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The Godfather (1972): Annotated Bibliography by Paul Ryan

American Mafia : a history of its rise to power / Thomas Reppetto.

In this particular chapter of Reppetto’s novel, he writes about the formation of the Mafia Commission, or La Commissione, started by Charles “Lucky” Laciano in the 1930’s. This national crime syndicate was made up of the bosses of the five major mafia families in New York, well known as The Five Families. The commission was a way to settle disputes and conduct business without resorting to violence. All major business affairs were handled by the commission, such as territories, political contacts, and other chief matters.

This historical committee is evident throughout The Godfather film. Terms such as “The Commission” and “The Five Families” are common in numerous scenes, especially at the onslaught of the mafia war started by the attempted assassination of Don Vito. It is easy to think that The Godfather is a non-fictitious work due to the references of so many historically prominent issues, and it is this blurred line of reality and fiction that draw so many viewers to the screen.

The Godfather is well-known to mix fiction with history, just as Mario Puzo did in his original novel. The character Johnny Fontane is supposedly based on real-life celebrity Frank Sinatra, who was known to have ties with the mob. The Corleone family itself is thought to be modeled after the Genovese family of New York, which was for a long time the most powerful mafia family in America. These social references are so identifiable to the common viewer, especially older audiences who lived through the era, that it is easy to see why so many adore the saga of The Godfather.

Blood and honor : inside the Scarfo mob, the Mafia's most violent family / George Anastasia.

The Godfather is renowned for romanticizing the life of the mafia family. It is common in American culture to hear quotes from the film in daily conversations, and to idealize Don Vito Corleone as a man of character. In Blood and Honor however, the true lifestyle of the common Mafiosi is brought to light.

Blood and Honor is the story of a common Philadelphia mobster, named Nicholas “Nicky Crow” Caramandi, who was brought up in the order of the Scarfo Mafia Family and then later testified against them in federal court. This documentary of sorts follows Caramandi on his way to the top of the mob, and the deceit, violence, and death that led him to turn on his former associates.

It is stories such as these that show the true face of the mob. It is not the romantic ideal that is so prominently portrayed in The Godfather, even though there is excessive murder and crime in the film. By watching the movie, one is almost enthusiastic to join the elite organization, but in reality it is an association of thieves, murderers, and monsters. These groups take part in extortion, racketeering, prostitution, gambling, and so on. It is the vices of men that put the mafia into power. The old-world ideals of “men of honor” have long been forgotten in the modern world of corruption and crime.

It is important to note stories such as Caramandi’s, for many times the public is fooled by the image set forth by The Godfather. Although the mafia holds its roots in tradition and structure, it is still an organization stained by the blood of America’s innocent. As one film, A Bronx Tale, so aptly assessed the power of the Mafiosi, “people don’t love them, they fear them.”

Chicago Sun-Times: `Manhattan'

In this article printed in the Chicago Sun-Times, renowned film critic Roger Ebert offers his two cents on the movie Manhattan. Directed by and starring Woody Allen, this romantic comedy is the tale of two lovers trying to find romance in New York. One would question the relevance of this film to The Godfather, but it is not hard to find. Both films were done by legendary cinematographer Gordon Willis, also known among his colleagues as ‘The Prince of Darkness.’

Willis is famous for his use of light and darkness in the films he has worked on. In both Manhattan and The Godfather Willis sets a very unique tone for every scene. His use of dark imagery and shadowy settings collides perfectly with the mysterious feel of each scene and character. For example, in The Godfather Willis made a distinct point to cast a shadow over Michael’s and Vito’s eyes throughout many of their scenes. One will notice that when Vito Corleone addresses the Mafia Commission after the death of his son, Santino, his eyes are rarely seen. This adds a threatening mood to his presence, and hints at a calculating man behind the mask.

The entire film is engulfed by the presence of darkness or light. Every scene is masterfully tinted as to provide a subconscious emotion to each action. The wedding is bright and colorful, whereas moments later, Don Corleone’s office is gloomy and bleak. Sicily is sunny and beautiful, whereas Bonasera’s funeral parlor is hardly visible through the shadows.

The Godfather is a masterpiece in itself, but without the cinematography of Gordon Willis, a.k.a. The Prince of Darkness, it would be an entirely different movie altogether.

Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather trilogy / edited by Nick Browne.

Nick Browne writes the introduction to this manual for The Godfather films. He explains that nothing like them had been done before in American cinema, and that a whole new genre was introduced through the melodrama of the Corleone family. During the time the film was made, in the early 70’s, the traditional crime/violence film had long been overdone, but what The Godfather did was pioneer a definitive romanticism to the former understanding of the Mafioso lifestyle.

