The Godfather films

[KHenry14]

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.

If you mean the scene where Michael ends up hitting her, Al Pacino actually hit Diane in that scene. If you look at her reaction you can tell she didn't expect that.

I really liked the book too. What people may not know is that in the book the Johnny Fontaine character has a very big storyline. As does Lucy Mancini, the girl Sonny does at the wedding.

 

[Xela M]

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.

If you mean the scene where Michael ends up hitting her, Al Pacino actually hit Diane in that scene. If you look at her reaction you can tell she didn't expect that.

I really liked the book too. What people may not know is that in the book the Johnny Fontaine character has a very big storyline. As does Lucy Mancini, the girl Sonny does at the wedding.

I really dislike Diane Keaton, but here she was well-cast as the most unlikeable person in all the Godfather films.

I loved Michael's first wife and all the Sicily scenes in Gofather I.

 

[twinsissv]

Interesting to realize the political implications of two key scenes:
-the scene of little Vito looking at the Statue of Liberty from the ship on his arrival to America with beautiful musical accompaniment. (BUT TODAY'S POLICY?)

-the scene where Don Vito tells Michael that he never wanted that for him.
He wanted Michael to be Senator Corleone or Governor Corleone. (OH NO!)

Immigration and governance? Gee. Glad we solved those problems...eh?

 

[gk_891]

I really dislike Diane Keaton, but here she was well-cast as the most unlikeable person in all the Godfather films.

I loved Michael's first wife and all the Sicily scenes in Gofather I.

I haven't seen Diane Keaton in much of anything but she cracked me up in Manhattan Murder Mystery which is one of the few Woody Allen films I can tolerate.

 

[Yehudi]

has a very big storyline As does Lucy Mancini, the girl Sonny does at the wedding.

Which was different than the movies (I.e. No Vincent).

There was also Al Neri's and Lucca Brasi's backstories

Fun fact: The actor who played Uncle Junior in the Sopranos also played Johnny Ola in part 2.

 

[Xela M]

From what I have read online, one of the major differences between the films and the book is Fredo. Puzo didn't want him to die, but Coppola insisted, and Puzo could only convince Coppola to defer Fredo's death until their mother died.

 

[Johnny_Fever]

I haven't seen Diane Keaton in much of anything but she cracked me up in Manhattan Murder Mystery which is one of the few Woody Allen films I can tolerate.

Not Annie Hall?

 

[MR-FAN]

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.

why Marlon why

That scene, of the whole family sitting together, Broke. My. Heart

 

[MR-FAN]

I loved Michael's first wife and all the Sicily scenes in Gofather I.

LOVE HER!!!

 

[gk_891]

Not Annie Hall?

The only Woody Allen films I truly liked were The Purple Rose of Cairo and Sweet and Lowdown. Visually, I did admire Manhattan. I can barely remember Annie Hall.

 

[Vagabond]

I'm trying to imagine what the Godfather films would have been like if they had been directed by Woody Allen, with scripts co-writen by the director and Marshall Brickman.

 

[Xela M]

why Marlon why

That scene, of the whole family sitting together, Broke. My. Heart

It was awful wasn't it why did they have to make Part 2?! The ending to Part 1 was perfect, although in Part 1 I loved Santino so much that as I teenager I used to stop watching after his death. Every time I watched I always thought before Sonny got in the car and drove off, maybe Tom will stop him this time

 

[Xela M]

I'm trying to imagine what the Godfather films would have been like if they had been directed by Woody Allen, with scripts co-writen by the director and Marshall Brickman.

I must say I like quite a few Woody Allen films. Most recently, I liked "Match Point" a lot. BUT no one messes with the perfection that are the Godfather films!

 

[MR-FAN]

It was awful wasn't it why did they have to make Part 2?! The ending to Part 1 was perfect, although in Part 1 I loved Santino so much that as I teenager I used to stop watching after his death. Every time I watched I always thought before Sonny got in the car and drove off, maybe Tom will stop him this time

Totally get it. I still keep hoping Michael won't let his Italian wife start the car

 

[Xela M]

Totally get it. I still keep hoping Michael won't let his Italian wife start the car

If she had lived, his life is Part 2 would have been different. It was such a contrast when they showed the happy family of Vito and his wife in the backstory and the tantrums Kay was throwing.

 

[MR-FAN]

If she had lived, his life is Part 2 would have been different. It was such a contrast when they showed the happy family of Vito and his wife in the backstory and the tantrums Kay was throwing.

