The Godfather: How Michael Corleone Evolves
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
- The Godfather: How Michael Corleone Changes. Michael Corleone is the protagonist in 'The Godfather' and this video essay is a character study of how his character evolves throughout the movie.
After each murder, there is a transformation of Al Pacino's character Michael Corleone over the course of the three Godfather movies, but the key change takes place in Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Godfather' (1972).
This essay explores the five stages of change in Michael Corleone, from his history as a marine, his relationship to his girlfriend Kay, his evolving relationship with his father Vito (played by Marlon Brando), and his brothers.
Michael Corleone expresses his loyalty to his family through sacrifice and finds true meaning in his life. This is how Michael evolves and becomes Don Corleone.
FAIR USE NOTICE:
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made "fair use" for the purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.
Timestamps:
0:00 What Makes a Man Change?
1:56 How Michael Begins
3:40 Business Not Personal
4:39 Prodigal Son Returns
5:55 Becoming a Soldier
7:42 Sicily
9:16 Head of the Family
12:07 Don Corleone
Music used:
‘C Major Prelude’ by Bach
‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ by Mozart
‘Pachabelly’ by Huma-huma
‘Ischia’ by Mini Vandals
‘Beethoven's 7th Symphony’ (Public Domain)
‘Digital Solitude’ by Silent Partner
#thegodfather #alpacino #michaelcorleone - Розваги
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I liked how they did it subtly but by the end michael became the very opposite of michael at the beginning so you can contrast it.
Can you tell the background music indon Corleone part 🙏
Godfather theme composed by Nino Rota
I watched The Godfather with commentary from FFC. He said calling the Godfather Don Corleone was incorrect. It should be Don Michael or Don Vito. I never knew that. It was interesting. He tells you where the horses head came from. Great job on the video! The breakdown was interesting
To think he joined the marines to get away from the family business, but it equipped him with the skills to do exactly that.
Those bars on his shoulder... Michael was a captain??
I heard that in Greek mythology, when people or even gods try to avoid prophecy, their actions only push them further towards the very outcome they've been trying to prevent.
@@dinojiang9742 it's not their actions, it's me. I push them
Reminds me of Shannon Sharpe. "Sometimes people meet their destiny on the very road they took to avoid it."
@@ifymaj I am that road
"Did he choose this life or did life simply make him an offer he couldn't refuse?"
Not gonna lie, that was gold
mismo
yeh that line was epic
That was pure gold bro
life will give you an offer that you cannot refuse
He 100% chose it. He didn't have to volunteer to be the guy that did the hit at the diner, and everyone else was trying to steer him out of it but he insisted. Even after that when he became Don, he had plenty of chances to go legit and get out of the game, but decided he wanted to be one of the richest guys on the planet by messing around with the Vatican until it got one of his kids killed. He wasn't forced or pushed into anything, he did what he did because he wanted to.
Al Pacino's eyes seems to completely change from a wide eyed doe to a dead eyed killer. The most convincing character transformation ever portrayed in a film, and it happens so gradually it's entirely convincing.
Definitely one of the best acting performances I have seen, Pacino has always had intense eyes but his gradual transformation is a work of art. One of the greatest actors ever, De Niro is great but hasn’t made a decent film in ages (The Irishman was an overrated boring load of BS, only Pacino, Steven Graham and Domenick Lombardozzi and a few others held up that embarrassing film), Pacino has done Shakespeare and theatre and all kinds of varied performances but The Godfather movies are what he will be remembered for the most. Robert DeNiro was on a par with him up until the end of the 90’s but Pacino has since been on a different level. This de-aging of actors is embarrassing too, DeNiro looked a joke de-aged and his beating of the shopkeeper was worse than the beating Sonny gave Connie’s husband in GF1, just a joke! But I only mention all this to emphasise how Pacino maintains his standards. But DeNiro in Heat and Casino just before things started to slip was great, but Heat was Pacino’s movie, he owned every scene in a movie with a stellar cast. What an actor, will we ever see another like him? In today’s climate I seriously doubt it, but I just had to lay down some praise for the man. Cheers 👍
@@Sebadee80ok
@@Sebadee80 Another great film with Al Pacino as lead is The scent of a woman . Amazing artist .
He is #1A
@@suecole5543 100%, that was a great film, but also Carlito’s Way around the same time was another great performance I forgot, he has done so many. But Scent of a Woman was an excellent performance and he deserved his Oscar for that. Even The Devils Advocate, what a cv to have. Take care👍
I always liked when Michael tells Carlo "you think I'd make my sister a widow?", and then immediately has him killed. Even though Sonny and Michael weren't best buds, Michael still avenged him and used his own ruthlessness
Sonny cared a lot for Michael and it is very right to avenge ,personal and also business .
