The Godfather films

[Xela M]

I thought I should create my own thread for my little Godfather obsession

It's not a secret that I think Godfather (Part 1) is the most perfect film of all time and in the midst of trying to get some poor FSUsers to watch it, I wanted to re-watch the wedding sequence in the beginning of Part 1 and ended up watching the whole thing (for the 100000th time ). It's still perfect.

Anyway, for those of you who have have seen it...

My favourite character used to always be Santino (I still think it's James Caan's best ever role) and everyone I know always loved Santino the best, but now... after re-watching it for the gazillionth time, I actually love Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen. I think he carried Godfather Part II because even though Al Pacino and De Niro were amazing, Duvall's quiet understated performance was magnetic.

If anyone has any thoughts/comments on the above or anything to do with the perfection that are the Godfather films, I am all ears.

 

[gk_891]

I love the first one. Everything from the performances, the music, etc., was all top notch. I think the second one is overpraised and kind of over-rated. I thought the third one was bad.

 

[Katha]

The first two are really great movies, never bothered to watch the third. The one sequence that always stays with me is in the first one where the sons are planning what to do about the assasination attempt on their father: And you see Michael changing right on screen. The way he lays out his plan, all cool and hard. And at the beginning the others are sorta laughing at him, at the end of his little speech you see how they have grown slightly terrified of him. Fantastic acting from Pacino. All stillness and quiet.

 

[Xela M]

I love the first one. Everything from the performances, the music, etc., was all top notch. I think the second one is overpraised and kind of over-rated. I thought the third one was bad.

I agree that the first one was just faultless. I don't think you can film a better commercial film. I mean there's this difference between the "artistic" films of Fellini, Bergman, Tarkovsky etc that are made like a piece of art, and the mainstream commercial films that are meant to be watched by the masses. Well, the "Godfather" is in my view the pinnacle of what one can achieve in film-making in the "commercial" genre.

As a teenager, I really didn't like Part II and couldn't understand why many considered it to be even better than Part I, but I re-watched it again recently, and although I don't love it as much as Part I, I could appreciate the genius of it. The storylines in Part II are so heartbreaking though - to see the family fall apart under Michael - that I prefer the romanticism of Part I.

 

[Xela M]

The first two are really great movies, never bothered to watch the third. The one sequence that always stays with me is in the first one where the sons are planning what to do about the assasination attempt on their father: And you see Michael changing right on screen. The way he lays out his plan, all cool and hard. And at the beginning the others are sorta laughing at him, at the end of his little speech you see how they have grown slightly terrified of him. Fantastic acting from Pacino. All stillness and quiet.

Oh, it's a phenomenal scene. The acting by the whole cast is beyond amazing. The change in Michael from the way he was at the wedding to the way he became after the scene you mentioned was superbly acted.

It's always the quiet ones who are much more dangerous Had Santino been the Don, I'm sure he would never have done what Michael did in Part II.

The marriage to Kay was also such a brilliantly shown dynamic. Had he stayed married to his first wife, everything would probably have been different.

 

[gk_891]

I agree that the first one was just faultless. I don't think you can film a better commercial film. I mean there's this difference between the "artistic" films of Fellini, Bergman, Tarkovsky etc that are made like a piece of art, and the mainstream commercial films that are meant to be watched by the masses. Well, the "Godfather" is in my view the pinnacle of what one can achieve in film-making in the "commercial" genre.

As a teenager, I really didn't like Part II and couldn't understand why many considered it to be even better than Part I, but I re-watched it again recently, and although I don't love it as much as Part I, I could appreciate the genius of it. The storylines in Part II are so heartbreaking though - to see the family fall apart under Michael - that I prefer the romanticism of Part I.

I think one of the problems I had with the second one was that scene where Diane Keaton started yelling about how she had an abortion. She gave such an extremely hammy and overwrought performance in that scene that I was badly cringing.

But overall, I just wasn't as impressed with the second one like I had been with the first one. I don't think it was bad by any means. But it's been years since i've seen it. Maybe I need to see it again to appreciate it better.

 

[gk_891]

The score by Nino Rota was fantastic. I had once read that it couldn't receive a nomination for Best Original Score at the Oscars because it was based on something NIno Rota had written earlier in his career. I think Nino Rota also scored many Fellini films too. He's done some very fine work.

 

[Xela M]

The score by Nino Rota was fantastic. I had once read that it couldn't receive a nomination for Best Original Score at the Oscars because it was based on something NIno Rota had written earlier in his career. I think Nino Rota also scored many Fellini films too. He's done some very fine work.

