More ambitious and grand in scope, Part II packs a powerful emotional punch

Rating: 10/10 (26 June 2006)

Given complete control over the directorial proceedings by Paramount, and a much larger budget to boot, you would be forgiven to think Francis Ford Coppola had it good when, two years after the release of The Godfather, the studio convinced him to direct The Godfather: Part II. Despite this free reign, Coppola still faced challenges  most important being the daunting task of matching the first picture, creatively and financially. There are many critics who regard the second part of the Corleone saga as not only equal, but superior than the first, and while I don't think Part II is as "classic" as it's original, I can concede without hesitation that this is the more ambitious and grand in scope, and certainly more powerful as an exercise in tragedy.
The Godfather: Part II continues the story of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), established in the end of part one as the new Don of the Corleone crime family, who has moved all their interests out to Nevada. Michael looks to expand his empire and invest in businesses in Havana and Miami, where Hyman Roth (one of his father's aging ex-partners) resides. When betrayal comes from where he least expects, Michael must make decisions and sacrifices, however difficult, to save his family, and in doing so will perpetually change who he is as a person. Throughout Michael's ordeal, Coppola flashes back to the turn of the century, where a young Vito Corleone (then Vito Andolini) must flee Sicily when he becomes hunted by the local Mafioso at the age of only nine. As an immigrant, we are shown the rise of Vito (Robert De Niro from young adulthood onwards) as a man of respect, loyalty, enormous generosity and ever growing authority on the streets of New York.
Coppola must be given due for the transitions between the two parallel story lines, which are absolutely seamless. They come at natural breaks so as to not take away from the pacing of either narrative, and the episodic approach to covering thirty-odd years in the young Vito storyline is perfect for keeping the audience on the edge of their seats for the developments in the Michael story. With the interconnectedness of the narrative, Coppola encourages a contrast of the way Michael and Vito take control of their respective families  what decisions they make, what they value  and this helps to further punctuate and underline the film's harrowing final scenes.
In keeping with the tone of the first picture, Part II sees the return of Gordon Willis' dark, under lit photography, and Nino Rota's memorable, distinctive score (largely utilising the same cues as the first, with the addition of a few new themes including the magnificent "The Immigrant"). The acting across the board is quality  just as it was in the original. John Cazale has a larger role here as Fredo, whose outburst at being stepped over as the family Don is as forceful and potent as any in his regrettably short career. Newcomers to the picture give excellent supporting turns, Michael Gazzo as caporegime Frank Pentangeli and Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone, preserving Brando's famous gesture and manner, but it's Al Pacino's picture through and through  his Michael is so intense, but yet is an empty shadow of his former self. By the end of the picture, Pacino's beady black eyes are cold: completely stripped of life, and reflect upon the tragedy of the loss of the family he committed all his power to trying to protect. It's a haunting, powerful, parting frame that lasts.