The Godfather
“gangster’s paradise”
A film of countless decorated accolades, reinforced by a large and rather rabid following and shrouded in eternal filmmaking mystery to entice the viewer, even more, The Godfather is helmed as one of cinema’s most indelible pictures that has stood the test of time from generation to generation. How can one even begin to critique or dethrone this forever ascending cinematic masterpiece? It would be naive to think that a couple of jabs here and there can cripple this title but it shall be attempted nonetheless.
This is not to say that this review will be riddled with negative cuts and bruises for The Godfather to take, for this truly is a cinematic experience like no other, but sometimes movies of this esteemed caliber have to be challenged a little.
The power that once resided in Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is now aging and dwindling into oblivion as he slowly unpacks his large and impenetrable organized crime dynasty and transfers it onto his reluctant son’s shoulders Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). This classic tale about the fall of a mighty empire, located on America’s eastern seaboard in late 40s New York City, has all the facets of a great Greek tragedy. From the lively and impressionable personalities of the entire ensemble to the impeccable fashion that this film imbues, it’s hard not to fall in love with the sheer scale of this production. However, there are glimpses of frailty that can be seen sprinkled throughout, such as the severe lack of female representation or the somewhat odd pacing of the narrative, rapidly jumping from one timeline to the next. All this could be excused by saying that the focus is on the patriarchal system of the Mafia, how men’s thirst for power eventually leads to their own demise, but then why the need for any female characters at all? Why portray Kay Adams (Diane Keaton) in a supporting role if all she does is submit to the needs of Micheal? These are the jabs I mentioned earlier, they are small and perhaps have no impact to the overall structure of the film but, nonetheless necessary to highlight.
There may be more to debunk and deconstruct, especially now that the world has seen a paradigm shift in how we view films, but, for now, The Godfather has paved the way for the genre to grow into its own empire, laying down foundations, building pillars and devising techniques still very much witnessed in cinema today.
