The Godfather: A crash course

This will a be a conclusive and hopefully (hopefully hopefully) an interesting crash course on the phenomenon known as The Godfather, both the book and its movie adaptations.

The whole book (and therefore the movie ofc) (duh) follows the leader of a fictional criminal organisation based in New York City around the 50s. The leader is a man named Vito Corleone, an immigrant from the Italian city of Corleone in Sicily. Basically it covers the transition of Vito's son, Michael, from an unwilling outsider of the Family to a ruthless Mafia boss, taking his father's place at the helm as the Don.


Why is this movie such a big deal? You see eh, this movie was like, the bomb for many reasons. Of which included the fact that it was made from a member of the gang's point of view looking outside to a corrupted capitalist society, instead of looking on from the outside in hatred. This served up a pretty fresh take on an ubiquitous mafia scene in the States.

Mafia members felt it a sort of nod to the whole scene in America, and outsiders got a different take on their mobsters. Add this to the excellent cinematography, and an amazing cast (whose actors were relatively unknown at the time) and the fact that the book was really good, it is regarded as one of (if not) the greatest films of American cinema.


Personally, I find the general themes of the book slash movie a whole new opener to my eyes (sorry that sucked HAHA opener to eyes wtf) in that such topics such as friendship, trust, respect and all that was perceived in such a refreshing and unique way in the book. These were immigrants who worked their asses off to make a living for their family because they believed the government was rubbish (which it was) often going against the law. The stuff they have to deal with I'm sure they take deal with it seriously. Again I have to stress that it is a fictional story based on factual events (mafia scenes and whatever).


If you haven't read the book, or watched the movie, both are deemed awesome by a billion people, so get your ass to the library already. The following is an introduction to the main men of the Family and the general characters that make the movie amazing.

"Fish for your friendship, how's that Paddy?"

Don Vito Corleone, The Godfather: Played by Marlon Brando, he represents the head of one of the Five Families of the Mafia in NYC, the Corleone Family, which is Italian for "Lionheart". He was a very traditional man who lived a moral code of loyalty and respect to friends and ultimately, his family. Vito is famous for being a careful and very very reasonable boss, yet unhesitant in using violence when the situation calls for it. Think of it as an iron fist in a velvet glove. A lot and I mean a LOT of what he says has been quoted and quoted and quoted again, denoting the huge influence it has on the media and the general awesomeness of the things that come out of his mouth. One of the greatest movie characters of all time indeed.

Tom Hagen, Consigliere: Tom is the Corleones' informally adopted son, and therefore a half brother sorta to Vito's sons, Michael, Fredo and Santino, but we'll get to that later. After being brought to the family by Sonny from the streets, the homeless Tom was taken in and taken care of by the family. A mild mannered and soft spoken (qualified) lawyer, he serves as the Counselor, the voice of reason in the Family. Fun Fact? Only non- Sicilian member of the Family as he is of German-Irish descent. (Spoiler alert) He personally blames himself for Sonny's death, realising his incompetence as a Consigliere in times of war. All round good guy though.

Santino Corleone, Underboss: Affectionately known as Sonny, he represents the eldest of the Don's sons, after Fredo and Michael. An underboss with an explosive temper, he is the heir to the the throne of his father, destined to take over the Family after the Don retires. Being the most involved of the sons in the criminal operations, he 'made his bones' at a very young age, after finding out who his father really was and admitting that he 'wanted to be just like him'. The opposite number to his ruthless temper and impulsiveness is found in the boy he brought home when he is 11 in Tom Hagen, denoting a softer side to the brash exterior. He also doesn't choose to harm women and children and anyone who is defenseless. (Spoiler alert) Sonny's life is upturned when he speaks out of line in a meeting with a businessman named Sollozzo, who realises Sonny's interest in his business, one which was declined by his father. As a result, Sollozzo attempts to assassinate the Don to make a deal with his successor, Sonny. As his father recovered after barely escaping death, he takes over the reins temporarily but in the end, is assassinated due to his impulsive ways and an excessively hot temper.

Michael Corleone, Godfather: Played by the amazing Al Pacino, young Michael was initially uninvolved with the Family. On the contrary, he chose to not associate himself with the Corleones, instead believing in being a good American citizen, even enlisting in the Army during WWII, much to the distaste of his brothers and his father. The movie follows Michael as he is forced to transition into becoming the ruthless mafia boss he is after his father retires and Sonny is assassinated, causing a rift with the middle brother, Fredo. Michael is the only Family member with formal college education and his father wanted him uninvolved in the criminal activities, instead to enter the world of politics and make a difference there.

Fredo Corleone,  Underboss: Freddie Corleone is portrayed as the weakest and least intelligent of the three (four if you include Tom) brothers, despite being of older age than Michael. Due to this, he is given the task of running the Family's less important businesses, but he was still loved for he was the most obedient and dutiful of the three. His womanizing as the movie and book progresses becomes a huge weakness, putting him out of favor with his father and increased his feelings of personal inferiority among his brothers. As the assassination attempt on his father was carried out, Freddie could only fumble with the pistol and watch on as the Don was shot down. Michael once explained to Hagen his brother, saying "Fredo has a good heart, but he's weak, and he's stupid."



The following is a few highlights of the three part-movie and a bit about the book as well. These are only spoilers if you remember them, which you won't cos the movie is so friggin' long :) I'm also afraid these events may not be in chronological order, so I am terribly terribly sorry T.T

Behind the scenes: The Corleone brothers Sonny(extreme left) Michael(second from right in the military suit) Fredo (extreme left with a normal suit) Marlon Brando as Vito(also with a normal suit) and director Francis Coppola(with no suit)

One of many legendary quotes. Family was held in very very high regard.

Don Vito Corleone falters against his car after being shot by two assassins as he goes to buy a bag of oranges. Only Fredo was at the scene but he fumbled with his pistol in shock, failing to return fire. Both survive though. Below: Fredo weeps beside his father's unconscious body, riddled with bullets and blood.

Vito Corleone feared murdered, the headline read.

What's next?: The three brothers gather in a room to contemplate their next step as their father recovers in hospital. Fredo is asleep recovering from the shock. Sonny as the temporary Don, Hagen advising him against killing everyone, and Michael quietly observing the two.

Michael explaining to his eldest bro that the shooting wasn't revenge for dirty cop McCluskey breaking his jaw at the hospital, where he had foiled a second assassination attempt at the Don's purposely police- free hospital.

Don't worry Pop: The Godfather is reassured by his favourite son that everything will be ok :)

Michael shooting down Captain McCluskey of NYPD, a corrupt police captain, along with Virgil Sollozzo(not in pic) the man behind the assassination attempt on his father. Also note the bengkak of Michael's jaw, broken by the captain after a second assassination was foiled at the hospital by Mikey.

"I was air guitar champion"

The Don explains his favour to one of his friends, an undertaker.

Shot at the causeway: Vito looks on as he gets an undertaker to clean up the mess made by Sonny's assassins.

End of Part1: The first of the three movies ends with Michael officially being recognised as the Godfather after the death of his father,  and Family members shake kiss his hand and address him as "Don Corleone" in a gesture of respect.