The godfather : it's not just mafia
“We are a family, and the loyalty of the family must come before anything and everyone else. For if we honor that commitment, we will never be vanquished-but if we falter in that loyalty we will all be condemned.”
A genuine masterpiece by Mario Puzo and a cult classic by Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather Trilogy have inspired filmmakers of all generations and genre. Categorized into a crime film, The Godfather depicts an epic era of the Sicilian Mafia in America.
“The Sicilian Mafia… the only empire in the history of mankind which started towards a downfall”
But in my opinion the inner depth of the godfather is much more than the Sicilian mafia. It’s about responsible men looking after their family, making sacrifices, compromises, lying to their loved ones to keep them safe. It’s about the desperation that drives a man to crime… when he has no other options to feed his family.
“In a family… children can be careless, women can be careless but men… men can never be careless”
A small Vito Andolini sees his family killed in front of his eyes and somehow escapes to America, the land of opportunity. The young Vito is fired from a grocery store by pressure the local Black-Hand and thinks over how he will take care of his family. He has no choice in front of him. He starts with stealing a rug with Clemenza (soon to be his longtime friend). He gets into illegal trade where again the black-hand tortures him mentally. Finally, the smart Vito comes to terms with the reality of power and kills the black-hand, Don Fanucci. Hiding his activities from his family Vito starts his journey to become Don Vito Corleone, head of the Corleone Crime Family… called the Godfather with respect from all.
“Power is not everything, it’s the only thing”
The Don rises to power making strong enemies. He refuses drugs unlike the other families and left with his eldest son Santino dead and his youngest son Michael whom he never wanted to get involved in the crime family business, as his successor, the next Don Corleone. The Don did everything possible to protect his family’s interests… in the end he died in front of his grandson with Sonny dead… Fredo incapable… and Michael… a marine, the successor to his crime family.
“He smelled the garden, the yellow shield of light smote his eyes, and he whispered, "Life is so beautiful."
...
Yet, he thought, if I can die saying, "Life is so beautiful," then nothing else is important.”
Michael, the youngest of Vito’s sons never thought of getting into his father’s family business. He had other plans for himself and his love Kay. But his love for his father and family were eternal and irrevocable. After the assassination attempt on his father, he is left with no choice but to look after him, avenge this attempt and gets involved in the family business. After Sonny’s death he is the only capable successor to the Don. Again to support his falling family, to ensure the protected future of his family he becomes the new Don. He promises Kay that he will legalize the family business in five years and marries her. In the years to come he tries harder and harder… but the whenever he is at the brink of success, some dispute leads to him getting back into crime.
“Every time I try to pull out, they pull me back in”
Michael devotes all his life in getting the family business legal removing any stone in the shoe he found. He is forced to take his brother Fredo’s life after a major betrayal from him. He gets divorced, his mother dies, but Michael keeps working. He wishes to ensure a secure future for his children for his sister Connie for his godsons.
The last part of the trilogy ends tragically with Michael's daughter Sonia dying of an assassination attempt over him. He is devastated. After trying everything for his family, for his loved ones in the end he’s alone sitting on a chair, recounting his memories of his loved ones, cherishing the good memories, repenting the orders he gave, and realizing the dread of god… He dies.
The godfather outlines the love for family, the desperation to protect and feed one’s family, the difficult choices to make for the benefit of the family… at everyone’s disapproval.
THE GODFATHER truly is an epic… hats off…
“In the growth of thy power,,, he lost thy familia, he lost thy love, he lost thy faith, he lost thy friends.... gained power.......
i tried hard but.... in the end... only a moment snapped me to death.... now m silent....lying down.... bleeding slowly.... like Caesar had it all.... but died in a pool of blood...... ALONE.... i kiss my destiny... by the lips of death”
