The Godfather Part II packs a punch even in its very, very first scene. Al Pacino as Michael Corleone has a deep look of contemplation on his face as his hand is kissed. Solemn background music plays. From these few seconds you know everything you need about him. This also follows along from the ending of the original film, of him being accepted as leader. Also matching is that “business” scene being very tight and dark while the following scene in Sicily is bright and open. “Part 2” continues the trend of a ton of iconic scenes, which usually include some sort of turning point for the characters involved, but admittedly the main reason they’re iconic is because of something shocking, or bombastic performances, music, and scenery. Something like Vito Corleone, played by Robert De Niro, with his towel wouldn’t hit hard with subtler acting and music. Practically any movie as long as three and a half hours is trying to be an event, so we’re being given event cinema with fiery moments.
Robert De Niro gives a much more understated performance than he usually would. It’s interesting hearing him essentially impersonate how Marlon Brando speaks, as if trying to be one with him instead of giving his own take. His scenes focus on the events and less so on how he feels about the events. Vito doesn’t show much emotion, this is especially prevalent when compared to Michael. When looked at in context of the first film, it makes sense Vito would be the type of person to keep his emotions close to his chest and to only suggest them in a few moments of brutality. One favorite scene is Vito seeing the Statue of Liberty, with it treated as a symbol of freedom and opportunity. It’s shown from behind a boat, as if the boat Vito is arriving from is blessed with significance and providing him an opportunity he wouldn’t otherwise get. This admittedly does seem to go against the theme of his family business in America being what destroys them all. Considering Vito’s success, the message could be that something like a life of crime is manageable only in the short term before we see someone like Michael looking like he’s always about to have an aneurysm. Regardless, you can’t say that anyone here prefers America. Vito has a prejudice against Americans, with it being implied Michael would agree. In fact, a major theme of the series is the communal Italian style of staying with family as opposed to the individualistic American one. The American-born Michael typically acts the part.
The segments set in the past are so good that it’s a shame we see comparatively very little of it. Not that it’s necessary to see Vito’s rise in as much detail as Michael’s story, but it’s still so interesting. The scenery is also beautiful. While the film as a whole is certainly about Michael, and the past segments essentially serve to underline him with what he’s being compared to and what legacy he has inherited, the overall saga of The Godfather has gone on to include one more film and various editions that include more scenes. There was even a proposed 4th film that would barely feature Michael. Considering the series is about the family and not just Michael himself, it would be preferable to see more of Vito.
The Vito scenes have very little talking. This is emphasized by Vito’s accent being heavier than anyone else’s. What is mostly seen in these two movies is Vito creating a life for himself, his family, and his future. By extension, Michael destroys, even when it is not advantageous. The Michael scenes are also filled with talking and many plots and characters to follow. While the storyline is fascinating, the most iconic moments feature quiet moments, which tell us more about the characters than the dialogue does. While the crime plots play massively into the themes and characterizing what causes Michael to do what he does, they would be almost meaningless and comparatively dull without the great responses of quietness.
Despite this film ostensibly being about paralleling Vito and Michael, the last scene of child Vito fades into Michael’s son Anthony, as if to suggest he will also have a storied life that reflects his family past. Considering that Anthony’s middle name is Vito and in the first part, he is the only person there to see Vito die, what is implied is that he will follow a similar path as Vito, especially because just like Michael he might be inclined to learn from the failings of his father. Seeing as Michael makes many enemies, like when he has the heads of the Five Families killed last film, there might be less pressure on Anthony. Vito is often mentioned to Michael as essentially something to look up to and be compared to. Anthony in turn might feel like Vito, had a blank slate. Anthony’s future is left in the air to give both hope and dread that the same issues of the past will be repeated, especially due to the parallel between him and Michael having to replace Sonny.
The antidote to Michael’s cold cynicism is depicted near the end with his brother Fredo simply talking about a fond childhood memory. While he is not considered bright, he manages to live better in part because of it, not so focused on worrying about everything. Their sister Connie also gets a better end of the deal due to her being a woman, who is in turn undervalued and not expected to get in the dirty work. This does lead to some humorous implications, like her apparently having gotten over Michael killing her husband. Admittedly, it wouldn’t have done her any favors to bring that up.
