Roth and DeNiro make 'The Godfather' for WASPS

Rating: 9/10 (9 February 2016)

Roth and DeNiro produce an excellent 'mood piece' on the formation of the OSS and it's offspring, the CIA. To that point, Navy Intelligence handled most of the chores, as Navies established themselves are the go-to sources and operatives.
DeNiro used the decade well that he mulled this one over, and he got most of it right, especially the reserved tones of East Coast involved in early intelligence ops . . . contrasting with their bizarre Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas. Roth and DeNiro show they grasp the sub rosa issues via clues like 'The Whiffenpoof Song' and 'Michael Row the Boat Ashore'. There is much more going on in this film than the standard, car chase, action oriented entertainment. Roth and DeNiro are making some astute and sweeping grokkings of America, both its international relevance and its domestic, ah, non-tranquillity.