Shakespeare’s protagonist, Macbeth, is both very similar and very different from Francis Coppola’s interpretation of Michael Corleone. Both protagonists come to power by killing, they both distance themselves from their wives out, but they deal with their power in different ways.
In The Godfather, Coppola uses a combination of zoom, pan and close-up shots with strategic lighting to portray how Michael Corleone comes to the decision to assassinate those who wronged his family. In the scene, the dark lighting, as in most of the family business scenes, shows how serious the conversation is. When Michael explains “[he’ll] kill them both”, Sonny tries to discourage him, pointing out that Michael was the “good college-boy”, he taunts him telling
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Coppola uses it in the Baptism scene, where we see Michael renewing his baptismal vows as he stands godfather to his nephew while ironically confirming his position as Godfather to the New York crime families, whilst the camera cuts to and from different murders that he has ordered. In the Baptism parts of this scene, the director use close ups of the characters, showing us that most of the people present do not have an idea of what is happening outside of the church. The other sections of this scene are mostly shot with distance shots of those that are acting on Michael’s orders, whilst the close up shots are used to show that the characters do not know of their impending deaths. Shakespeare also uses foreshadowing to enforce his use of dramatic irony. In the scene where Duncan is first introduced, he says “no more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive … go, pronounce his present death/ And with his former title greet Macbeth”, then in the scene where King Duncan approaches Macbeth’s castle, and says “This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air/ Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself/ Unto our gentle senses.” Where Duncan is un-aware of what Macbeth is planning, the audience is aware that he, like the former Thane of Cawdor, is walking down the road of treason. The use of dramatic irony causes the audience to view the characters’ vulnerability, and while we enjoy Michael’s transition to the role as Godfather, we watch Macbeth become more