A Landmark Picture

Rating: 10/10 (27 August 1999)

(WARNING: Plot Spoilers)

If you have not seen the Godfather, do yourself a favour - skip my comments, and rent it today! I have seen this movie too many times to comment without giving away key elements.
This movie is a cinematic landmark - one of the great achievements of the 20th century. From its quiet opening in Vito Corleone's office, with the the blubbering appeal of Amerigo Bonasera ("Make them suffer as I have suffered") to the closing of that same office door at the end, when Kaye comes to grips with the man she married, every frame of this film is filled with intrigue, images and treachery.
You cannot view this film and judge its morality - it has none. It told entirely on its own terms. All the main characters are career criminals and the only law enforcement office in the movie is a corrupt cop protecting a drug dealer. To watch the movie, you have to accept its terms. If you do, you will be in for an experience of a lifetime.
The wedding scene at the beginning is brilliant. Slowly but surely, all the characters are introduced, while at the same time, we get bits of information on their personalities and foreshadowing of future events. Note some of the payoffs that this scene sets up. That Paulie Gatto is a traitor ("If this was someone else's wedding). That Bonasera the undertaker will owe the Don a service, to hide his son's massacre from his wife. That the plea of Johnny Fontaine for a movie role will result in him reluctantly agreeing to perform at a casino for the family. And of course, there is the introduction of the fearsome Luca Brasi.
Marlon Brando makes this movie great. Don Corleone is arguably the most famous and most imitated character in movie history. The accent, the hand gestures, the sly smile he give Solozzo are all a credit to an acting genius.
The score by Fellini composer Nino Rota is one of the creepiest and most famous in film history. It complements the film rather than overpowers it, and gives the Godfather its unique quality. Gordon Willis' cinematography can only be described as perfect.
The movie ends with the famous "baptism scene" in which Michael renounces Satan while executing all of his enemies - the baptism is the perfect alibi. In this scene, we learn how Michael views himself - a man in perfect control over his own world, above the law of both man and God. Truly fascinating.
The Godfather also contains my single favourite line in movie history, spoken by Clemenza after the murder of Paulie Gatto: "Leave the gun. Take the canoli."
I like Part II even more, because the plot is more involving and the flashback scenes to the rise of Vito Corleone are the best cinematic work ever (imho). Needless to say, these movies are numbers 1 & 2 on my all-time list.
For me, this is a perfect motion picture. **** out of ****.