I cried. Definite Spoilers.

Rating: 10/10 (16 December 2000)

MARIO PUZO'S THE GODFATHER (that is the full name of the film) is haunting, gothic, thought-provoking and an excellent sociological study. On the surface, this is a story about organized crime, loyalty, and family. On the subsurface, Coppola weaves brilliant themes about parallel identities and the profound influence of example. In essence, THE GODFATHER isn't a gangster film; it is too intricate and genuine of a film to be characterized as simply a `gangster film'. Much of the importance of the movie lies in the actual character of the Godfather. Marlon Brando's Godfather seems to represent an individual who is world-weary, but yet, not disillusioned to the point of extending loyalty to others. We look at THE GODFATHER from the standpoint of an individual on the outside looking in. Even though the opening scenes take place in the midst of a wedding, this is a closed society to us. Criminals and cold-blooded killers dance, sing, and play with all the innocence of children. And yet, we want to be close to many of these people once the movie ends. When an undertaker named Amerigo Bonasera asks the Godfather to perform a service for him the patriarch reminds him of the fact that Bonasera never "wanted his friendship" and that he couldn't remember the last time he was invited over for a "cup of coffee". We may relate to the many times that we, like Don Corleone, extended our friendship and loyalty to others but never got it in return. I know too many people that are more concerned with having someone else do something for them than returning any sort of favor. It's amazing that as powerful of a figure the Godfather is, he also looks at the small acts that characterize friendship. I began to relate to him so much I began to wish that all fathers could retain many of the beautiful characteristics that this man possesses. This is not to deify the character lead of Coppola's film. After all, the Godfather is a criminal. And yet, when he dies in the film, it's as if the World has suffered a great loss. I actually cried during this scene the first time I saw it when I was a kid. It is interesting to note that we are not supposed to respect the criminal organization in this film. After all, the extent to which a person is protected in the Don's extended criminal family is often related to the extent to which a character is willing to shed blood. A good member must be willing to break the law and deny one's friends but never their family. In essence, the movie is filled with paradoxes (not in plot, but in the characters themselves). We see a grandfatherly figure that pulls the strings of a criminal organization. We witness the transformation of the good son to the calculating killer. We see benevolence in many of the supporting characters that are willing to kill. THE GODFATHER is a movie that is more complicated and intricate than people are willing to admit. As a result, at our access is one of the most fascinating character studies.