Weren’t best buds ? They were brothers
@@replicacity92 Brotherly love is like that. If you're blood, you don't have to like one another to care deeply for one another nor be on the best of terms.
Regardless, the brotherly bond supercedes blood relation. Hence why Tom could go from agreeing to disagreeing with his family even if he was adopted. The bond was there and they were still family because of that.
Thanks btw for pointing out the brotherly bond, but I thought I'd spell it out for others
@@replicacity92 Sonny and Michael had a pretty complicated relationship which is shown in Part 2, and Part 1 hints at it. They clearly love each other, but it's definitely a complex relationship
Lol. Michael was doing what was needed for the family. How could you not understand that?
Life made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Ya
Yep
Woww
Damn.
Nicely put! It all makes sense now as well. Thanks.
A key scene at the hospital. When Enzo the baker tries to light his cigarette, he can't because his hands are shaking. Michael does it for him and he notices his hand is completely steady.
That's also in the book .
Shows he was made for being a don, cold blooded
A subtle yet very powerful scene. Even Michael himself realizes his steady hand proves him to be fearlessly cold blooded.
He fought in the war, it made him battle hardened mentally and physically. He had the mindset and emotional control necessary to take on the mantle of a mafia don.
Brandon Medina the first time you see him he is in uniform. The war hardens men.
the crazy thing about his transformation not only how he carried himself, but also he physically looked different but it was subtlely done. the best change in a single character i've ever seen in just 2 movies.
What's the other movie please?
@@lucase.a.4005 He’s talking about Godfather part 1 and 2 lol
You can see it in his face.
@@antonboludo8886 and his shoulders. You can see the whole thing weigh down on him in a way war never could've. He does what he does regretfully, wishing there was another way for every step.
Never was the change so severe, so obvious as the dead eye expression he has when he closes the door on his wife in front of the kids and Connie.
I always viewed Sonny, Tom, Fredo and Michael as four different combinations of two things necessary to inherit their father and become a crime boss - intelligence (or you could say patience) and ambition. You need both to be worthy of the role.
Sonny - ambitious, but unintelligent. He wants to be the boss all the time, but he does things on impulse. When you have a character that is so much exposed and yet not smart enough to play his cards well, you can expect him to die first and soon.
Tom - intelligent, but not ambitious. Tom is a smart guy, but chooses to operate from the shadows. He's content to be an advisor. Perhaps it's because he was adopted, so he appreciates just being a part of the family without having to lead it. He's the polar opposite of Sonny. He's very intelligent, but never exposes himself or makes himself a target. When you have that kind of a character, you can expect him to live long and die peacefully, which is precisely what happened eventually.
Fredo - neither ambitious nor intelligent. Fredo stays away from the spot because he's not interested in being a leader, just like Tom Hagan. He's a softie who wants to be left in peace. What makes him different to Tom, however, is his lack of intellect. He doesn't read people well enough and easily gets manipulated. It's natural to expect such a character to stray from the family the most and end up a traitor. That's why he's killed by Michael.
Michael - ambitious and intelligent. Michael has both the ambition to be a leader and the intellect to make it happen. He's the true heir to his father. Because of his ambition, he's always a target, but he's strong enough to defend himself and defeat his enemies. In the end, it's his exaggerated care for the family and his lack of morals when fighting for what he wants that he gets alienated from the family and dies poorly and miserably. He lived long but not happy.
Sonny is plenty intelligent, but he's animalistic and often lets his emotions cloud his judgement
The reason for Michael's ruthlessness and coldness in Godfather 2 striked me very particularly. He went to the extreme extent of even killing his own brother Fredo. But it were the events that shaped him to become that way. He never wanted any part of his family business, but then he witnessed his father's assassination attempt, his family being torn apart, Sonny's death, Appolonia s death, betrayal by tessio, all these events shaped him to become so ruthless and Manipulative, Tom was good but not his blood, he could never replace sonny. Enemies of his had taken everything from him which is why he went on to kill everyone who could be an enemy to him and his family including his brother Fredo.
@@hellomate2405 I'm not sure it was life that made him that way. Despite the cool catchphrase that his life made him an offer he couldn't refuse, I think he always had potential for it. I think his personality was always there. The only thing that changed was him getting the role of a mob boss. That allowed him to show his dark side more as he had to make tough calls that could bring that side out more.