Part I would've been totally different too! I feel like even though his dad's shooting took him off his peaceful life course, it was the death of his wife that turned him into the cold, relentless, calculated and emotionally-void don

They could've lived happily ever after in Sicily

I need to rewatch the movies soon

 

[clairecloutier]

Well I have to be the voice of dissent in this thread. I agree the first 2 Godfather films are well made and certainly compelling (don't really remember the 3rd), but c'mon people. This is a story about criminals and killers. The Corleones were never some big happy family ... except perhaps in young Michael's imagination ... maybe as long as his Mama was content to stay in the kitchen, cook spaghetti, and ignore everything going on around her ... something that oh-so-awful 2nd wife Kay clearly wasn't willing to do ... The movies are interesting dramas, but the characters certainly aren't likable or romantic, to my taste anyway.

Also, Michael's interlude in Sicily was never anything more than a fantasy. He was always going to have to face the reality of the family business, sooner or later.

 

[Xela M]

Well I have to be the voice of dissent in this thread. I agree the first 2 Godfather films are well made and certainly compelling (don't really remember the 3rd), but c'mon people. This is a story about criminals and killers. The Corleones were never some big happy family ... except perhaps in young Michael's imagination ... maybe as long as his Mama was content to stay in the kitchen, cook spaghetti, and ignore everything going on around her ... something that oh-so-awful 2nd wife Kay clearly wasn't willing to do ... The movies are interesting dramas, but the characters certainly aren't likable or romantic, to my taste anyway.

Also, Michael's interlude in Sicily was never anything more than a fantasy. He was always going to have to face the reality of the family business, sooner or later.

Oh no!!!.. Godfather 1 is thee most romantic mafia film and they are all extremely likeable characters. How can you not be charmed by the beauty of the big happy Italian family wedding in the beginning? Your heart is stone

Michael wasn't meant to be part of the family business. It was Santino's stupid outburst at their meeting with "the Turk" that eventually led to the assassination attempt on their father and then everything spiralled out of control and Michael got involved. If not for Santino's death Michael wouldn't have had to take over.

Did you not like James Caan as Sonny either?

 

[clairecloutier]

Did you not like James Caan as Sonny either?

I didn't!! Actually I thought Michael was cuter, in his own brooding, dark, handsome (albeit short) way.

Seriously, I did enjoy the films, especially the first one. And they're definitely iconic. I remember many of the scenes so well, although it's been a long time since I saw them.

But I felt the tragic/dark side of the story more. The whole wedding scene at the beginning is in fact brilliant, in that it presents this illusory image of the big happy family. And then the rest of the film just tears that apart.

 

[Johnny_Fever]

............But I felt the tragic/dark side of the story more. The whole wedding scene at the beginning is in fact brilliant, in that it presents this illusory image of the big happy family. And then the rest of the film just tears that apart.

The underlying theme seems to be that they're doomed from the outset, but that goes for most mob movies.

 

[Johnny_Fever]

The only Woody Allen films I truly liked were The Purple Rose of Cairo and Sweet and Lowdown. Visually, I did admire Manhattan. I can barely remember Annie Hall.

I'm a fan of Radio Days. Another one that Allen directed, but didn't appear in.

 

[Xela M]

I didn't!! Actually I thought Michael was cuter, in his own brooding, dark, handsome (albeit short) way.

Seriously, I did enjoy the films, especially the first one. And they're definitely iconic. I remember many of the scenes so well, although it's been a long time since I saw them.

But I felt the tragic/dark side of the story more. The whole wedding scene at the beginning is in fact brilliant, in that it presents this illusory image of the big happy family. And then the rest of the film just tears that apart.

Awww, Sonny had heart. How can you resist this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPg9A1bmn3Q

I never liked Michael because he looked so cold and manic. I liked Sonny's brashness.

Part II especially tears the family image apart as you say. The flashback scene at the end of Part II with the whole family together is just too sad

The underlying theme seems to be that they're doomed from the outset, but that goes for most mob movies.

But unlike Scorcese's films, after watching Godfather I the viewer is left with a feeling that he would like to be a part of this big family unit. It's a very romantic (and false of course) image of the mafia - the viewer gets to like them and understand their actions as almost a necessity. Whereas after watching Goodfellas, the viewer is left absolutely terrified of them all.

 

[gk_891]

I'm a fan of Radio Days. Another one that Allen directed, but didn't appear in.

Don't believe I saw Radio Days. Is it one of his neurotic comedies or is it one of his more somber efforts a la Purple Rose of Cairo or Sweet and Lowdown?

 

[Johnny_Fever]

Don't believe I saw Radio Days. Is it one of his neurotic comedies or is it one of his more somber efforts a la Purple Rose of Cairo or Sweet and Lowdown?

Its a comedy. Its a series of remembrances and anecdotes explaining how radio programs influenced Allen's childhood in the days before TV.