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The Godfather Film Analysis

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The Godfather is a film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and written by Mario Puzzo and Francis Ford Coppola. Based on the novel The Godfather by Mario Puzzo. It stared many great actors such as Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall. It’s release date was March 24, 1972. The Godfather is an American crime film, and is considered one of the most iconic movies of all time. The filmmaker communicated his ideas with the viewers through use of cinematography, mis-en-scène, editing, acting, narrative structure, and sound in an outstanding way. The Godfather is about the Corleone crime family and the many problems that arise when being one of the most powerful crime families in New York. The Corleone family is lead by Don Vito Corleone. The film starts off at Vito’s daughter’s wedding, and is taking in requests, since no Sicilian can refuse a request on the day of his daughter’s wedding. Problems begin to arise later on in the film after the wedding when Vito refuses to share his political connections with Sollozzo who is part of a different crime family. He refuses to share his political connections because he doesn’t want to get involved …show more content…

The director used many elements of mis-en-scène to portray the story of an Italian-American crime family. The filmmaker was able to communicates his ideas through the use of cinematography, mis-en-scène, acting, narrative structure, and sound very effectively. The use of lighting was key in portraying the power that dominant crime families have, in this case the Corleone family. The director used low key lighting, and background lighting all very effectively to communicate his ideas. The dialogue in the film was excellent. It helped develop many of the characters throughout the film. It helps portray the change that Michael Corleone went through. The acting in the film was excellent and the director was able to execute his ideas

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So right of the bat, it is not a film of the management of organized crime, like such films as The Godfather. Goodfellas rather followed the story of a middle man in an organized crime family. This was a brilliant idea because the audience didn’t witness the stress and management of the mafia but rather the ludicrous lives these characters lived. The audience witnessed this wild, violent, free way of life that was glorified in a sense. The viewer is captivated and is caught in this world and likes

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At the start, Bonasera is seen weeping as he recounts the story of the harm done to his daughter by the men who took advantage of her. He is frustrated and angry, as the American court system he had come to rely upon completely failed him. The men committed horrendous acts against his daughter and yet were able to walk free, which shocked him. It was because of his trust in the court system that Bonasera had not gone to the Godfather in the past for help or assistance – Bonasera wanted to live a ‘normal’ American life free of crime and risk to his family.

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Throughout the course of cinematic history one of the most popular genres of film has been “gangster” or “crime”, in particular a focus on the Mafia. A couple of the most popular films have been The Godfather, The Godfather Part ii, and Goodfellas. Some of the similar characteristics that the audience notices after watching these movies are: violence, power, family, etc. Of course those examples of films come from the perspective of the American directors who made them. Films like La Siciliana Ribelle (The Sicilian Girl) and I Cento Passi (One Hundred Steps) offer a perspective from Italian filmmakers.

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The Godfather is a mob film focuses on the Corleone Family, with its head Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) trying to find a suitable heir

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The mood of the movie at this point shifts from dark and solemn to alive and talkative. The active dialogue and intonation used by the actors made the storyline interesting. For example, the news reporters exemplified the very image of a news reporter back in the day: curious, chatty, and amusing. Their somewhat boisterous nature is countered by unconventional lighting, as the audience hears their conversation but sees mostly shadows or just glimpses of their faces.

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The critically acclaimed film, Goodfellas, is a gangster crime drama that features an incredible amount of talent. Household names such as: Robert De Niro (Jimmy Conway), Joe Pesci (Tommy DeVito), Paul Sorvino (Paul Cicero), and promising stars like Ray Liotta (Henry Hill) and Lorraine Bracco (Karen Hill), attracted numerous Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. That type of cast power, linked with the signature talent of Martin Scorsese as a director, made for cinematic gold. Unquestionably, the actors and actresses did an excellent job augmenting the verisimilitude of this film and compelling audiences to empathize with their characters. But the cinematography in this film plays just as large a role in having audiences feel what the characters

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1972 crime drama The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, rose to fame as a masterpiece of modern editing techniques. With its usage of techniques such as reverse shots, parallel editing, and purposeful point of view, The Godfather creates a unique viewing experience for its audience. One of the most important editing techniques used in the film is fading. Through its inclusion in transitions and key scenes such as the beheaded horse scene, fading helps to set the ominous tone and impact the viewer’s understanding of the film.

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The Godfather (1972) is said to be one of the greatest films ever made. When this movie was released in 1972, it was nominated for Ten Academy Awards and it won three: Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was adapted from the book with the same name written by award winning author of mafia fiction, Mario Puzo. This film takes place in a span of ten years following the life of Don Corleone, the head of the Corleone Crime Family. It was a film that changed the history of cinema, introducing a very talented filmmaker and several acting legends in the telling of a story of a Sicilian Crime Family.

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