About the closest thing that 20th Century film came to Shakespearean scale tragedy

Rating: 10/10 (24 May 2005)

The Godfather and the Godfather Part 2 represent a defining moment in cinema. Few films can claim to be such an integral element of modern film-making as Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo's masterpiece that explores the downfall of a man born into the world of the Italian mafia. To describe either film as being perfect is not an overstatement in any means.
Coppola's mastery of direction is evident from the very beginning of the first film of the Godfather trilogy. The "I Love America" speech tells the audience exactly what they need to know about the world these characters inhabit, and the wedding that follows sets up all that is to befall "the family" over the course of the film. Coppola clearly demonstrates a true understanding of the delicate balance between the importance of camera work and the necessity of allowing master performers the latitude to develop their characters to the rich level they achieve.
When one combines a perfect script with perfect performances by some of the legends of film, all under the guidance of a director with a mature and tasteful sense of the art of film, the results are inspiring. The Godfather and the Godfather Part II are my favourite films of all time simply because they are the closest thing that the 20th Century ever produced to Shakespearean tragedy. They go beyond the clichÃ©s of Hollywood sentimentality and strike at the heart of what great drama is about: love, hate, the death of idealism under the weight of the world... and family.