Francis Ford Coppola

Francis Ford Coppola

Host: Freddy

Freddy's Take: Normally we would do three films in one day, but the length of the Godfather films (which I had chosen to do, forsaking some of his other work) and the feeling (for me at least) that the third Godfather wasn't quite up to the standards of the first two, I decided the first two epics would be enough. The Godfather II may very well be my favorite film ever. If not, it is certainly right there at the top. It is basically two films within itself. A prequel and sequel seamlessly intertwined to link the past and present for the Corleone family. The original film delved into the world of the mafia without caving to the stereotypical presentation of Italians or the seemingly hyper violent world of organized crime. We can talk all day about how well these films were acted and written and to carry on with any further praise would be silly because I'm not saying anything that hasn't been said already. I feel like Coppola made these great films without getting overly complicated with the shooting. Not a lot of fast edits or grand, wide open shots, but a series of shots that let the story and the characters breathe. It's almost as if you are standing in the room watching it all take place or you are seeing it happen in front of you. Take the scene where Rocco shoots Paulie and Clemenza has his famous ad lib "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli." We are pulled back from the action as the car pulls up, with the Statue of Liberty rising out of the weeds. It's as if we just happen to be witnessing this murder and not comfortably sitting in our seat. As much great work as Pacino has done, his portrayal of Michael Corleone is his masterwork. John Cazale is another stand out as "Fredo". That character goes through so many ups and downs and ins and outs that he could have had his own picture. Cazale makes Fredo a sympathetic character in a world where there is little room for sympathy. There are still more opportunities in the future to explore Coppola through his work on "The Outsiders", "Apocalypse Now" and others, but for me, we couldn't continue to dig into the great directors without getting to Coppola and the Godfather films as quickly as possible. 

The Godfather

The Godfather Part II

"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."