If “The Godfather” came out today, it would probably do so to scathing reviews and tepid audience reaction. “Too many white guys”, “Too much violence”, “Too much misogyny”, “Too long”, “Too slow”, “Too dark”, “Not diverse enough”, “Too stereotypical”, “Homophobic”, “Too much racist language”, “Women are treated like props”, and “Normalizes domestic violence” would fill the on-line ratings sites. I haven’t seen it on Turner Classic Movies for awhile, but I’m guessing their new feature where someone talks about all of the “triggers” and “problematic elements” of films that have been shown for decades with no complaints would be on for three hours before the three hour movie even starts.
Yesterday’s passing of James Caan–who played the hot-headed son Sonny Corleone in the movie–provided some opportunity (and lots of internet clips) to look back on what many consider to be the greatest American movie ever made. And that consideration also has to include the question “Would a studio even make a film like this today?”
As I pointed out earlier, this is a “man’s movie”. The main characters are all men. They talk to each other in ways men talk to each other in real life. It’s based on a book written by an Italian guy, adapted to a screenplay by an Italian guy, directed by an Italian guy, and starring a bunch of Italian guys–all of whom likely used fathers, uncles and guys just around in their neighborhood for inspiration in their portrayals of the characters.
There are no superheroes, no alien space villains, no computer generated effects, no physics-defying stuntwork, no product placement, and no commercial tie-ins. No effort was made to diversify the cast. There were no “intimacy coordinators” for the sex scenes. Characters from other movies didn’t show up to help the protagonists or establish a plot line for another movie in the “same universe”. There are no “Easter eggs” for fans of other movies to “discover”. There are no after the credits scenes.
“The Godfather” doesn’t make chilling predictions about our dystopian future. It wasn’t a “reboot” of a movie made 20-years earlier to lure in nostalgic crowds. Nobody has tried to remake it with an all-female cast. Subsequent re-releases didn’t replace the guns with walkie-talkies or fade to black before people were killed. Lines were uttered that directly insulted people. And they killed a horse.
It’s three hours long. There is no pop music soundtrack. Al Martino sings an entire old standard. There are no jump cuts, and no 360-degree steady-cam shots.
And yet, it remains a cinematic masterpiece that today’s movies don’t come close to matching. Why?
While the mafioso mystique continues to pique American interests–this really isn’t a gangster film. It’s a film about power, control, betrayal, and revenge–all common themes in nearly all of our performing arts. But it’s also a movie about fathers and sons. And the first couple of times I watched it, I didn’t realize that. But as I get older, I recognize the way Sonny, Fredo, and Michael act and react in the story revolves strictly around their father. It’s the way they show their love for him, and the way they hope to earn the love and respect of their father.
And for those of us from older generations, that is the way it was for us. Back then, dads didn’t try to be your “best friend”. They were your father, the adult who set the rules and enforced them, even if that might upset you or make you mad at them. And they were okay with that–because that’s the way their dad was too. And we kids respected that–even if we did keep trying to push the boundaries.
And then, they went out and made a sequel that was just as good, if not a little bit better. Not bad for a bunch of racist, sexist, old white dudes.
By the way, Fredo had it coming in “The Godfather II”. You never go against the family.