It's magical!!

 

[gk_891]

It's magical!!

Indeed. The music from both The Godfather and La Strada stay with you for a long while.

 

[Artemis@BC]

Y'know, someone should skate to Nino Rota's music one of these days ...

 

[Cachoo]

I was a huge fan of the second film. I liked the first one as well but the origin story of Don Corleone was fascinating to me. I'm always interested in those stories about the immigrant experience. He didn't have the language and knew little about the culture outside of Little Italy and yet he was such a success.

 

[Xela M]

I was a huge fan of the second film. I liked the first one as well but the origin story of Don Corleone was fascinating to me. I'm always interested in those stories about the immigrant experience. He didn't have the language and knew little about the culture outside of Little Italy and yet he was such a success.

I did like the backstory and the contrast between Vito Corleone's and Michael's cruel reign - how everyone loved Vito and feared Michael, but but but... FREDO that was just too terrible.

 

[Yehudi]

I read the book, and it was interesting to see how Kay's fate differed between the novel and movies.

 

[Xela M]

The first two are really great movies, never bothered to watch the third.

The third film is rubbish, especially when compared to the first two, but Andy Garcia and Coppola's daughter are great in it.

 

[IceAlisa]

Young Al Pacino

 

[Yehudi]

I did like the backstory and the contrast between Vito Corleone's and Michael's cruel reign - how everyone loved Vito and feared Michael, but but but... FREDO that was just too terrible.

The scene where Michael finds out that Fredo betrayed him was just brilliant. The casual mention of Johnny Ola, Michael's horrified expression, and "the kiss".

 

[Xela M]

I read the book, and it was interesting to see how Kay's fate differed between the novel and movies.

I've never read the book, but the people I know who have said it was this one occasion when the films were much better than the book. What happened to Kay in the novel?

 

[Xela M]

Young Al Pacino

What about young James Caan running around in suspenders?

 

[Xela M]

The scene where Michael finds out that Fredo betrayed him was just brilliant. The casual mention of Johnny Ola, Michael's horrified expression, and "the kiss".

It broke my heart He should have forgiven him!

 

[Yehudi]

I've never read the book, but the people I know who have said it was this one occasion when the films were much better than the book. What happened to Kay in the novel?

After the wipeout of the five families, Kay tried to run off but Tom Hagen tracked her down and gave the "world is what it is" speech. Kay then went back, converted to Catholicism, and goes to church every day with Mama Corleone to pray for Michael. It made sense as the novel was more about people doing horrible things because society is horrible while the movie was, in the end, about power and family.

 

[Xela M]

After the wipeout of the five families, Kay tried to run off but Tom Hagen tracked her down and gave the "world is what it is" speech. Kay then went back, converted to Catholicism, and goes to church every day with Mama Corleone to pray for Michael. It made sense as the novel was more about people doing horrible things because society is horrible while the movie was, in the end, about power and family.

Ahh, I didn't realise Catholicism played a role in the book. I hated it when they went down that route in Part III.

What happened to Tom Hagen in the book?

As I understand it, Duvall asked for too much money - that's why they cut him from Part III.

 

[Yehudi]

Ahh, I didn't realise Catholicism played a role in the book. I hated it when they went down that route in Part III.

What happened to Tom Hagen in the book?

As I understand it, Duvall asked for too much money - that's why they cut him from Part III.

The original book (the one Puzzo actually wrote) ended with the family moving to Nevada. However, there were "sequels" written by other authors and one had him being murdered by a traitorous capo...

 

[MR-FAN]

Godfather

The Godfather part I used to be my all-time favorite movie (it's now the 3rd favorite movie of all time ) it's just.. Phenomenal. Incredible. To be transformed into such a different world is an experience you can never forget. A movie written and acted with such perfection that you fully understand how someone good and kind can do unspeakable acts for family. A powerful powerful movie

And my favorite has always been, and will always be. Al Pacino.

The storylines in Part II are so heartbreaking though - to see the family fall apart under Michael - that I prefer the romanticism of Part I.

Absolutely! That's exactly it. Keeping the focus so personal and small in the first movie gave it such endearing romanticism that stays with you forever. Part II was more ambitious, larger, more "real" and grittier, but the glamour and romanticism are gone. And seeing the tight-knit, close family from Part I completely disintegrate under the control of Michael, who went down this path for his family, will always be a tough pill to swallow. A brilliant movie in its own right

It broke my heart He should have forgiven him!

