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 Godfather II, The
(1974)
Director:
Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, John Cazale
Release Company:
Paramount
MPAA Rating: R
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The Godfather
Framed Art Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
 
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Although my top four favorite Mafia movies all star either Al Pacino or Robert De Niro, only one of them stars both mobster icons—Godfather II. Director Francis Ford Coppola destroys the rule that says all sequels are vastly inferior to the originals by creating a masterpiece that even surpasses his highly regarded Godfather epic. He shows how the Mafia begins in New York City in the early 1900s, and how the organization has evolved in the second half of the century.
There is a moment in Godfather II when Michael (Pacino) asks his mother "What did Papa think...deep in his heart? He was being strong—strong for his family. But by being strong for his family, could he...lose it?"
Even though his mother tells him that you "can never lose your family," Michael knows that the times are changing, as the Corleone Family is breaking apart during his reign. By the film's end, only Michael's children and rebellious sister remain, as business and political entanglements relentlessly and inevitably tear the Family asunder. Pacino's eyes communicate all you need to know at the end, as he sadly recalls the past—alone.
This has been foreshadowed from the opening frames, which take place in 1901 Sicily. Nine-year-old Vito Corleone is the lone survivor of a family wipeout conducted by local Mafia Chieftain Don Francesco Ciccio (Giuseppe Sillato); he escapes to America with some of the most poignant immigrant arrival scenes ever filmed. Take special note of the shot of little shy Vito singing in his Ellis Island quarantine, as Copolla skillfully transitions to Michael's son Anthony taking his first communion in 1958 Lake Tahoe.
Reminiscent of the original Godfather, the huge family gathering introduces us to the major players who all meet with the current Godfather on business. The Corleone Family still knows how to party, but times are changing. Younger brother Fredo (John Cazale) can�t control his drunken wife, and Nevada Senator Pat Geary (G.D. Spradlin) shows Michael no respect, deliberately butchering his name in public and then demanding payments in exchange for a new business license. (Michael remains firmly in charge, however, and the Senator will soon be forced to accept an offer he can't refuse.)
Though he promised his wife that the Family would soon be legitimate, it's been seven years with no end in sight. What's more, Michael discovers that there is a "rat" in the Family and sets off to take care of the Family business while keeping his ever-vigilant eyes and ears open to discover the traitor. Could it be long time family loyalist Pentangeli (Michael Gazzo)? How about Hyman Roth (Lee Strasburg), a Jewish Miami boss who has been dying of the same heart condition for twenty years? And who's the "rat" inside the Family itself? Michael has learned well from his father—"He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer"—and will figure the whole situation out more skillfully than any politician.
There are so many items that make Godfather II a required classic, from the great ensemble cast, the period costuming, and the camera work at the location settings that range from Sicily to New York to Miami to the Dominican Republic (to represent Cuba) to Lake Tahoe. The star behind this production, however, remains Francis Ford Coppola as screenwriter and director. Coppola dominated film in the 1970�s the same way that Dylan dominated music in the mid 1960s. Most great directors would be pleased to have one film that has the stature of The Godfather II, but look at the other films that Coppola directed in that decade: The Godfather, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now!.
Later somebody got the bright idea of arranging all the Godfather clips from the three movies into chronological order. I�ve never seen that 9-hour version, nor do I ever care to see that hack job. Coppola's transitions in Godfather II between the two decades add so much depth to the film that I'd hate to see this cheapened with a generic sequential treatment. The first transition really strikes home, as we realize we're witnessing a passing of the generations in the Mafia from young Vito to young Anthony. Other transitions may not be as smooth, but they are still effective, often switching from a very young Michael to the mature one. Another meaningful switch occurs between the weak and dim-witted older brother Fredo and the sickly baby Fredo, who is bawling from a bout of pneumonia. Coppola's blendings of the timeline work brilliantly here, so don't settle for an inferior, logical take.
Of course, De Niro is brilliant as Vito in his mid-twenties; we see that the family business really does start quite logically in pursuit of the American dream. The film is largely carried by Al Pacino, however, in one of his strongest performances. The role calls for some extreme emoting, but observe how controlled Pacino is before he breaks into a rage. (One of the best examples of this occurs when Kay [Diane Keaton] declares that she's leaving Michael. We see him getting upset, but also see that he is under control and attempting to manipulate Kay like he can people outside the family. She holds the trump card, though, knowing his Sicilian obsession about having a son to inherit the family business, and plays it to the hilt. Pacino doesn't explode immediately; the rage continues to build before he lets loose.)
And that control is what makes Pacino so effective in the Godfather role. It's all in the eyes, so subtle, yet so communicative and strong. We know what Michael is thinking all the time, and Pacino does this through the eyes. Note when he discovers the traitor—and later, the eyes alone tell us that he has given an order for execution while his mother lies in state.
In the end Pacino sits alone. It's no co-incidence that the final shot closes in on his eyes—they really do tell the story.
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