Analytical Critique Of The Godfather

Analytical Critique of The Godfather

I believe the reason that, "The Godfather", is such a great film is because it lets audiences decide whether they like the characters or not. Too many movies made about organized crime begin with some seemingly random act of violence. "The Godfather", however, lets it be known from the start to judge the characters in the film based on what type of person they are instead of the criminal activities they may engage in.

The film begins with a wedding, and this setting sets the stage for the basic theme of the movie, which is family. "The Godfather", isn't necessarily about organized crime. Crime is merely the family business, and crime is the way in which the author of the novel in which this film is based on used to set up the interactions and conflicts between the members of the Corleone family. In fact, this film could probably work even without the Mafia themes. At heart it is just a movie about the structure of a family from generation to generation.

The themes of the film are timeless, but the historical period in which the film takes place is also very significant. As the movie begins, the family's youngest son has just recently returned from World War II. As the movie progresses, parallels are made between the Corleone family and the rest of the world. The war between the rival families is much like the conflicts between nations during World War II. After Don Corleone is shot in the streets, it's a wake up call to the rest of the family that he will not live forever. Thus begins a period of transition for the Corleone family as attention is shifted towards the future of the family business. What also astounds me with this film is that while it is set in the 1940's, it still looks as if it could believably take place in almost any part of the twentieth century.

Another major theme in the movie is loyalty. While Don Corleone is in the hospital recovering from the shooting, his youngest son Michael feels that it his is obligation to his family to seek revenge against whomever harmed his father. To enact his revenge, Michael decides to kill two men himself that he considers to be threats to his family. His responsibility to his family is so important to him that after the men are killed; he does not tell his girlfriend about the incident because it may compromise the family business.

The title of the film also has significance. Towards the beginning, you get the sense that the title refers to Don Corleone. But when all is said and done, you truly understand that the title was actually referring to Michael's rise to become the head of the family. Michael's transformation in the film is so realistically gradual it is somewhat difficult to pinpoint the moment in which his life dramatically changes. At the beginning, Michael is seen sitting on a bench in a childlike position. Presumably this is to convey the innocence that Michael has about the business that his family conducts. The one relatively minor flaw that I see in this movie is regarding Michael's innocence. I don't understand how someone who is supposed to have just returned from World War II could