Mario Puzo, the writer of the novel, The Godfather, never really thought that his novel would be a film which would gain international attention and would get enlisted as one of the best movies of all time. Starring two legendary actors, Al Pachino and Marlon Brando, the movie tells the story of the crimes cooked by the Corleone family. Today, we present our review on The Godfather!
The Godfather Review
The Plot
The Corleone Family
Originating from Sicily, Italy, the Corleone family immigrated from their home to New York. Corleone’s are one of the five Mafia families in New York City.
Vito Corleone, the don of the Corleone family is operating all the businesses under him. Three sons, Santino Sonny Corleone, Fredo Corleone and Michael Corleone followed in their father’s footsteps. Corleone juniors have only one sister, Connie Corleone who is the apple of the eyes of the family.
Doing Favors For Others
Corleone’s only daughter Connie marries Carlo Rizzi. Connie asks for favours during her wedding to Sr Corleone. In the meanwhile, Michael introduces his girlfriend Kay Adams to the family.
Johnny Fontone, godson of Vito Corleone requests Vito to get him a role in the film. Tom Hagen, Corleone’s consigliere, tells the director John Waltz to give Johnny a part in his film. John rejects Johnny until Hagen gives the reference.
Planning To Kill Sollozzo
Corleone’s rival family, Virgil Sollozzo, who is known as ‘The Turk’ is a drug lord in New York, offers Vito to accept a narcotic deal. Vito declines the offer of Sollozzo.
Vito suspects that Sollozzo has plotted something with another crime rivalry with the Tattaglia family. To check on the Tattaglia family, Vito sends Luca Brasi to spy on them. Luca gets killed by the men of Tattaglia. ‘
Vito gets shot by the henchmen of Tattaglia’s and Hagen gets kidnapped. Sonny is the head of the Corleone family now as his father is shot.
Sollozzo forces Hagen to tell Sonny to accept the narcotic deal. Sonny refuses. In the meanwhile, Michael visits Vito and gets beaten and arrested by NYPD police. Sollozzo and officer Mark McClusky, who is a right hand of Sollozzo, meet Michael. Michael, Sonny and their caporegime Clemenza plan to kill Sollozzo and Mark. Both the brothers successfully implant their plan.
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Death, Marriage And Escape
After killing Sollozzo and Officer McClusky, Michael takes shelter in their hometown Sicily. Fredo, Michael’s older brother, receives shelter in Las Vegas by Moe Greene.
In Sicily, Michael marries a local woman whose name is Apollonia. Michael becomes a widower when his Italian wife faces a tragic death in a car accident. A bomb was placed in the car where Michael and Apollonia were travelling. The bomb was placed to kill Michael, but unfortunately Apollonia faces the undeserving incident.
Sonny hears the news of Carlo, his brother in law abuses Connie, Sonny’s sister. Sonny attacks Carlo and threatens to kill him. The second time when Sonny gets the news of his sister being abused. He rushes to kill Carlo. Unfortunately Sonny gets killed by the men of Carlo.
The New Head Of The Family
After Sonny’s death, the whole Corleone family becomes devastated. Vito calls a meeting with the five mafia families and retires from the operations. Michael returns to America and marries his longtime girlfriend Kay. Kay and Michael gave birth to two children in the 50’s.
Finding Fredo unfit to take the lead of the family, Vito announces Michael as the head of the family. Vito warns Michael to stay away from Barzini and reveals that Barzini was the mastermind behind Sonny’s death.
Michael flies to Las Vegas to complete a deal with the Greenes. He gets a shock to see his brother Fredo being more loyal to the Greenes than his own family.
Michael ‘Don’ Corleone
Vito’s demise happens when he gets a heart attack while playing with Michael’s son. Tessio signals his betrayal when he tells Michael to meet with Barzini. The meeting was on the same day as Connie’s child’s baptism.
Michael becomes the godfather of Connie’s son. Hitmen of Corleone’s kill all the five heads of the existing mafia family. Greene and Tessio also get executed meanwhile. Michael kills Carlo with his own hand for killing Sonny. Michael’s men start calling him ‘Don Corleone’.
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Cast and Director
- The Godfather Trilogy was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The screenplay was co-written by Mario Puzo, original writer of the novel and Francis Coppola.
- Legendary actor Marlon Brando was Vito Corleone, who is the head of the Corleone family.
- Al Pacino, who is also known as the off screen Godfather played Michael Corleone. Pacino leads the other two sequels of the trilogy.
- James Cann played the oldest son of the Corleone family, Santino Sonny Corleone who faces a tragic death.
- Fredo Corleone was played by John Cazale.
- Diane Keaton is Kay Adams, Michael’s long time girlfriend and his second wife.
Talia Shire played Connie Corleone, only daughter of Vito Corleone. - Other important roles were played by Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Richard Conte, Alex Rocco and many other actors.
Our Review
Not to be biased, but words will not describe how good the movie is. From Al Pacino’s eye-catching on-screen looks to Marlon Brando’s bold acting- everything in the movie was impeccable and beyond words to describe.
Al Pacino, who is still known as the on-screen Godfather, introduced himself to the world in a new way when he took the project. Marlon Brando was already famous, Godfather was just another excuse for him to execute his acting skill.
Diane Keaton, who was Hollywood’s desired girlfriend at that time, became more desirable when she paired with Al Pacino.
As the movie plot is based on an Italian Mafia story, a glimpse of Italy was portrayed vividly in the movie. Mario Puzo’s best selling novel’s movie adaptation will make you fall in love with the genre even more.
Every Mafia story lover’s favorite movie will always be The Godfather Trilogy. Each actor who played their significant roles in the trilogy outcast themselves.
Ratings of the trilogy were above 95% in all major reviewing websites. Francis Coppola really outshined himself by taking the project. Godfather is still listed as the second best American film of all time.
