The Godfather

It’s no surprise that The Godfather and Apocalypse Now are both Coppola films. His style and gift for story telling are what make both films legendary. While I have to admit that The Godfather is more of a favorite for me than Apocalypse now, the reasons I appreciate both films and Coppola’s work in general, are fairly similar. As I started in my previous post, Coppola films are amazing because they are jam-packed with detail and activity yet the story is cohesive and well told.

First of all, I love The Godfather simply because the story is engrossing. True, it is a long film but it never seems to drag on or include scenes that should have been left on the cutting room floor.

As I said before, detail is another aspect of the film that I greatly appreciate. The details which make up Don Vito Corleone's character are particular favorites. I love that he has his cat in his lap while talking “business” and the way he smells his corsage. These are just little details but they really add to his character. I also like the way that after action/shooting sequences, the scene will cut to Vito in his office saying “humph” or something to that effect.

Not only is there a great deal of detail in this film, there is also a great deal of activity. Almost every scene is filled with people, events, and objects. Connie Corleone’s wedding scene, for instance, is absolutely packed with guests and the activities that they are engaged in. It is as though there is no room left in the frame. It is also impressive that parts of this story take place in New York, Sicily and Las Vagas and yet this does not fragment the plot or make it too confusing.

These are the elements that make The Godfather one for the books. Coppola’s gift truly is in telling a story with tons of detail, layers, and activitiy that do not detract, but actually add to the plot.





picture borrowed from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Godfather