It would have been better for Vito to have more scenes of bonding with his friends and family, to showcase him forming connections. This problem would be helped by putting the saga in chronological order, where this would be followed by him doing things like fighting for peace in the families and having scenes with his friends. Other issues include, Michael V. Gazzo as Frank Pentangeli starting off as too hammy, though this makes good contrast from when he’s later silenced in the court scene. Maybe this is true to life, but a senator insults Italians and Michael’s family to his face, which feels really on the nose? “Hi, now that we’re at our meeting let me say I’m racist and hate you.”
SPOILERS
It is a bit too absurd when Fredo gets upset at Michael, insisting he’s smart, when the issue they’re having is over him almost getting Michael murdered. Why not include this scene in response to something a lot more minor, like a business mistake where in response Michael yells at him? After the almost-whacking, Fredo could then be like he is at the end, speechless. Still, this scene is framed very well, with Fredo’s fate suggested by him being captured from under an aquarium. It also features a great performance from John Cazale, begging to rectify the fact he is the most underutilized male member of the Corleones at that point. We also see Michael’s uncaring and cold attitude towards him.
Tom becomes more of a family member to Michael when it’s needed, as opposed to their bond naturally growing. One favorite scene shows Michael being a little vulnerable to him and accepting him as his ideal replacement. Essentially the opposite happens with Fredo, who originally had a lot of control due to natalism, but lost any kind of familial bond with Michael due to his cockup. This series as a whole, while being all about complicated relationships with family, doesn’t treat it as sacred. While Vito takes immense joy in his family, barely able to leave his mother in the beginning, and holding Michael at the end, his view of family is simplistic. Vito last installment didn’t like Carlo Rizzi not being full Sicilian or take Tom seriously, to contrast now Michael is trusting in someone not in his “in” group. Seeing as much of the most tragic events in the series are the result of Michael being made the Don when no one really wanted it, the story may be claiming that it’d be better if these sorts of affairs didn’t need to be passed down through generations and instead whoever the best person is. This would fit with Vito having told Michael to “think as people around you think” and that that makes anything possible, as if understanding something puts you ahead of those that don’t but are more closely related, even ahead of someone like Fredo who doesn’t think. However, even close friends of the Corleone family turn on them, so maybe you just shouldn’t become a violent gangster?
Kay, being American, is essentially considered the wrong choice for the purposes of the Mafia life. If Michael could have been with someone who wouldn’t question him, like his previous wife, he may have had more opportunities due to staying “closer to the heritage of his family”. Kay’s infamous abortion epitomizes how she is “taking away” from Michael. Outside of the mentality of the Corleones, her behavior is frankly justifiable due to the violent man that baby may have ultimately become. If you look at Kay as representing a newer way of thinking, one influenced from a minority or Feminist perspective, then someone like Michael is bound to become outdated no matter who he trusts or what happens. The way to survive is to modernize, which typically includes consulting more points of view, like being tolerant of something like an abortion or more generally accepting those outside his own bubble. In fact, by the end of the film Michael’s thought process has become so narrow due to others being killed or turning from him due to his own behavior that he is basically alone.
Michael not being the intended Don and his war background could explain why he is so quick to violence. He sees that the violent behavior of others gets what they want and in theory keeps his family safe, with family being held as so important, but he doesn’t have the understanding of how this will affect his relationships. The war background of needing to destroy your enemy could be informing his mindset. Michael saying “You’re still my brother” to Fredo in the moment suggests he is at least kind enough to forgive him for what he did, like family holds them together. When Michael ultimately has him killed, that line becomes chilling, as if he was trying to manipulate Fredo into a false sense of security. Arguably, Michael disowning Fredo and then forgiving him was all a ploy to get him to the point where he could be killed. He even forgives him after Connie, who earlier was arguing with him, finally bends down to him, like she’s finally at a state where he can control her, so he does this to strengthen his grip on her and his own internal sense of ability. If the war taught him he needs to survive, all of this could be viewed as a more covert way to survive, by being able to defeat anyone.