It is evident throughout the film that music, scenery, and continuity all come together most ingeniously as to parallel the many motives that underlie the story. Browne points out the distinct ability of Coppola to direct his actors as to individual means of producing a scene which shows each character’s progression, or digression, in development. This is what truly makes The Godfather so unique. Each character is presented in such a way that the audience is drawn to their personal struggle. Michael’s change from a loving, personable young man to the cold and calculating boss he becomes illustrates to the audience the ways and means by which people can change. One actually feels emotion for the circumstances surrounding his rise to the family Don.

It is important that the audience feel genuine sentiment for the characters for that is what Coppola intended to bring to the screen. That is why The Godfather is one of the most recognized films of all time, for it encapsulates every angle of what is La Cosa Nostra; tradition, family, and cold-blooded crime.

Godfather / Mario Puzo.

Mario Puzo’s The Godfather debuted on bookshelves in 1969, and America has since-then been fascinated with the world of organized crime. His novel, the basis for The Godfather Trilogy, introduced the Corleone family and romanticized the gangster lifestyle.

The book follows two generations of one of the biggest crime families in New York starting from Vito Corleone’s immigration to the United States in 1909 to his son Michael’s taking-over of the “family business” almost 40 years later. The Godfather Parts I and II align quite naturally with the novel, as Puzo co-wrote the screenplay with director Francis Ford Coppola. From reading the book, however, one can grasp a whole new understanding of the drama that ultimately made the movies. There are many powerful messages in the novel for instance that go unmentioned throughout any of the three films.

One such case is the scene that unfolds at the very end of Puzo’s narrative. Michael’s wife, Kay, kneels before the altar in an empty church, “Then with a profound and deeply willed desire to believe… she said the necessary prayers for the soul of Michael Corleone.” How does such a significant scene simply go untold during the movie? Nowhere in the film is the audience aware of any sort of dread by Kay for the soul of her husband. In the film, we are given a feeling of hatred for the path that Michael has chosen.

There are numerous instances of unsaid imagery in the movie that are prevalent in the novel, but it is the job of the writers to show what is believed to be the most pertinent.

Godfather and American culture : how the Corleones became

In this novel, author Christian Messenger analyzes the numerous factors that account for America’s love of The Godfather saga. By both objectively assessing the text of Puzo’s novel, and allowing himself to emotionally dive into it, Messenger offers a unique outlook on the effect of this work on American culture.

By looking at the time with which The Godfather was created, it is easy to see why it became such a phenomenal success. America was in a time of change. It had just gotten over the age of the Vietnam War and its many sociological consequences, just as the very power structure of the family and the country seemed to be changing everyday. Unsurprisingly, the release of the novel and shortly after, the film drew in massive numbers of fans who were ready and willing to believe in this sort of old-world philosophy of morals and business.

Once again, the idea of family is brought into sight. This would be the core of the story that would bring so many admirers back time and time again. The fact that audiences today still find an emotional connection to the film, as Messenger states, demonstrates that The Godfather holds a definitive plot in the recent history of American culture. Modern viewers are touched by the significance of family values in all that drives us. Messenger remarks that at points in the story, one is tempted to actually cheer for the cold-blooded murder of the enemies. The image of the family is so deeply rooted, that audiences take sides with the Corleone’s in their struggle for power.

JSTOR: MELUS: Vol. 5, No. 4, New Writers and New Insights, p. 18

This article argues the literary significance of Mario Puzo’s The Godfather and the ultimate justification for its success as both a commercially marketable product and a work of art. This argument holds much relevance to the paralleled success of The Godfather films.

There have been numerous analyses of The Godfather since its premier in 1972. Such a work had never been seen before, and offered much to assess. It is a story of violent crime, but yet an outlook on the ideals of family and morals. It is a sort of documentary of its times, but then again still a completely fictitious story. How then does one classify this film in terms of art and product?

As Chiampi cites Puzo’s own assessment of his work, he shows that the author created a distinctive critique on America, but that Puzo felt that he had “sold out” when he wrote The Godfather. He says that given the opportunity again, he could have produced a much better work of literary art. What then, does this say about the film? Is the film a work of art, an intimate look into the core of the American dream, or is it a “sell-out,” a built-up product of profit?

