You Broke My Heart...

#32—The Godfather Part II

The argument rages on if there is ever a sequel better or even worthy of its predecessor. There are a few examples in this argument that have merit to be in the discussion. James Cameron’s Aliens or Terminator 2: Judgement Day (both genre defying moves that by default don’t make them better), Irvin Kershner’s The Empire Strikes Back (part of a trilogy so automatically defunked), and #32 on the American Film Institute’s Top 100 list…Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II, coincidentally the only sequel on this list.

Posing as a sequel and a prequel, The Godfather Part II tells the beginnings of Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro Taxi Driver) and his struggles and eventual rise into the life of organized crime in New York City during the early 20s. The film also continues the story of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino Scarface), set approximately 10 years after the events of the original film. Michael is faced with many problems in the height of his power ranging from political, business, and even personal.

The film’s story is essentially supposed to be a mirror into the lives of both Vito and his son as they maneuver through the hardships both men face to become respected. By doing this, director Coppola solved two problems at once. Coppola gave audiences the chance to see Vito’s early beginnings without devoting a whole film to it (although, I am sure it would have been just as great) and continuing Michael’s story. Using the same style and film techniques that made the first film so memorable, Coppola just made the story a little more grand and by the end, a little more shocking (no spoilers I promise).

The one person I feel came out on top in this film is Al Pacino. Pacino pushes Michael into a territory not seen in the original film. This Michael is a little more edgy, a little bit more cynical, and a lot more sinister in this film. Audiences get a glimpse of this at the end of The Godfather, however with this film Pacino ‘unleashes the hound’ so to speak and really shows what Michael is capable of. De Niro received an Oscar for this film and rightly so. De Niro uses the template of Vito from Brando and expands Vito’s charm and calm demeanor with a brutality that is second to none.

With all of that said and as much as I love this film, I still do not see this being better than the original film. Sequels, by definition, are inferior to their predecessors, but this one comes close. The Godfather Part II is packed with amazing performances and an engaging story; however Coppola doesn’t break away from the formula that made The Godfather a classic. Maybe a better way to put it is this…you can’t have one without the other. No Godfather, no Godfather Part II.

The debate will never cease, which is fine by me, and as that debate goes on we are still left with one of the best films ever made. Fans of the original have most likely seen this, but for those of you that haven’t give these two movies a watch. The quintessential ‘family’ film will always make you think twice about which ‘family’ member you can trust.

The Verdict: Perfect Spot