Sonny was certainly intelligent. He was also impulsive, and impatient. That made him unable to view a larger picture, or consider extended consequence of action.
Tom could never be a leader, officially. Had the Corleone family not been so influential, Tom would never had been tolerated by the other families, and would not have been allowed in meetings where the consigliere needed to be. Don't forget, Tom was half Irish. That barred him from being a Don. (He did get to be acting Don, for a bit, but that had much to do with Michael's influence on the Mafia, as a whole)
And Fredo- Fredo had ambition, kind of. The whole reason that he was manipulated into betraying Michael was because Fredo wanted his own thing. He was angry for being stepped over. Fredo was angry that Vito appointed Michael as successor, and not him. So, yeah, he was ambitious. He was just a bumbling idiot, with no real redeeming qualities.
@@magnificenthonky I don't think it was necessarily that Fredo was jealous that Michael got to be Don and not him (unless the book says something I don't remember). He felt overstepped and disrespected by the family. He wanted to do more. I don't think it was necessarily jealousy but the desire to be able to be useful.
Best role in history of cinema that didnt win the oscar.
Also Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates and Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden
Because its fixed by the Hollywood elite, Al Pacino was NOT a money maker then
1)1972&74 Al Pacino-GF 1-Best Supporting Actor and GF 2- Best Actor
2)1992 Denzel Washington-Malcom X
3)1999 Brad Pitt-Fight Club
4)1983 Al Pacino-Scarface
5)1994 Samual L. Jackson-Pulp Fiction
Didn’t marlon Brando get one
@@caleb2629 Yes! But, I don't think he went on stage to accept the award.
It always seemed like Apollonia was the only Michael's true love. The whole sequence in Sicily looked like a dream. Just beautiful.
Michael - "I spent a lot of time in this room thinking of you."
Kay - "And then you got married."
Michael - "... Well.. I still thought of you."
🤣🤣🤣 gets me every time
Kay was his love when he was not involved in his family's business. They would make a great happy couple if Michael stay away from his family. Kay is an intelligent woman with her own mind. So married to a Don is a disaster. Appolonia is just like Michael's mother. A traditional wife who is loyal and never question about her husband's business. With Appolonia there will be no conflict in Michael's life. The film would be boring. That's why she is 'killed' by the author of the novel. Michael loves Kay's intelligence. His attraction to Appolonia is purely physical
@@imazination28 yeah I agree
@@imazination28 Michael was very unfair to Kay pulling her into his life as a Don. She had moved on and worked as a teacher but he brought her back with lies...
@@imazination28 I agree.apollonia would have been a great docile wife of a don.but later thier marriage would have been disaster because there was no emotional connect with appolonia.marriage is more than attraction,sex and kids.kay was perfect for michael.but he couldn't leave his family business...that destroyed his marriage to kay
This is the perfect villain arch in any movie ever made, because you don't see Michael as a villain. Amazing
Only other that comes even remotely close is Walter white 🤌
More of rooting for the villain, Michael was a monster.
@@chizorama Most people who watched this film saw him as someone who had to do what he had to do to keep his family and what his father built safe, even if it meant getting rid of the burdens (brother)
@@kevinkirby4305 There's doing what you gotta do, then there's crossing the line with fratricide, goes against what the Corleones were about; family. His pursuit of power made him blind to the ones close to him, he gave his soul away. He knew it at the end of 2, sitting alone.
Amazing view.
What's tragic about Michael is that at no point in his descent are his motivations to become evil, he's motivated to protect the people he loves and to extricate his family from the world of crime. Yet to achieve these goals he has to cross moral lines from which you don't come back.
That's the best interpretation
The death of Appollonia killed any humanity left in Michael. After that he believed that the only way to protect his family was to become the most powerful and kill all of his enemies at once, the latter of which probably a leftover from his time in the Marines.
Michael also went through other unfortunate events such as his father getting shot, his oldest brother Sonny getting gunned down, watching his wife Apollonia get blown up in a car bomb that was ment for Michael, ( in the novel, it is described that Apollonia was pregnant when she died ) but In my opinion, the most heartbreaking for Michael was the betrayal of his own older brother Fredo which was the final nail in the coffin. But yes, the death of Apollonia was one of the reasons why Michael became cold.
@@dereklopez9060 If anything Apollonia's death is what drove him to make the final choice of returning do the family and becoming his final self. He was already progressing towards that, but her death pushed him to become that end
Kay provided the last bit of humanity. They had children together.
