An Epic!

Rating: 9/10 (20 December 2014)

There are some movies which cannot be reviewed. We can all have our opinions, but we cannot rate them. These are the movies which go beyond the ratings and awards. The Godfather (1 and 2) is one such movie(s). To give a rating to these two movies would be an insult to its creators and I am not making any attempt to do so. These are two legendary movies, each an epic, a magnum opus for all other 'Don' movies.
Thus, I present here some of my views and scenes from the two movies that touched my heart.
Right movie from the beginning of the movie, the music is haunting. It pulls you towards itself, like the fatal attraction of parvana to the shama. Marlon Brando is characteristic. There has never been another Don in history so charming, honorable and one who is also a true family man. A Don who respects his friends and never forgets a favor.
The transformation of Al Pacino from the distant lad who says "That's my father, Kate, not me" to the emotional son beside his father in the hospital ensuring him "I am with you now" to ultimately the unprecedented words pronounced by him "I am working for my father now" underlines the storyline.
Some of my favorite dialogues by the movie are: "A man who doesn't spend time with his family, can never be a real man." "I never ask for a second favor when I have been refused the first." "Don't tell me you're innocent, because it exhausts my intelligence." "Don't ever take sides with anyone against your family." "Women and children can be careless but not men." The distress look on Brandon's face when he finds out his war hero son is invariably pulled into the underworld business, the silent tears of acknowledgement when he hears the news of his other son's murder and simply says "I want no acts of vengeance" shows that some actors don't need big dialogues to act.
The final stages between father and son are beautifully portrayed. A concerned father advising his son, the last person he thought would be his successor. And the dutiful son consoling his dad that "We'll get there".
The music is not just background score but also underlines the essence of the movie. Attentions to details like the steady flow of water, chirping of the birds, are hard to ignore.
The climax of the movie where he lies with so much conviction to his beloved wife completes the transformation of Al from a civilian to the head of the Corleone family.