2. The Godfather

If you have ever had a desperate desire to watch the highest grossing film of 1972 then this is your hit! This box office hit raked in between $128m and $142m. Spending 4 years as the highest grossing film of all time, this record was eventually superseded by Jaws in 1976. Mario Puzo authored the 1969 book, which was bought by Paramount to be converted into film; Puzo had influence on this Gangster film as he wrote the screenplay.

This film stars Marlon Brando as the Godfather, Vito Corleone and Al Pacino as the son Michael Corleone. Other notable actors include Robert Duvall and Diane Keaton. The story is set between 1945 and 1955 in New York city and Sicily. In the Godfather we explore the relationship between aging patriarch Vito Coleone and his son Michael, who is disinclined to take over the family business. In this tale we learn about supposed Italian values, for example the values of family eclipsing those of conventional relationships, in which business and family are viewed separately. In Puzo’s film the theme of business relations is deeply intertwined with family.

The Godfather won 7 Oscars, with Brando rightly winning Best Actor for his performance as the Don. The combination of his gruff Italian American accent and an excellent script easily asserted the power of the gangster. The Godfather also took home Best Picture, which is understandable with its attentive shots. The target audience is people aged 18+ due to its violent themes. Among its critics and its general audience, Puzo’s film received critical acclaim. One of the reasons it was so well regarded was for its cultural significance.

Personally, I found the Godfather alright, I voted it a respectable 62/100 in my film reviewing criteria. I enjoyed gaining a some understanding of the power dynamics within criminal organisations and there are some very insightful quotes about family, business and revenge. However, the story line is very complex, so it is a challenge to follow as there are a lot of characters – this is not a film you can half watch while scrolling through your social media accounts.

In terms of costume and make up, the Godfather sticks royally to convention. Gangsters don themselves in the finest suits and as part of his formal dress, Don Vito wears a red rose, a motif for the blood spilt. We also see Puzo obey the genre conventions by sticking to traditional gangster storyline themes: drugs, money and guns. Puzo’s film is artistically elegant, and often polarises genre conventions. While it stuck to the reputation of Gangster films being set in cities, this was contrast with scenes in middle USA; rather than run down urban locations. This highlights the class of the film. Polarisation is also noted in the use of lighting. Where traditional gangster films like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) stick to convention and use dark lighting, the Godfather deploys elements of this convention. Dark shots in the Don’s office reflect the nature of the family business: this is countered with the general bright lighting of the film.