003 The Godfather (1972)

In 1998, the American Film Institute celebrated the first 100 years of cinema (1896-1996) by listing the 100 best American films of the century. The Godfather was Number 3 on the list. It was the first gangster film to portray a family of gangsters in a sympathetic manner. The Godfather was nominated for ten Oscars, winning Best Actor, Best Picture and Best Screenplay.

The Godfather is set in New York City from 1945 to 1955. It is the story of how Michael Corleon (Al Pacino) replaces his father (Marlon Brando) as the head of a crime family. The opening scene shows the father receiving visitors like an emperor at court. This portrayal of the gangster as a feudal lord was unique in this film, but it has been copied many times since.

Michael is home from college for his sister's wedding. He explains to his girlfriend (Diane Keaton) that the family business is not for him. The family business is never made clear. There are no scenes portraying prostitution, gambling or loan sharking.

The action of the film centers around the conflict between Michael's father and the other crime bosses who want his help to expand their businesses to include the trafficking of heroin. Michael's father refuses and the other families declare war. It gets very confusing trying to keep all the characters straight. There are lots of double crosses and infiltrations. It's hard to tell when the characters on screen are lying to each other, and when they are telling the truth.

Following the attempted assassination of his father, Michael dedicates himself to protecting him. When his father returns home unable to resume his duties as head of the family, his oldest son Sonny (James Caan) runs the business for awhile. He is a hot head, and under his leadership the war escalates. After he is killed, Michael becomes responsible. His father is a bit heartbroken, but Michael finds himself quite naturally well suited for the role. The final scene is of Michael receiving visitors like an emperor at court, and his wife realizes too late that her husband has been sucked into the family business.

This film is a contradiction for me. On the one hand, the themes of family responsibility, a father's legacy and the need to earn respect are all things that I can understand. In fact, there are more family scenes such as weddings, dinners and christenings than there are crime scenes such as stabbing, shooting and strangling. On the other hand, all that violence and murder destroys families, legacies and respect.