Never

and Coppola's daughter are great in it.

No! No!! No no no no NO! Blasphemous!

She was absolutely horrible, and single-handedly ruined the movie for me. Terrible acting, boring, sleepy, annoying, no sex appeal, just UGH.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

I cheered and was so happy when she died definitely not what the movie was going for

 

[Xela M]

Godfather

The Godfather part I used to be my all-time favorite movie (it's now the 3rd favorite movie of all time ) it's just.. Phenomenal. Incredible. To be transformed into such a different world is an experience you can never forget. A movie written and acted with such perfection that you fully understand how someone good and kind can do unspeakable acts for family. A powerful powerful movie

And my favorite has always been, and will always be. Al Pacino.



Absolutely! That's exactly it. Keeping the focus so personal and small in the first movie gave it such endearing romanticism that stays with you forever. Part II was more ambitious, larger, more "real" and grittier, but the glamour and romanticism are gone. And seeing the tight-knit, close family from Part I completely disintegrate under the control of Michael, who went down this path for his family, will always be a tough pill to swallow. A brilliant movie in its own right



Never



No! No!! No no no no NO! Blasphemous!

She was absolutely horrible, and single-handedly ruined the movie for me. Terrible acting, boring, sleepy, annoying, no sex appeal, just UGH.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

I cheered and was so happy when she died definitely not what the movie was going for

Haha! I admit I last watched Part III as a teenager, so my judgement could have been off. I did think she was pretty though.

I absolutely agree with you on the rest though. Godfather Part I is the most romatic mafia film. You sympathise with all of them and the wedding in the beginning is just the most perfect way of bringing the viewer into this wonderful world. Someone from Sicily once mentioned to me that that's exactly how Italian weddings were celebrated.

 

[AYS]

The first Godfather film is to me one of the greatest films of all time, everything about it, direction, casting, soundtrack, everything. I first time I saw it - and read the novel - when I was 12 years old and have loved it and watched it countless times ever since. I even had the soundtrack album as a kid. (The original novel was also great by the way, if anyway who loves the movie has never read it.) I could never get into the second one to the same degree, although I loved the DeNiro flashback scenes and it's a great movie in its own right. I have never been able to get into Part III. Frankly, in both II and III, it's too painful to watch the descent of Mikey into complete and overt psychopathy. I still can't fathom Fredo in the boat.

And a special nod in memory of Tessio, on Abe Vigoda's passing today. I really wanted the turncoat to turn out to be Clemenza.

 

[Sparks]

But Tesio was smarter....

 

[twinsissv]

Oh! That final scene where poor Kay has just been lied to by Michael about his role in the family...and the Godfather theme music swells as his underlings pay tribute to the new Godfather. That kiss of the hand...that blank stare of Kay's...that gesture of acceptance by the new Don.
The closing of the door. WOW!!!

 

[Xela M]

Oh! That final scene where poor Kay has just been lied to by Michael about his role in the family...and the Godfather theme music swells as his underlings pay tribute to the new Godfather. That kiss of the hand...that blank stare of Kay's...that gesture of acceptance by the new Don.
The closing of the door. WOW!!!

The best ending to a film ever!! It's impossible to top

 

[Xela M]

The first Godfather film is to me one of the greatest films of all time, everything about it, direction, casting, soundtrack, everything. I first time I saw it - and read the novel - when I was 12 years old and have loved it and watched it countless times ever since. I even had the soundtrack album as a kid. (The original novel was also great by the way, if anyway who loves the movie has never read it.) I could never get into the second one to the same degree, although I loved the DeNiro flashback scenes and it's a great movie in its own right. I have never been able to get into Part III. Frankly, in both II and III, it's too painful to watch the descent of Mikey into complete and overt psychopathy. I still can't fathom Fredo in the boat.

And a special nod in memory of Tessio, on Abe Vigoda's passing today. I really wanted the turncoat to turn out to be Clemenza.

The breakup of the family under Michael in Part II was horrible, but it made sense following on from Part I. Michael was the most heartless of them all. He terrified me in Part I also. However, in Part III they tried to turn him into a repentant Christian, which was annoying more than anything.

 

[Xela M]

A bit of trivia I found interesting... For the flashback scene at the end of Part II https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r-I4VIR5yGg James Caan got paid as much as he did for the whole Godfather I film. Apparently, Marlon Brando was meant to be in the scene as well, but due to a dispute over money, he refused to turn up on the day of the shooting and Copolla had to improvise the scene without him.