The Godfather

I've been severely slacking on my Retro Reviews as of late and for that, I'm deeply sorry. 

I have a deep repertoire of films I haven't seen -- though I seem to be making a dent in the classics as of late -- and The Godfather is another shining example of cinematic history that I've yet to observe. 

In fact, I'm new to the entire franchise as I haven't seen either of the other two. My hope is to get through all three this year so that I can confidently cross this iconic trilogy off my list. 

Sometimes when I do these Retro Reviews, I'm disappointed to find films that aren't quite what everyone has cracked them up to be. Time isn't kind to many films and in a lot of instances my general lack of timeliness to see a film can mean that I've already seen something newer (and better). There have been a few cases of this since I've started doing these several years ago, but there are also, pleasantly, times when the movie in question does impress me or blow me away. 

Having now seen The Godfather, originally released in 1972, I truly believe this was a film ahead of its time. Many of my complaints for other films around this time period (choppy editing being the main culprit) were non existent here and both from a story, performance, and technological standpoint, this one is certainly a beacon of quality filmmaking.

I for one can't wait to see Parts II and III, even if they diminish in quality somewhat from what I've heard.

The best aspect about The Godfather, in my humble opinion, is its technological prowess for the time. That may come as a shock to some, but it's part of the reason the film still holds up incredibly well today. Editing is smooth and gives the feel of an epic. Shots and scenes are given plenty of time to breath and the flow from scene to the next is marvelous. There's also a lot of memorable and well-orchestrated cinematography and it's clear to see the influence that this film had on many others for decades following its release. Lastly, the sound design is great. It probably ages the most out of the other things discussed thus far mainly just because gun shots in 1970s films still sound like muted cars backfiring, but overall it excels in this respect too. Special note should be given to the Italian-heavy original score that's instantly iconic but also does well to set the mood and tone for the entire movie.  All of this ages well and will continue to age well for decades to come because it structures a film that gives its characters and story room to breath all while adding a bit of character to the film itself.

Never mess with an Italian man on the day of his daughter's wedding...

Hard to believe that's Al Pacino

I also revel in the characters that are in this film. They feel larger than life, but then again also quite down to earth. They're powerful individuals who recognize (or at least think) they live outside the law but also value things like family, favors, loyalty, food, joy, and new life. I'll admit, the first few times I heard Don "The Godfather" Corleone speak, I kind of giggled. His weathered, almost nasally voice didn't seem to fit the character at first. But Marlon Brando owns the role so thoroughly, that we eventually get past that and come to recognize The Godfather as one of the greatest villain-hero characters ever created. He's a bad man in the sense that he does bad things, but he's also good-natured and thoughtful of his position, his relationships, and his family. Watching his son Michael's (a very young Al Pacino) descent from white-toothed, clean cut soldier to learning the ins and outs of the family business is both tragic and thought provoking. It's about as perfect of an analysis of power and the effect it can have on people as there is in storytelling and Pacino delivers in one of the best roles in his career. Everyone else, including an also-very-young James Caan, Richard Castellano, Richard Conte, and Robert Duvall all give some of their career's best work too as the extended family is large, a bit hard to remember at times, but also features time for everyone to have their due. It's a grand cast of memorable characters that each contribute in unique ways to the story.

One of the more memorable
scenes in American cinematic history

And of course there's the story. I would say it's a little overlong and at one point I felt like the romances were a bit unnecessary, but having finished the film I'm not sure where I'd cut anything out. For about a 3 hour film, that's insane because it means that every scene, nearly every line of dialogue, and every character/relationship means something. From beginning to end it's a gradual, and sometimes multi-climaxing road to the final scenes where we see a character's complete transformation. In a sense, it's a bit like Walter White's 5+ season metamorphosis condensed into just a few hours. Along the way there are memorable scenes galore that add depth to each character. There's shocking violence, betrayals, moment of quiet talking, and poignant moments of character evolution. It's intricate, but straightforward at the same time and the film, plus Coppola's direction are memorable. 

I really do struggle to find much wrong with this Italian-family, American crime epic. It's easy to see why the film is so important in the history of Hollywood and I was a bit blown away by just how impressively it holds up about 45 years later. It deserves to be as iconic as it has become and even if I find the other two slightly less impressive, this one will still rank high in the pantheon of films that I've seen.

CONS

• I'd hear the argument that it's too long
• Another argument that I'd listen to is that there are too many characters. They're hard to keep track of at times

PROS

• An absolute technical achievement, even over 4 decades later. The longevity of the film is owed a lot to the quality of filmmaking on display here
• Memorable cinematography
• Solid sound editing/design
• Superb editing
• Brando's Don Carleone is an instantly memorable character and probably one of the better "villain-heroes" to ever grace the screen
• Near equally as memorable cast of characters. Pacino's Micheal shines brightest alongside Brando
• Epic story that is intricate and well conceived. This is storytelling as one of its finest examples
• Several memorable scenes
• Post-viewing it seems like every character, scene, and moment is important in some manner, making the entire film a "must watch"
• A historic piece of film making that deserves the mantle it holds

Retro Rath's Review Score |

10/10 -- Instant Classic