. They owe you favors and they watch your back. However, it is tossed out the window as times are changing. Bloodshed will be spread across the criminal underworld as it is everyone for themselves. It is witnessed in the "The Baptism" sequence towards the end of the movie.
Again, this movie is a masterpiece. There is nothing wrong with the movie or there is nothing I can change with this complete movie. The Godfather is a movie about a closed system that is interfered with political changes and open interference that impacts a family and a certain character's path. The iconic ending with Michael being appointed as the Don was his life the whole time even if he did not want to be or not. With The Godfather Part II, it will definitely be changed for the worst as he commits the worst crime of all. Michael Corleone was a war hero but now he is one of the most powerful and dangerous businessmen in America. The transition is complete and his chapter is just beginning.
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