The
Godfather: On the Edge of an Era
A revisionist critique of Mario Puzo's book and the resulting film directed by Frank Coppola
by Skip Pulley
[citations in brackets]
[citations in brackets]
It's Spring TV movie season again, so undoubtedly there will be weekend movie marathons of critically-acclaimed modern American film classics. Among them, the seminal neo-noir portrait of a family in the midst of continual and existential ebb and flow of American dreams as well as American nightmares.
Mario
Puzo’s best selling novel the Godfather became a stunning success
in the wake of America’s renewed fascination with crime drama
during the late 1960’s. The popularity of that type of fiction was
significant in that era as a means of escaping larger social issues
projected in mainstream media, such as civil unrest and political
turmoil. The book depicted classic characters in a classic literary
style similar to that of pre-WWII literary fiction in that there was
a hero, however ambiguous, a clearly defined villain and a set of
identifiable circumstances that made the outcome of the story
uncertain. The film based on the novel however, directed by Francis
Ford Coppola ushered in a brand new age of cinematic style. In both
comparison and contrast to the book it marked the beginning of a new
kind of filmmaking, presenting classic literary characters and
traditional storylines in a contemporary context.
In reading
the book and watching the film, they have many obvious similarities.
For instance, the time period of the late 1940’s and the overall
dark subject-matter are both depicted in the same style. The cultural
enlightenment and/or culture shock, the reflection of a changing
society and the importance of a system of values are also similarly
represented. There are also differences. Some of the character depth
is more apparent in the film. The character or Michael, played by Al
Pacino in the film comes across as having many complex sides to his
personality. In the book he is more of an evolving creature of
necessity and a survivalist. Near the beginning of the story, there
is an episode that occurs in the bedroom of a wealthy and powerful
Hollywood producer, a character named “Woltz”, in which his
prized one-half million dollar racehorse has been decapitated and the
head placed in the same bed with him. [Puzo 1] The now famous scene
from the movie differs slightly due to the interpretation of the
director. In the book, the horse’s head is directly in front of
Woltz as he wakes up to the sensation of warm animal blood on his
skin. In the film, the suspense is built up by having Woltz uncover
blood-soaked bedding to reveal the horses head lying at the foot of
the bed. [Coppola]
The irony
is, had the book become more successful prior to the decision to make
the film, Coppola probably would not have been hired as the director
due to inexperience and Puzo would not have been eager to sell the
rights to the novel in July, 1968. [Puzo 2]
The book is
written as an epic in dramatic literary style, modeled upon or
imitating the style or thought of ancient Greece and Rome. For
example the 17th and 18th century novelists were obsessed with
classic ideals. An epic is pertaining to a long poetic composition,
usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements
or events is narrated in elevated style. In contrast, the film
immediately departs from the standard formula of presenting classic
characters in a typical grand “Hollywood” manner. Actors such as
Al Pacino, John Cazale, James Caan, Diane Keaton and Robert Duval who
were cast in most of the leading roles were relatively unknown at
that time. With the addition of Hollywood wildcard Marlon Brando, the
film was one of the first of its kind to stray from the proven
formula of casting big name celebrities to insure box-office success. [A decade under the influence] There is also a similarity between the
intended markets of both the book and film. The book is set in New
York City. The types of readers who identify with the setting either
belong to a similar environment or are attracted to the dramatization
which may represent a foreign culture and atmosphere, thereby
engaging some type of fantasy. Likewise, the film was shot on
location almost entirely in and around New York City. The cast is a
reflection of a movie-going public who are less preoccupied with
seeing big Hollywood stars in leading roles than they were with being
fascinated by talented performers who capture the essence of the
book.
At the time
the book was published, the early 1970’s, Americans had been going
through a transformation of what was seen as normal in society for
almost a decade. No period in recent U.S. history stands in greater
contrast to the present, or seems to have held more possibilities for
radical transformation, than the sixties. [Echols] The Indochina wars
and the struggle for civil rights cast a long shadow over world
affairs. Their legacy for the United States was substantial,
interacting in complex ways with internal developments in American
society. A feeling of general disillusionment was echoed by the
entertainment media. The book’s portrayal of graphic violence,
although written in a classic format and context was a departure from
previous crime genre novels that dehumanized the characters and
ignored the social elements of organized crime. Likewise, the film
was brutal in its’ visual imagery of violence and the emotional
impact of death and betrayal. Thanks in part to the new filmmaking
style of young directors, the film was able to capture and translate
both the horror of a violent culture and the importance of values in
an ethnic community, regardless of whether it is stereotypical or
not. [A decade under the influence]
The reasons
behind the publication of the book and production of the film were
financial, but not completely the same. The book publishers wanted to
take advantage of a decline in traditional values held by many ethnic
societies in the wake of the drug culture and corrupt political
idealism. [Echols] The raw factually based theme of the book would
set it apart. Prior novels involving organized crime were based more
on an outside view of the culture, depicting main characters as
either good or bad guys representing nameless groups motivated by
righteousness or evil. [Puzo 2] The film was also financially
motivated, but for different reasons. Films that are based on
published works of literature are generally regarded as a good
investment. In addition, during late 60’s era of filmmaking, the
big blockbuster films were a drain on the studio’s resources and
often times a box-office disappointment. [A Decade under the
influence] A film of this nature however, could be made inexpensively
and already had a degree of familiarity with a certain audience
because of its connection with the book.
The
argument about which of the pop culture giants, the book or the film,
is actually better must be completely subjective. In my opinion,
readers who enjoy stories told in a traditional manner with an
element of ambiguity will prefer the book. Moviegoers who prefer an
edgier more raw form of storytelling will prefer the film. I enjoy
them both equally but not in the same way. I feel that the novels
style is its most interesting quality from a literary point of view
whereas the films substance is most interesting to a movie
enthusiast. What they share is a consistency of theme; the unknown
actors, the ambiguous nature of the main characters, the ethnic
symbolism, the classic yet cutting-edge style and the influence on
novelists, screenwriters, directors, actors and producers. Both the
book and the film had an incredible impact on not only pop culture,
but also the way media would be produced and received from that time
forward.
Skip Pulley
Editor in Chief
Works Cited
Puzo,
Mario The Godfather. New York: GP Putnam & Sons, 1969
The Godfather Papers. New York: GP Putnam & Sons, 1972
Coppola,
Francis Ford, Dir. The Godfather. 1972. Paramount
Pictures.
Echols,
Alice “We Gotta’ Get Out of This Place”: Notes toward a
Remapping of the Sixties.
Cultural Politics and Social Movements
Ed. Marcy Darnovsky, Barbara Epstein and Richard Flacks. Ambler, PA:
Temple University Press, 1995
A
Decade Under the Influence, The 70’s films that changed everything.
Dir. Richard LaGravenese and Ted Demme. DVD. DocuRama, 2003.
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