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What Does The Godfather: I Believe In America?

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The Don will see you now by Rowenna Godfrey

"I believe in America."
The infamous quote that begins one of the most widely regarded greatest films ever. Bonasera's plea to Brando's captivating performance as the patriarch of the Corleone family not only shows the difference of justice from Vito and America, but more importantly, family is key. Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 classic translates Mario Puzo's The Godfather, 1969 onto the big screen. It follows the Corleone family between 1945-55, the passage of power in the face of huge changes and the longevity of family. Winner of 3 Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay, Picture and Actor for Brando from the 10 it was nominated for, it isn't hard to see why it's now a formula to follow for filmmaking and narrative. …show more content…

The attempted murder of Vito changes that quickly, uprooting the stable family we see at the wedding of Connie (Talia Shire) and her husband to a new, twisted form, with Michael as head. The American war veteran we meet with his girlfriend Kay (Diane Keaton), becomes involved in the mob life, killing for family rather than for country. Essentially, Michael grows to embody the worst his family represents.
Coppola made characters who in any other film would be the villains sympathetic, as their actions were in the name of family. Coincidentally, the strife faced by the Corleones is shown with Coppola's struggle with Paramount as he wasn't the first choice of director, and the heated discussions with casting such as an infamously hard to work with Brando and a relatively unknown for

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