This paper compares and contrasts the themes and characters of two of the greatest films of the 1970s, Francis Ford Coppola's productions of Mario Puzo's mob movies, The Godfather and The Godfather, Part II. The films tell the story of Vito Corleone and his son, Michael, and their rise to power as godfather of a powerful crime family. They provide a rich chronicle of the underside of the American dream. The first film was highly influential and critically well received. Its sequel is widely regarded as even better than the original in the ways that it builds on and enlarges the original story. Although both include many of the same characters, the second movie is more complex and multi-layered, and its themes are deeper. Together, they form a fascinating commentary on loyalty, honor, and family and the ways these qualities are intertwined with the American experience during the 20th century.
The Godfather focuses on Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) during his last, most powerful years as patriarch of an extraordinarily successful family business. The Corleone family runs an increasingly expansive collection of illegal operations, but Don Corleone has his own ethical standards that prevent him from moving into areas he considers to be sinful; he is especially against anything to do with drugs. The beginning of the end of his power comes when he is forced to surrender to what everyone around him believes is the inevitable wave of the future. By the end of the film, he has retired, turned the business over to his son, Michael, and died, a peaceful old grandfather, playing in his vineyards with his grandson.
Michael (Al Pacino), the youngest of three sons, never expected to inherit his father's mantle. Of all in the family, he seemed most likely to be able to escape and live a respectable life. At the beginning of the movie, he has arrived at the family home to attend his sister's wedding. He is in uniform, having enlis...