The Godfather

I have often wondered what makes ‘The Godfather’ so great. It has been more than 50 years since it was released and still even a non-moviegoer would know ‘The Godfather’ as one of the greatest movies although he might not even have seen it. Is it the genius starting scene that cuts back and forth from the lively marriage dancing and singing to the serious business meetings in that dark office? I mean till the end of that sequence, you have been completely immersed in the large Corleone family. Or is it the ‘It’s not personal. It’s strictly business.’ Scene? Sure I’ll be discussing many things, but it is the everlasting effect that ‘The Godfather’ has on you that makes it so great.

Now people have come to me and said, “I suggested him ‘The Godfather’ and he did not like it.” Honestly, that isn’t surprising. This isn’t for the mass audience. When I first saw it, I was impressed by some scenes but it was the end that changed everything. And even after that I had just liked it. I guess I was a little small to appreciate it then. It took me about a day to realise how good it is. Unexpectedly a scene popped in my head, and I knew that it was going to stay with me. I watched it again today and I enjoyed it a lot. My two viewings were complete different experiences. I have come to realize that first of all, it needs to be watched a few times. And it is when you notice the subtle things in the movie that you will start appreciating it. The subtle nods from the actors, the expression in their eyes when things are silent, the cinematography, and even the rich script. After all, ‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’.

The soul of the movie, the single entity I believe ‘The Godfather’ is all about is the chilling transformation of Michael Corleone. One should really observe how Pacino leads this character through the movie. From the war hero who tells his wife how he and his family are different to the cold Corleone who sits in the Italian restaurant before he takes his “business” revenge. Talking about subtle details, there is a scene where Michael and another guy trick a group of people by pretending to have a gun who had come to assassinate a family member. After the group leaves, the other guy’s hand starts shaking when he wants to light a cigarette. Michael helps him with the lighter and notices that his hands aren’t trembling at all. This subtle hint indicates that he is no longer the same person he was in the first few scenes.

He has started to shed his skin and what makes this believable is the timeline over which it happens. There are small things that pile up and make him mature in both humanity and confidence in calling the shots. ‘The Godfather’ is legitimate in that sense because even when there are upcoming gang wars, we have been with the Corleones in their study, and took part in each step they considered to take. In that sense, the movie stays realistic and grounded. Sure, Vito has power, but it isn’t that the world revolves because of him. Each step is integral because any bad move could take the Corleones down.