What else can be said?

Rating: 10/10 (25 June 2003)

What else can be said about this cinematic masterpiece that has not been said a million times? What exactly is it about this movie that ranks it the #1 movie of all-time on many lists, including imdb.com's list? It isn't just the plot. While masterful, I have seen better plots before. Not many, of course, and not better by much, but there still are a couple. It's not just the acting. Again, I am hard pressed to think of better performances, but there are a few out there. I will say that Brando's acting, Pacino's, Caan's, Duvall's, Keaton's, and so many others all mixed together were awesome. But it's not only the way each one acts, but also the way each one acts off the others. But still, the acting alone could not make this movie #1. The cinematography, the lighting, the sound, the musical score, all these were terrific, but none of them made this movie. So then, what DOES make this movie what it is? I would say that it is taking all of these elements together and breathing life into them. Rather than simply being a voyeur, watching all the action from the outside, the viewer is thrust into the middle of it. He becomes surrounded by the action and to a certain extent becomes part of the Corleone family. And as the movie races towards its climax, the viewer is pulled emotionally at every turn, forcing hatred towards good people, love towards evil people, respect for those who do not deserve it, and ultimately a great deal of sympathy for a man who rules with an iron fist and seems to be too concerned with his own well-being to care about the feelings of anyone else. And yet, at the same time, we see that he does care, and he does feel, and he does love. There is a tremendous feeling of family in this movie, a great sense of belonging. And I believe that is the secret to this movie. The viewer is not left on the outside, but brought inside warmly to share the innermost thoughts and feelings of men he might normally avoid and fear. And the viewer learns a profound secret by watching this movie: There is no greater desire than the desire to belong, to be a part of something, no matter what that something may be; and this desire will be ultimately fulfilled no matter how much it is ignored or resisted. Underneath it all, we are all the same.