Historical Innovation: The Godfather

During the 1960s, America is tense with conflict due to the Vietnam war and the soon- emerging counter-culture of “hippies”. When new, younger directors who were educated at film schools in America step onto the Hollywood scene, they take after the French cinema industries by adding violence, sexuality, generational differences, etc. to their films After the motion picture industry officially abandoned the Hays Code that urged self-censorship of content in 1968, the new American cinema was given more freedom to include these elements. This new era free from censorship, replaced with age-based ratings, liberated Hollywood, and opened up mainstream cinema to exploitation. The conflict between old Hollywood professionals and young, experimental filmmakers was just one of many conflicts occurring during this time. The diversity in films of the 70s exemplified these conflicts: from anti-war films to feminist films, action films, organized crime, counterculture films, and everything in between. Films from the 1970s reflected a questioning individual and the hard truth of the times. Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 hit film ‘The Godfather’ represents 1970’s cinema because it presents a narrative of disillusionment of the American dream through family bonds, brutal violence, the American dream, and capitalist greed.

The film begins at Don Vito Corleone’s home, on the day of his daughter’s wedding. The first words we hear in the film are, “I believe in America” (The Godfather). Spoken by Bonasera, the film immediately begins a criticism of one’s faith in the American dream. More specifically, linking that dream to the American immigrant experience. Bonasera tried to strike a balance between the Old and the New Worlds by allowing his daughter some independence while instilling in her a respect for her family that was rooted in the past: “I gave her freedom, but I taught her never to disgrace her family” (The Godfather). After the American boys assaulted his daughter, Bonasera made an effort to uphold his position as a responsible American, “I went to the police, like a good American” (The Godfather). But when Bonasera was unable to receive justice through US court, his belief that he was accepted as an American citizen was destroyed. When that happened, Bonasera decided to ask Vito for Old World retribution for his daughter. This introductory scene inside Vito’s office encapsulates one of the primary themes of the film.

During this time in the US, disillusionment and uncertainty were rampant throughout the country. From rapid social reform to political demonstrations and protests, the Vietnam War, and reflections on gender roles and civil rights issues, the idea of balancing two worlds within one’s own life may have been one that was fairly relatable during this time. The idyllic story of creating the American Dream seemed lost in this generation, as the mystique and wonder that came from America dwindled due to soaring inflation, political upheaval, and social reform in the 1970s. The two main components of the American dream were family and business. One part of the American dream, traditionally associated with men, was to establish a strong foundation and support the family. The other would eventually become a well-known American rags-to-riches tale. The goal is to establish personal independence, but the extremely conflicting demands of society are in opposition to that goal. There is an immediate juxtaposition during the first 30 minutes of the film as the cameras cuts between Vito’s sparsely illuminated home office with dark walls and closed blinds and the lively wedding celebrations outside in bright daylight with partygoers dressed in colorful dresses. During this sequence, Vito is seen looking out the blinds at the party. The inextricable connection between Vito’s business and his family is undeniable, and there is a delicate balance between these two worlds. In criticizing the American dream, ‘The Godfather’ examines the connections between not only family and business, but also Europe and America (Old World vs. New World). The movie asks if Old World customs from Europe can be brought to the New World in America without compromising the American dream. Because of the disorientation brought on by America’s fast-paced way of life, the New World may disregard the traditions and conventions of the Old World, depriving the immigrant of a moral compass. The film uses parallel editing, using cross-cuts between conflicting scenes to show the tension between these poles. In the baptism scene, the use of parallel editing allows for stark juxtapositions to symbolize the conflicts in Michael’s attempt at fulfilling the American Dream. Michael is becoming a godfather not just to his niece in this scene, but also to his mafia family. The first cut contrasts between hands holding a baby, with the hands of someone holding a gun. This continues when there is a murder in the scene right after Michael renounces Satan in the church. This editing allows the audience to draw parallels between the two worlds that Michael must hang between. He needs both for an idyllic American success story, but he struggles to find the balance between the two and often succumbs to the labyrinth that is trying to restore stability between them. ‘The Godfather’ presents America as a land of modernity, and opportunity, but also raises questions about this way of life. Moving to America for a “new start” might all too easily turn out to be dangerous. Since the immigrant is not fully assimilated into mainstream America, he must rely on organized crime, or live on the periphery, to exist. This presents the disillusionment in the American dream that is, ‘The Godfather’.

‘The Godfather’ additionally exemplifies the film industry and Hollywood in the 1970s in its graphic depiction of violence. Although “the male gaze” was frequently reinforced by New
Hollywood during this time (such as the male-directed scopophilia and the cruel treatment of women seen in Alfred Hitchcock’s films from the 1960-the 70s) ‘The Godfather’ abandons these conventions. Male violence is depicted in its entirety in the film, with no boundaries covering any type of abasement. This is in addition to the film’s obsession with highlighting the moral decline of its male protagonists. If there is a representation of sadistic punishment in the movie, it is through Sonny’s death. Sonny is condemned for being too masculine, and the prolonged death is carried out in full view of the camera, rendering him dehumanized in the process. The women in the movie are not subjected to the same extreme violence. The murder of Michael’s Italian wife Apollonia is the death that is most brutal in both nature and end; nonetheless, despite the harshness of how she dies, the impact of this death is not as obvious due to the scene’s lack of visual violence. Although the car blows up in our direct line of sight, we do not witness the full extent of the harm done to her body. There is deadly violence directed at her, yet there is no
objection to further humiliating her. There is no prolongation of the pain; the violence is immediate. There are clear restrictions on how Coppola chooses to imagine the female character in his movie, even though he may reject the American cinematic tradition of brutal punishment. The mise-en-scene in the scenario in which Connie is a target of domestic violence illustrates the boundaries Connie places around herself and her life. Domestic accessories appear in the spaces she occupies and destroys. Connie destroys the dining room, breaks dishes in the kitchen, and is physically assaulted in the bedroom. The brutality committed against Connie ultimately served as bait to draw Sonny to his demise, adding to the restrictions placed on women in ‘The Godfather’. The film exemplifies the ultra-violent depictions commonly seen during the 1970s while criticizing it. The men in the film use women to uphold their hyper-masculine conceptions of domination but eventually find themselves at their demise because of this. The new freedom that came with the lack of censorship allowed for films such as ‘The Godfather’ to criticize the violence created by the characters while also showing it, further pushing the narrative of the film
to depict a high-tension balancing act between family and business. These ideas together create disillusionment towards the American dream.

‘The Godfather’ represents 1970s cinema through the extreme disillusionment and hopelessness towards the American dream. The story is about a family trying to hold tight
together while participating in violent and corrupt acts that will eventually break them apart all for the goal of accomplishments in the New World and capitalist success. The achievement of the American dream Vito is marred by failure. He has lived to witness his oldest son’s violent death. His hopes for his youngest son becoming a senator or governor were dashed. He had planned to protect Michael from the family business, but precisely to defend his father, Michael has become intimately entangled in the Mafia business and becomes a wanted fugitive for murder in the process. Vito’s ascent to power in America has a heroism to it, but if he is a hero, he is a tragic one.