I do not to go on and on. We all know it's an over fabulous film SPOILERS

Rating: 10/10 (11 August 2001)

I am glad to see that it is still #1 on the IMBb. I just watched "The Godfather Saga: A Novel for Television" on American Movie Classics. It was great except it had to be edited for telivision. I have just looked up that that theres a "Godfather Trilogy 1901-1980" which features ALL THREE films re-edited. I shall sure want to see that some time. If you have seen all three films you should surely try to catch the program I just saw on a movie or even network channel and see a very good deal of cut scenes, or better yet you should see the one I just looked up which I have not seen, but surely will.

The first time, unfortunately, I saw this film was not a very good experience. I got tired and fell asleep during the half-hour or so. Except I didn't sleep, I struggled to stay awake which is just aggravating. This, of course, is not the film's fault. It had been a normal hectic day. I tried to watch the entire film again the next day, but I found I couldn't get it all in because I had priorities the next day, so I just watched some of the stuff I had struggled with. I still hadn't gotten any emotion of opinion, really of the film, except for the good directing.

Finally, probably over two months later, I rented it from my local library along with the second one. I watched the whole thing straight through and neadless to say, I was amased. From the great opening scene where Abandando tells of the justice he wants for revenge of what has happened to his daughter to the Sicilian wedding, I was witnessing film greatness. At the beginning of the film, you know that this is a powerful empire and that the ruler is wiser then ever. You get glimpses pf the inside aggresiveness. When Sonny goes and finds that the FBI is monitering he he spits down and wrcks apart one of their cameras. Then out the shake of keeping it together, throws money for the camera at the ground. What goes on in that office while the wedding preseeds is some of the best diologue put on film. Any two year old who has watched movies or telivision woulld know "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" several years before the film is witnessed.

With Jack Waltz, a brutal Sicilian way is performed when he finds the gift of his six-hundred thousand dollar horses head in his bed. Then there's the rejection of Sollozo's narcotics when Luca Brasi is stabbed throught the hand and strangled. Later a Sicilian message is given of his bullet proof vest with two fishes in it.

It is obvious that Michael Corleone is having a splendind life. He's a World War Two hero and he has a girl. So, it could very well be wondered why did he decide to be the one to do the hits with the upmost volunatry. Because of his compassion for his family who ha had wanted no part of as far as business. Indeed the job is done nervously, but thoroughly even with only one bullet for Solozzo and waiting a few seconds instead of dong so right when he cam eout like he was instructed to. When The Don here's news of his beloved son's job, he is disturbed for he truly didn't want him in the business despite "plans" he may ahve had for him.

In Sicily, Michael finds new romance with Appolonia. He marries her and soon finds himself in danger. Appolonia is killed by a car bomb planted from Michaels own trusted Fabrisio (A reason wht you should see one of those sagas). In America, Don Corleone's daughter connie is in jeapordy with her husband. This jeapordy is the link the enemies use to trigger Sonny. In one of the most absolutely brilliant scenes ever, he goes to the tollbooth. He notices that the car infront of him is clutching. As the tendant reaches over to give him his change, he drops it and reaches down as the window shuts. A line of hitmen with Thompsons then appear in a booth and two others come out of the clutching car. They burst fire into the car and Sonny is swarmed with bullets. He makes his way out of the car where he is swambed more. He lets out a yell. The firing stops for second. Then the firing continues untill they fianally stop and one of the men kicks him in the head and they go off leaving the dead Sonny with bunches and bunches and bunches of bullets in him. It is a fabolously directed scene. Then there's the aftermath of Vito's "Look how they massacred my boy." This with the favor being returned from the opening scene where the favor is actually sorrowfully doing the best he can to make Sonny look better.

When Michael returns from Sicily, he takes over as don. After awhile he goes to Kay and marries her telling her "His way of things is done. Even he knows that. In five years the corlenone family will be completely legitamate." In Las Vegas, Fredo has a job for the big-shot Mow Green. When Michael wants to buy his hotel out, Moe refuses with insult and threat. Wehn Fredo critisises his brother for his conduct, Michael responds with "Fredo you're my brother and I love you, but don't ever take side with anyone against the family again. Ever." This lives out. Before Vito dies, he tells Michael that the one who comes with the meeting is the traitor. He also expresses his regret for his son's position. "I never wanted this for you." "You could have been Senator Corleone. Governor Corleone. Something." The Don dies playing with his grandson.

At the funeral, who should be the informastion deliverer for the meeting, but Sal Tessio. While Michael stands as godfather for Connie and Carlo's baby, he orders the hits of the five families. The sequence has very elegant cuts of preparation and preseeding while interceeding with the holy ceromony. Clamenza does his work at an elevator, firing two shots with a rifle while others take scare of their prey by locing in a revolving door, busting in and spraying the bed with Thompsons, coming ans shooting in an eye through glasses, and shooting at the bottom of exterior stairs of a building. When the ceromony is over, Michael goes to Carlo's house and snags for a confesion for Sonny while assuring that his life will be spared. He then goes into a car where Clamenza is in a the backseat with a "Hello Carlo." He then stragles him with him struggling, moving his legs up, breaking through the winsheild as the cars goes forth. It's as well as everything else in the film, very greatly directed as the shoe gets to the camera. Then Connie rushes in with her terror and recenment for Michael's action. When Connie is taken away Kay asks about wether it's true. After a few entences Michael breaks through with "ENOUGH!" Then he calms and says. "All right. This one time you can ask me about my affairs." When she quietly asks "Is it true?" Michael casually responds softly "No." Then there's the great close of Michael being kissed as royalty and Kay watching with the door shuting in front of her, closing her out.

This film is fabulous and worthy of it's praise. It's one ofthe few films that is very popolar, but very few people critisize it despite anything. Story, acting, directing, cinemotatography, art/set direction, everything. I have not seen Cavalada, but I am most petrifide that Francis Ford Coppola didn't get the oscar for best dierector. This is an incredible classic about crime and life that must be seen. It will always remain, as long as film, a fabulous film.