by Chris Marshall:
Before I get into The
Godfather Part Two, a caveat/boast: I passed my thesis defense today. What
this means for the blog post is that I am writing it on a very strict deadline.
It’s a shame, too, because it probably means the writing won’t be so good, and
I really wanted to have something profound to say about this movie.
Ok, so maybe I never have anything profound to say about any
movie, but this film is better than most, and it seems like it would lend
itself to some kind of Great Writing. As magnificent as it was, though, I still
have to argue that the original film was better. This is by no means a slight
against the sequel, just an acknowledgment that The Godfather was one of the greatest movies ever made, and it’d be
hard to top.
The Godfather Part Two
is in some sense a continuation of The Godfather, in that it spends most of its time focusing on Michael’s ascent
to absolute power over the family. In addition, though, there are multiple
flashbacks to the life of young Vito Corleone, this time played by Robert De
Niro. Some have described the stories of Vito and Michael as being parallel;
there is some truth to this, but I would argue that their timelines are going
in opposite directions.
Vito started out with nothing except the desire to be
something great. He watches his parents be killed by a Sicilian Don, and he
goes to America to escape certain death himself. Eventually, as we all know, he
becomes the Godfather. Upon assuming this role, Vito becomes a kind (well, to
an extent) and wise man.
Michael, on the other hand, originally has no desire to
continue his father’s business. He goes to college, then joins the Navy. Only
after the assassination attempt on Vito does Michael take up the cause of the Corleone
family. But unlike Vito, who mellowed with age, Michael only becomes more
vicious and paranoid as time goes on. Sometimes it serves him well, sure, but
whereas Vito died as a beloved old man, Michael seems completely villainous.
 |
| I knew it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. |
It’s an interesting comparison. It’s not like Vito was a
good guy, really. He personally killed at least two people, and he certainly
ruled his territory with an iron fist. However, at the same time, he treated
his family well, and he did favors for others as often as he demanded favors be
done for him. That’s really what separates him from Michael. For Michael, power
is the number one concern. He loves his family, sure, but he tends to neglect
them in favor of business concerns.
It’s rare that I can’t think of a single negative thing to
say about a film, but both Godfather movies have fallen into that category. They’re
as close to perfect as you can get, and I don’t use that word lightly. Learn
from my mistakes. Don’t wait so long to see this movie.
Again, I apologize to my loyal readers for having to rush
through this post, as this film deserves much more attention than I’ve been
able to give it. Perhaps I’ll revisit it at the end of The Oscar Project; there’s
no doubt it will end up in the top tier of my overall favorite Best Picture
winners. But for now, I have to hammer out some final edits for the thesis.
You understand. It’s all for the good of the family.
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