Not a sequel in the strictest sense...

Rating: 9/10 (20 September 2002)

*Attention Spoilers*
There are two scenes in "The Godfather Part II" that completely describe the mastery and eloquence of this wonderful film. One scene is at the very beginning. I am referring to the party celebrating Michael's son's first communion. The music and atmosphere play in strict contrast to the beginning of the first film. In "The Godfather", the Corleone family was fully emersed into the Italian life. They were completely outside the American ideal, basing their lives on values learned through Sicilian experience and heiritage. The music during the wedding was Italian, even the food was Italian. During Michael's party in the second film, the music played is distinctly American, so much so that the pure blooded Italian, Frank Pantangali become upset and insulted by the whole presidings. He tries to get the band to play Italian music, and they rebel. He accuses Michael of ignoring his heiritage by moving to Las Vegas and drinking champaign (instead of the wine that Italians usually drink). The irony, is that Michael probably thought that ignoring his ancestory would help the family eventually become legitimate. Instead, by vacating everything thing that defines him, Michael becomes a castle among himself, a powerful man who is as hollow as he is evil.
The theme here, is that the American capitalist system is in many ways more corrupting than anything ever seen previously. For example, in the first film, the villains (including Vito), although evil and corrupt, are still men of honor and take action based on this honor, no matter how misguided. There may be backstabbing, but it is, as many would say, strictly business. Michael in this film, by contrast, seems to have forgone any resemblence of these honorable traits. He kills men without any basis other than for the acquisition of complete power. He commits fratracide because he wants to destroy all those who have wronged him, even though he has done more harm to his family then Fredo would ever think of doing (especially to all those close to him: Kay, Tom Hagen, his children, and of course Fredo). But again, he's only working under the system he's entered into. This is clear when he negotiates with a corrupt Senator at the beginning of the film. This Senator clearly has no guidelines or values to follow, he only wants what many people in his position want, money and more Power. But Michael is smarter, and understands that having such a man as an ally is better than killing him. Vito, by contrast, probably would have had Luca Brasi put a bullet through his head for a man of his power treating others of similar status with such disrespect. Thus, there is no longer a showing of decorum in the American system, only crass "directness" and dishonesty. I think, the corruption in the American system is part of the reason why "The Sopranos" is so popular today. With all the scandals like Enron, many criminals in white collar society can screw people over, even their friends and get a mere slap on the wrist. In "The Sopranos", if you go against the Family you get wacked. Plain and simple.
The Vito scenes in "The Godfather Part II" are used to contrast those of Michael. Yet, even though Vito's actions seem more honorable, he is slowly getting corrupted as well. It is clear, that killing the town boss was not a selfless act of a caring man. It was a power play, a way for Vito to acquire power himself, because just as he hated that boss, he strangely admired him as well. In a way, Vito loses his innocence the moment he witnesses the bosses power at the play, and continues on a dark path that Michael embarks and completes by the end of the film.
My favorite scene in all "The Godfather" films is the scene at the end, where we see all our favorite characters (except Vito), some dead, at the table and Michael announces that he is going into the army. This scene is one of great sadness, because Michael was such an intelligent man that he knew what the "life" would mean to his soul. He knew that he would lose everything if he went on that dark path, and that is the tragedy...
9/10 Grade: A