In this scene when Michael Corleone kills Sollozzo and McCluskey the director uses traditional three-point lighting. He carefully controls the shadows on the actor’s faces giving them a very gloomy look. The lighting helped to give the scene a very serious look. The lighting alone let me know that Michael Corleone was up to no good.
The shadows in the film were almost like another character. They were used to effectively tell the story. Michael Corleone and Vito Corleone are meticulous in their planning. They run their family like a grandmaster plays chess. They are always one step ahead of the other families and a play the long game. The clever use of shadows drapes the two in a blanket of secrecy. At any moment they can strike out and destroy their enemies like in the baptism scene where Michael arranges for the murders of all his rivals. The shadows on his face gave him that no good look he had when he murdered Sollozzo and McCluskey.
If the film used high-key lighting it would have detracted from the scene. Michael Corleone is a dark scheming character if his face or the film would have been brightly lit it would have gave the film an action movie feel. In my opinion great gangster films must have a dark look to them. It help the film to stay grounded in some sort of realism.
Actors: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, and Diane Keaton
[2. Summarize the story and plot of your chosen movie.]
Story: The Godfather is a story about a New York City crime family in the 1940s. During this movie we witness the transformation of Michael Corleone from Marine Corps captain to the head of the Corleone Family.
Plot: The movie starts out with an elder Italian man sitting in the office of Don Vito Corleone, the current head of the Family, begging for justice for the brutal beating of his daughter. The Don accepts his offer and in lieu of money the Don tells the man one day he will come for a favor and he expects his request to be honored. This seen is the glimpse into the how violent and powerful the Don and the Family are.
The next seen we are next introduced to Michael Corleone then a Marine Corps captain, war hero, and civilian or nonmember of the crime family who has returned home with his girlfriend Kay to attend his sister’s wedding. The wedding is a huge affair with hundreds of party goers along with the heads of the five crime families of New York City. Johnny Fontane, the Don’s godson and famous singer is in attendance and asks the Don to use him influence to help him land a role in a movie that will launch his career back to the top. The Don sends his adopted son and consigliere, Tom Hagen, to Los Angeles to secure the role for Johnny. After an abusive dinner with the studio head Tom Hagen reports back to the Don. The next morning the studio head wakes up with the head of his most prized horse lying in the bed at his feet.
During the Christmas season the Don is approached by a known heroin dealer Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo requesting investment and protection to set up shop in NYC. The Don refuses and is shot in the street in front of his office while his dimwitted son Fredo cries. The Turk then kidnaps Tom Hagen to talk to, and tries to convince Tom to help him convince the Don’s other son the hot headed Sonny to take the deal. Sonny refuses the deal and prepares the Family for war. Michael, with his jaw broken from a run in with The Turk’s protection NYPD Captain Marc McCluskey, volunteers to kill The Turk and Captain McCluskey as retribution for the attempt on the Don’s life. Michael shoots them both and runs to Italy to hide from the law.
While Michael is in Italy Sonny is murdered. The murder motivated the Don to end the war and bid for the safe return of Michael from Italy. Michael returns a year later marries Kay and starts his transformation from Michael the war hero who the Don never wanted mixed up in the Family to the new Don.
After taking control of the Family Michael reliefs Tom Hagen from his duties as consigliere and appoints is father the retired Don as consigliere. Michael then goes to Las Vegas to attempt to buy Moe Greene out of his shares of the casino business Moe refuses and Michael returns home more determined to take over Moe’s business.
The retired Don Vito Corleone dies from a heart attack. During the funeral Michael realizes one of his capos Tessio has betrayed him and is setting him up to be assassinated. With this new found knowledge Michael arranges for the murders of all his rivals. During the baptism of his sister Connie’s child Michael’s trap is sprung and the Dons of the other NYC Families, Moe Greene, and Tessio are murdered. Michael then extracts a confession from Carlo his brother-in-law for his role in the murder of Sonny and has Carlo murdered. The movie ends with the capos of his new and rival free Family pledging their allegiance.
[3. Discuss whether your film is presented chronologically or non-linearly. In your discussion, address the following:
Was the film presented chronologically or non-linearly? How did this aesthetic choice contribute to the general effect on the audience?]
Chronology: The film was told in chronological order. This film was needed to show the transformation of Michael Corleone. If the story wasn’t told this way the movie would of not have had the same meaning.
[ b. How are elements like character development or foreshadowing impacted by the choice of storytelling methods?]
The chronological story telling also helped to develop Michael’s devious thinking something he needs to become a powerful Don.
[4. If the film had followed a different presentation style, how would the general effect on the audience have been different?]
Michael’s story line was needed to be told in the order it was. If not so the story would have been just another crime story instead of an epic tale of a man unwanted rise of power.
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