Beguiling

Rating: 10/10 (30 September 2019)

It took me a long time to see this film and I knew of its reputation long before I did. I'm personally not a fan of films that glorify criminals but this film defied my expectations and it gets better every time I watch it.
I was surprised by how likeable the main characters are and the dignity and integrity of Vito Corleone in particular. There are few films of this length that don't drag but this is one of them. The story and the script are stirringly intelligent and this is combined with clever directing and beautiful cinematography. It was made in the early 1970's yet it beautifully recreates the late 1940's. Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall each put in their definitive career performance in my opinion. Marlon Brando and Al Lettieri steal the show however as masters of understatement. No motion is wasted and yet so much is expressed.
Perhaps the greatest film ever made and that's from somebody who isn't really a fan of the genre. 10/10