The Godfather

"Politics and crime, they are the same thing." --Michael

In the absence of television during lent, I watched (ever so slowly) The Godfather trilogy (I was motivated by a professor who discussed it with regard to Machiavelli). So many things to say!:

It seems to me that the trilogy is fundamentally tragic--the one thing that Michael cares about and works for is his family, and that is what he loses in the process. History repeats itself--even Mary notices this when she asks Vince if the same things that were happening in her childhood are happening again. These crime families work for some sort of stability, but the period of attempting to gain that stability is full of violence and upheaval. Also, the relationship between politics, crime and religion is fascinating throughout the movies--the shots cut back and forth between a baptism, a prayer, or a religion-infused opera and violence, making the violence that much more striking. While there's loads of corrupt religion throughout the films, there's also some real religion, which Michael seems to respect.

The Godfather, Part I

The most moving scene is obviously the one in which Michael Corleone's godson is being baptized as Michael is having his enemies shot, which is perhaps most ironic when the priest asks, "Do you renounce Satan?"

Kay and Michael's relationship is fascinating (I'm not sure if I just like that actress from all of her Woody Allen movies). Kay convinces herself to believe Michael's lie that he did not have his brother-in-law (Connie's husband) shot. She shows us the remarkable ability of humans to believe something simply because we want to believe it, not because we think it's true. The women in the film seem to be almost without exception very supportive and very much in a separate sphere of life (imagine a woman being involved in their family crime business!).

Speaking of women, I can't believe Michael would marry some pretty Italian girl and then go back to Kay after she dies! I also can't believe Kay would take him back after he disappeared, although that is exactly the sort of wife that someone in his line of work needs--someone who won't ask questions.


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