The Godfather (1972)

Originally posted January 25, 2009 on littletaylorfamily.blogspot.com

The first time I watched this movie, I was 15 years old, sitting cross-legged on my bedroom floor in the middle of the night, in front of a 13 inch black and white television in which I had to hold onto the antenna at the very tip with two fingers in order to get some semblance of a picture. I watched the first scene, at about 11pm, and then didn't move from the floor for the duration of the rest of the movie....all 3 hours PLUS commercials. I remember being absolutely exhausted when I finally laid my head to rest, and my dreams were very interesting for the following few nights. Nevertheless, that was 16 years ago....I decided to revisit the movie, that on many critics lists, is the best movie ever made.

While its not #1 on my list, it is certainly mesmerizing on many levels, even now, 37 years after its original release. I watched The Godfather last night, unedited and without commercial interruption, on my 42" Plasma television, but surprisingly, considering all the "upgrades" in viewing pleasure, the movie still invoked much of the same emotion and feelings I had immediately after my first viewing so long ago.
Things I liked:
The glimpse into the inner-workings of a mob-family is absolutely fascinating. Not during this whole movie, did we see an outsider, or civilian, perish as a result of mob activity. The story focuses on the innermost core of the mob, which is refreshing because that's what makes it so interesting. We get to know the characters so intimately that once the movie is over, you can't hardly believe the changes certain characters have made over the past three hours. Its almost as if you are revisiting a dramatic television series that you haven't watched for a few months. The changes are both gradual and sudden. Its a bizarre feeling as a viewer, and a fantastic job by the director (Francis Ford Coppola). While there is no such thing as a wasted scene in this movie, my favorite is the baptism scene of Michael's God-daughter. I will leave it at that. If you've seen it, you know what I am talking about, and if you haven't seen it, you are in for a treat. The music during that scene is probably some of the best "scene-setting" music I have ever heard.
Things I didn't like:
The mush-mouthed Brando. Every time Brando started talking, I turned on the subtitles. Its all I could do to understand every third word he was saying. Legend has it that Brando stuffed his mouth with cotton wool during screen tests, but during actual filming he wore an appliance made by a dentist in order to make him "look like a bulldog".
Why? Why did he want to look and sound that way? Brando already had an imposing face, and strong facial features. His voice was ALREADY difficult to comprehend...why make it worse. I really struggled with this, especially during later points in the film when he has candid conversations with his sons. I know its ticky-tack, but about the 2nd hour, I started to get annoyed.
My favorite line:
Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall): "Mr Corleone never asks a second favor after he's refused the first, understood?" (A great line at a crucial part of the movie. One really gets the idea how powerful, and violent, The Don really is. And, by the way, the line is delivered with perfect poise...Thank you Mr. Duvall.)
All in all:
Its a dang good film. And yes, one of the best ever. I have heard people say that the sequel is better. I have never watched The Godfather II in its entirety, so I look forward to forming my own opinion. But for now, The Godfather easily gets **** out of 4.