40 years go there graced a film which changed the course of film making forever; a film so vivid in description and excellent in conception that it rendered all other films obsolete. It was a depiction of truth, freedom and the darker sides of life. 40 years on, many movies have come close to achieving its greatness but none has ever managed to outdo or outshine the artistic merit of an epic like the Godfather. Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo gave the world a masterpiece which has transcended time and which serves to enlighten our sense of the world and of culture.
The story starts of with a wedding of Vito Corleone’s daughter and a funeral parlor operator who approaches him and demands justice on part of his daughter’s murder and we then finally get to hear the discourse of the Godfather for the first time and thus he says “What have I ever done to make you treat me so disrespectfully?...You come to me, and you say, 'Don Corleone, give me justice.' But you don't ask with respect. You don't even think to call me Godfather.” an echo that prevails throughout the film; a man who deserves respect due to his stature and deeds (most of which does not involve murder as what many may say).
The story than shifts into a proposition by Solozzo to the Godfather and once again we get to see the reasoning of the Godfather and his abnegation of the drug business showing once again that this is a man of honor; a man not entrenched with the scum that devours this world. What more is amazing about the movie is the cultural juxtaposition it makes between life in Sicily (the birthplace of the Vito Corleone) and that of America; the lifestyle, the scenery, the familial bond and the social backdrop. We get to see a side of world so reclusive that we had never thought existed.
Upon his assassination attempt we get to see the likes of Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, youngest son of Vito and future Godfather, a more ruthless and observant Godfather serving to legitimize the family whilst ruining those that abnegate or betray it. He developed the family into a paramilitary esque organization catered to serving itself and no one else. Another significant effect of the movie is its ability to captivate its audience and engage you in a way you never thought possible, here is a family that invites you into in and welcomes you as one of their own; you feel alive when you attend their dinners, you feel gracious at the kindness of the family and most importantly you feel heartbroken when the Godfather dies while tending to his tomato plants because you know that a man who has changed the lives of hundreds of people has now left.
The issues most brought forth by many is the apparent evil deeds done by the Godfather, murder, butchery and bodily harm, are all of these justifiable? If so, under what pretence? The first premise which many fail to realize is the timeline of the movie. This entire event takes place in the 50’s where policing powers were close to nothing and freedom was rampant. Amidst the joys of America and its altar of freedom there are individuals that serve as defilers to this altar; individuals who emancipate the good and suppress the altruistic, it is in this timeline where the Godfather serves his duty to bring justice to where it should prevail. One notable example will be the killing of the rogue Don in the Godfather II; the rogue Don was harassing the Italians while taking bribes and undeserved money all under the premise of protection. Is this what the world needs?
Furthermore the very element which drives the Godfather to do his acts is the well being of his family, immediate and distant. Here is a man who is willing to die and risk his life for his family and as he once said “Do you spend time with your family? Good. Because a man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.” Like I said once before, this is a man of honor and one deserving of respect. Will acts like this prevail in the new millennium? Certainly not. With the establishment of a wider justice system and policing powers, we certainly do not need to resort to these drastic measures to attain familial preservation. What is most stunning about this film is the immortalization of a period in time, its cultural backdrop and reasoning so as to allow for future generations to appreciate the evolution that has taken place within society and the mindset of our forefathers.
Recently I’ve heard of the game Godfather being released by Electronic Arts and my comments have been nothing but negative towards it. The life of the Corleone’s and the 50’s “mafia” are not tools of entertainment, these are very real depiction of history and to market a game under the premise of ‘working your way up the family to be a mobster’ is nothing but a cheap gibe at something perfected by Coppola and Puzo.
Godfather shall forever be a movie which I revere, it has given many hope and courage as well as a realization that your family serves as the very pillars by which you live your life and after having done all in their powers to create the wholesome individual that you are now, we must return to reciprocate that which was provided to us.