Michael killing Fredo matches the unhinged vengeance Vito had. That scene places significant importance on family to show just how far Michael is willing to fall to apparently feel revenge or at least consistent with his own worldview. The only difference is that Michael’s killing is seen as worse due to the victim being a well meaning family member. Logically, there is no reason to see it as any lesser than the other killings. He is still murdering parents, siblings, offsprings, and thus the first time he ever did so should be looked at as horrific, but cinematic language encourages you to root for a protagonist, especially one who in the first film wanted to avenge his father. That same mindset led him to what he did to Fredo. That same mindset leads him to almost try to force Kay to stay with him, and otherwise still being extremely manipulative, with apparently her abortion in part being done to make him hate her. As an aside, give an Oscar to Pacino for his eyes in that scene alone, they’re terrifying! That mindset isn’t new to Michael, with Vito doing the same thing, getting revenge with murder around the end of his story.
The ending scene partially explains some of Michael’s behavior. Everyone judges him and berates him, supposedly those “smart enough” to lead. Once he has the control, he acts as a facsimile of this, wanting respect and to not be harmed, with his only way of gaining it by lashing out and turning to threats of violence. Him sitting by himself shows him as a tragic figure essentially being pushed into a fate of sadness. He already has to be alone, even if just for a moment, but through both a combination of his behaviors that scare people, Sonny’s choice to berate him, and Vito’s choice to turn to crime fueled by a desire to help him have all lead to numerous deaths in the family and Michael faced with being alone for real, with everyone away physically or emotionally.
In theory Michael should feel at home with his siblings, due to them being his age, but no matter what he fails to connect, partially because of his upbringing and poor support network. Thus, his “American” way of acting could in part be seen as Michael being pushed to find something that works for him, and that if he didn’t feel so isolated in youth he wouldn’t have wanted to be distant later on. This is all shown due to his sadness being depicted in the chronological first scene of adult Michael and last in this film, both back to back. In fact, the reason everyone seemingly becomes desensitized to violence is because they’ve grown around it. Fredo’s murder is just revenge, not because he hates him. It could possibly be justified to Michael as “business”, which is something American culture is obsessed with. He once more broke Michael’s rule; “don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family.” Seeing as Michael is now the patriarch, he can define what the family is, and specifically Fredo out of it, as the American dream involves making your own rules, your own path.
Fredo gives the audience a reason to rewatch these movies, as this scene reveals that he, the most progressive and supportive member of Michael’s family will merely be pushed away. If this scene was shown before the first film, you might think Fredo will move everyone to accept Michael, instead of Michael pushing them away. However, this film is about the end of a gangster, implicitly saying that those that would partake in this lifestyle are dooming themselves to loneliness. Even if Michael wanted to impose his values on his children when no one else is impressionable enough to be interested, Kay shows that times will change and a Michael-type can’t keep people under your thumb like maybe he once could.
OVERVIEW
The shot of Jesus covered in dollar bills is really all you need to know. It is perhaps the most important in the film. While the Corleone family consistently practices religion, that doesn’t save them from their own selfishness. It is monopolized on as a way to gain trust and suggest they are humbled to God. Instead of following the Bible, they follow themselves, allowing the world of business to corrode all. Any decision that at least causes stress or at most murder is the result of a battle for power, aka money. Those men in turn are close minded and depressed, with no respect for even religion. The scene of someone saying his “Hail Marys” emphasizes how little a belief in God means if it gets in the way of corporatization. Despite this, the movie does not offer many answers as to what it is trying to say. As an example, while the ending scene is about duty to family vs duty to country, it doesn’t say which you should pick. Even if you look at it as “you should do the opposite of Michael”, he engages in behavior that could be described as fitting either.
The Godfather Part II is one of the tales to end all tales. It continues to be “everything”, as the first film was, but it grows upon its themes and takes them to a natural conclusion. It is an experience and something to be marveled at. Some think a third film was unnecessary and that the story was completely told already. However, someone like Michael very well can change in interesting ways and get into interesting situations. What is he left as after many years of dealing with the events of this story? While Part 2 doesn’t demand a sequel the way “1” does, we are in a cycle, so let’s see it through.
The Filme Diary 