#4 The Godfather Part II

In Summary

There are some who say The Godfather Part II is the best Godfather film.

They are wrong.

However, that is not to say The Godfather Part II is not a truly great film.

If The Godfather is about family, The Godfather Part II is about how families come together and can fall apart.

Both a sequel and a prequel, The Godfather Part II is broken into two sections - the rise of Vito Corleone and the descent of Michael Corleone.

The first section of the film echoes the opening of the first. Replace a wedding with a communion, replace New York with Nevada, replace Vito with Michael. The Corleone family appears to be thriving, however, it becomes apparent that despite this appearance of success, Michael's hold on both the business and the family are tenuous.

Throughout the rest of Michael's storyline, he faces the consequences of his attempts to maintain his grip on the family business. He is faced with betrayal at every turn, and is left to choose between losing control or vicious recrimination.

Michael is no longer the quiet, humble man he was at the start of The Godfather, he is a cruel, vindictive and calculating mafia boss. Unable to accept a loss of control, he brutally asserts his authority at the cost of the ties that bind together the family. Despite the change in character, we can still see the man underneath who was never meant to get involved in his family's business.

The inclusion of Vito Corleone's rise serves as a stark contrast to Michael's storyline. A family coming together against a family falling apart. The past against the present. Humble beginnings against modern largesse. It serves to make the disintegration of the Corleone family that bit more tragic.

A Memorable Quote

I know it was you [Fredo]. You broke my heart. YOU BROKE MY HEART.

Things You May Not Know

• The first sequel to win the Best Picture award at the Oscars - the only other is Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
• To prepare for the role as a young Vito Corleone, Robert De Niro lived in Sicily for three months in order to speak with an authentic Sicilian accent.
• Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando were the first actors to win Oscars for playing the same character - the only others are Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix for playing The Joker.

One of the Greatest of All Time?
Even slower-paced than the first film, The Godfather Part II requires ample amounts of patience for its eventual reward. Francis Ford Coppola seems to luxuriate in the world of the film, the powerful characters, Italian-American culture, he was clearly in no hurry to leave it.

Coppola holds his audience to a great level of respect, perhaps overly so. We are meant to read the story on the faces of the actors and not necessarily by their words or actions. Over the course of a nearly three-and-a-half hour film, this can make the plot difficult to follow for those without immense reserves of concentration.

What elevates this film is the young Vito Corleone storyline, specifically Robert De Niro's highly charismatic performance - largely delivered in Italian. It not only enhances Michael Corleone's story, but injects momentum when the film begins to sag.

It may not be quite as captivating as The Godfather, but The Godfather Part II is worth watching for anyone serious about film.