Francis Ford Coppola would argue that The Godfather is a true work of cinematic expression. If one looks at the circumstances of the novel and the film, one could say that by collaborating with Mario Puzo on the screenplay, Coppola gave the author his second chance to truly express that which he regretted not fulfilling in the novel. This is why few critics would dare to sell short this renowned film, and why The Godfather still remains one of the best works of cinema in history.

MAFIA AND MAFIOSI THE STRUCTUR

This novel analyzes the social and political structures of the La Cosa Nostra. To understand The Godfather and the true power with which Michael Corleone rules, one must first understand the basic power organization of the mafia itself.

There are a number or terms for the different positions in the traditional Sicilian Mafia, however modern American mafias have adapted a basic set of rank. The head of the family is the Boss, which would be Vito Corleone. As Vito came near death, however, there is a need for an Underboss who will take over the family when the Boss is gone. Michael Corleone would fit closely as the Underboss, but only for a short while until he took over the family. The next position would be that of Consigliere, the legal and trusted advisor to the family and its affairs. Tom Hagen played the role of consigliere to both Sonny and Michael. Next there are the Caporegimes, or Capos. These men have rule over their own crew, which consist of soldiers, but still need to follow the orders of the Boss. Clemenza and Tessio are the famous Caporegimes of The Godfather. Under the direction of the Capos are the soldiers, who are initiated members of the family, but are still required to do most of the dirty work, such as intimidation or even murder. One such soldier in the film is Willie Cicci, who later becomes an integral part of the family in the saga.

These various positions each hold their own set of rules and limitations. When initiated into the family, one is known as a “made” man. This means that any attack on them is an attack on the family and will have consequences. To be “made” means to take a lifelong oath of silence, or omerta, and to abide by the laws of La Cosa Nostra.

Odyssey. Translated from the Greek by Alexander Pope.

Homer’s Odyssey is one of literature’s most known stories. It is the epic tale of the Greek hero Odysseus returning home after the historic fall of Troy. It takes Odysseus ten years for him to return to his native Ithaka and reunite with his father, son and wife. During this time, the gods play with the fates of Odysseus and his followers by helping them or harming them, but through a deep sense of faith and virtue, Odysseus makes it home and back to his family.

A major theme throughout Homer’s epic poem is the idea of faith; faith in one’s family, and most especially faith in the gods. Odysseus was obedient to the will of the gods and believed he would find his family again. The underlying theme and story of The Odyssey connects perfectly to The Godfather in that both put a huge emphasis on the ideals of family and faith.

Throughout the film, Francis Ford Coppola reinforces ideas of family and religion. For example, the film starts out at a traditional Sicilian wedding celebration. Later, Michael decides to be Godfather to Connie’s baby, just as his father Vito was Godfather to Johnny Fontane. Finally, Michael asserts his power for the first time by having his enemies killed while taking part in the baptism of his godson. These are three key parts of the movie that all involve family and faith.

Michael relates to Odysseus in that his family is his only motive for his actions. He took over the business because his father needed him. He killed his enemies because they went against his family, and he commits his crimes in order to carry on his loved ones. As Vito Corleone so plainly put it during the first few scenes of the film, “…a man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.”

Public Interest: The decline of the American Mafia

The American Mafia has most certainly declined in power and size over the past half century. Where years ago they controlled numerous rackets including prostitution, labor unions, and most importantly gambling, the mafia now holds little muscle in any of these areas. This is mainly due to three reasons, as Peter Reuter would describe; federal involvement in organized crime, ethnic change within cities, and failure to control the lucrative trade and trafficking of drugs. The last of these catalysts for downfall is clearly shown in the film The Godfather and throughout the famed trilogy.

In the movie, the boss of the Corleone family, Don Vito Corleone, holds a meeting with an up-and-coming drug lord known as The Turk. He listens to his proposition of controlling the drug trade in New York, but ultimately declines, because, as he states, “…drugs are a dirty business.” This refusal of the Turk’s deal, in the end, causes an entire war between the families, and the near killing of the Don.

It was strictly forbidden by members of La Cosa Nostra, the Sicilian-based fraternal mafia organization, to take part in drugs, but it was a market which they should have taken hold of. Drug trafficking today accounts for almost half of illegal markets in cities and throughout the country. It has become the modern version of bootleg liquor during Prohibition. The failure of Italian Mafiosi to control the drug market has had an enormous impact on the power structure of the mob. They were left helpless as numerous other ethnicities, such as the Black Mafia, Asian gangs, and the Russian mob took control of this highly profitable racket. As the character Tom Hagen stated ever so prudently in the film, “drugs are the future, and if we don’t get into it now…it will hurt us, maybe not now, but ten years from now.”