Monday, August 19, 2013

Off Topic: The Godfather

Year: 1972

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Category: I first saw this movie about sixteen years ago. All I knew was that Marlon Brando was in it and that it was about organized crime. And I’m glad I didn’t know much about it, because the plot drew me in and continues to intrigue me. Dear reader, this post contains some spoilers, so beware!

My thoughts: The Godfather opens with the wedding of Connie Corleone, the only daughter of mob boss Don Vito Corleone (played, of course, by Marlon Brando). Sometime later, Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo arrives on the scene with a bunch of drugs, and needs protection and funding from mobsters. The Don says no, but Sonny, his impulsive eldest son, expresses interest in the drug game (before he’s shut down by his dad), which exposes a crack in the Corleone armor. The Don tells Sonny, “Never tell anyone outside the Family what you are thinking again.” This is, to me, where the plot turns—that meeting with Don Corleone, Sonny, and Sollozzo. It leads to a series of events that result in Michael Corleone, the youngest son, (who I mentioned when writing about The Custom of the Country) going from neutral party to ruthless don. And I mean RUTHLESS. I think The Godfather Part II documents more of how hardened and deadly cunning Michael had become. But here, in the original, you can see that he’ll be more coldly efficient than his father. I think Michael, even though he at first wanted no part of the family business, grew up in an environment where violence and revenge were de rigueur. So when he decides to get involved in it, it’s perfectly normal to him. It’s business (not personal).

I like this movie because it’s a very fascinating story. The characters are not saints, but they are very compelling to watch. In The Godfather, where things begin and where they end are very drastic. I think there’s something Shakespearean about The Godfather (it reminds me of both King Lear and some of the histories involving Henry IV and Henry V). But, unfortunately, it seems that filming The Godfather was not a fun process for the director and the actors. I once listened to the DVD commentary by Francis Ford Coppola. He stated that he was chosen to direct The Godfather because he was young and the studio thought they could push him around. I always think it’s interesting to hear about behind-the-scenes stories from great films—indeed, there’s a fascinating documentary called Hearts of Darkness about the making of another Coppola film, Apocalypse Now (which I’ve only seen in its entirety once—it’s pretty crazy).

Every time I watch The Godfather, I think about it for days afterward. I think about the twists and turns and the great lines. I like how, later in the film, Vito Corleone appears to be a little…senile, if you will. He rambles quite a bit when talking to Michael. But it’s at this point that Don Corleone tells Michael that the person who approaches him (Michael) with an offer of peace will be the traitor. And so it comes to pass.

Great lines:
Tom Hagen: When I meet with Tattaglia’s men, should I insist all their drug middlemen have clean records?
Don Corleone: Mention it, don’t insist. But Barzini will know that without being told.
Tom Hagen: You mean Tattaglia...
Don Corleone: Tattaglia is a pimp. He never could have outfought Santino. But I didn't know until this day that it was Barzini all along.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

The Age of Innocence…Revisited

Airplane reading...buckle up for safety!
My thoughts: I first got the desire to reread The Age of Innocence a few months ago, when I was writing a short story in which I mentioned the novel. I think everyone needs a little Edith Wharton in their lives from time to time. Here are some things I noticed upon reading this little masterpiece again:

Granny Mingott’s mulatto maid—She’s only mentioned a handful of times, but I am once again intrigued by the mulatto maid of Catherine Mingott, the venerable and very wealthy grandmother of Ellen Olenska and May Welland. How did she end up working for Granny Mingott? What is her background? And what does she think of these sometimes eccentric characters? It’s interesting to see a minority character in this very WASPy world.

Tribe talk—Upon rereading The Age of Innocence, I noticed how often Edith Wharton referred to the rich families of old New York as “tribes.” The word pops up all throughout the novel. The world she writes about is fiercely insular, like any good tribe. But there are people who seem to force their way in, much like high school girls sometimes find ways to infiltrate the popular cliques…

Julius Beaufort—Julius Beaufort is one of those characters who tries to find a way to force his way into society—into the tribe. He is a bit like Simon Rosedale from The House of Mirth. Both sort of exist on the fringe of New York society—not quite part of the tribe. I never wrote about Beaufort in my previous entry about The Age of Innocence. But rereading the book, I noticed that Edith Wharton continuously mentions Beaufort, his wife, and his somewhat shady business deals. His story is almost a secondary one in The Age of Innocence. It reminded me of how Shakespeare, in several of his plays, had a secondary storyline.

I’ve been listening to the Taylor Swift/Ed Sheeran song “Everything Has Changed” a lot lately. The song actually reminds me of the romantic moments between Newland and Ellen. I wonder if Swifty is an Edith Wharton fan…New York magazine once had an article about how The Age of Innocence was the quintessential New York novel. I very much agree. The novel depicts the moment when things begin to change, and “old New York” is shaken to its core. And speaking of New York, one of my favorite moments is when Newland and Ellen are having a private conversation in the brand new Metropolitan Museum of Art. Newland says, “Ah, well—Some day, I suppose, it will be a great Museum.” I think he’s right…

Great passage: Archer felt that at any cost he must keep her beside him, must make her give him the rest of her evening. Ignoring her question, he continued to lean against the chimney-piece, his eyes fixed on the hand in which she held her gloves and fan, as if watching to see if he had the power to make her drop them.

“May guessed the truth,” he said. “There is another woman—but not the one she thinks.”

Ellen Olenska made no answer, and did not move. After a moment he sat down beside her, and, taking her hand, softly unclasped it, so that the gloves and fan fell on the sofa between them.

Up next: Coming of Age in Mississippi