@@nickynicks_ I honestly don't blame him for becoming a cold blooded man.
@@dereklopez9060 Neither do I. I think it's just life that forces us or drives us to make certain choices.
When Vito was young, he didn't have anything. However, he had everything when he died. Michael, on the other hand, was born wealthy and died after losing everything. That story has always touched me. The Greatest Movie of All Time. This is indisputable.
You’re Italian?
@@spormlastname267 No, bro. I’m Turkish. 🇹🇷
I am not a big fan of reading thick books . . . . but after the first time I saw The Godfather I HAD TO BUY THE PAPERBACK !!
Took me a while but the book is even better than the movie. More detailed insight into the psychology of each character.
People keep copying this stupid comment, why? Its not even true. They both died wealthy , they both had a child murdered, they both retired, they both died basically alone minus the grandkid.
And Vincent loved him like he loved his father.
The way Michael facial expressions changed after becoming Don was incredible. Pacino is a Goat actor
"A great man doesn’t seek to lead. He’s called to it. And he answers."
-Duke Leto
Even his facial features changed.
In the beginning he had this round, pale, and innocent baby face.
After his broken jaw, his face slimmed down a little bit, and he had a bit of an edge to his face.
When he took over, the innocence in his eyes were gone, his face was more chiseled and tanned. He became darker, literally and physically, and sexier, too.
"And sexier, too"
This last claim shows that OP Is a woman
@@Martin85540 sure am! 😉
yeah it's like he went from an innocent angel to satan himself
He looks like Doctor Murphy in the beginning😂
I noticed that, but the main change without ANY dought was the HAIR. It started off kinda wild,messy and out of control.and by near the end of the movie it was perfectly styled,neat and seemingly incap.able of being ruffled😉
"We are all different people, all through our lives. And that's OK, as long as you remember all the people you used to be."
Great quote
That's beautiful. Who said that?
@@internziko The Doctor
@@OverlyPositiveFanboy As in Doctor Who?
@@hitokiribattousai111 yup
Vito was not a common gangster driven by selfish desires for power, money and control. He was a man of principle who weighed every decision he made against the best interests of his family. He wanted the best for his family.
Al Pacino’s performance as Michael Corleone is my all-time favorite. Can’t get it out of my mind.
I can’t get enough of this movie. The mythology, the characters, the life lessons.
Me too. Legit my favorite movie of all time
What life lessons did you take from this?
@@longlivelakers8778 Alot do you have AdHd or, just not pay attention?
@@stillsmokntrees Still not saying anything lmao. “A lot” still doesn’t even answer my question I asked...do you have AdHd or, just not paying attention?
@@longlivelakers8778 not worth my time again pay attention or get your condition cared for bud
"and did life simply make him an offer he couldn't refuse" God damn bro, you know how to end your videos, now don't you?
Indeed...can't agree more
@@thebeatnumber sounds like Islamophobia
@@kazihaque7560 More like the truth.
@thebeatnumber you idiot
Legit!
You can see a hint of Michael's transformation in the scene where he proposes killing Solozzo. At the beginning of the scene Michael is slouching in his chair,, and Sonny was in control. By the end of the scene Michael is sitting straight up, legs crossed, focused on what has to be done. He's in total control of that room. And Sonny backs him.
Michael still loves the version of him that exists in kay... that's brilliant.
It's a testament to the quality of The Godfather, that it's still discussed forty years later. What other movies is this still true for? Very few. A true piece of art.
2001: A Space Odyssey.
@@siddhantpanwar95 what ?
@@replicacity92 he asked what other movies are still discussed today years later and I just mentioned one movie that is still discussed, dissected, debated and adored still to this day
@@siddhantpanwar95 the next generation of moviegoers couldn't give a damn about space odyssey. Once you cut away all the artsy hollywood hills nonsense it's not that intriguing of a film. The godfather is quite the opposite. It's an action movie for all audiences that holds a real and interesting plot within.
@@THESLlCK 2001 is way more than just “artsy nonsense.” For you to say that just means you don’t understand the film. The film has a meaning and message that is much more profound than a fancy gangster flick with a good coming into manhood story that we’ve all seen a million times before. People have a good understanding of The Godfather, but 2001: A Space Odyssey is still being debated till this day.
"What's more personal than business when it's a family business?" That's a very astute observation; one which really encompasses the entirety of the saga!
In the book Michael says "It's all personal. Every bit of business." The Corleones take everything personally and "It's just business" is an excuse for what they do.
I always thought thats what Michael really meant to Sonny.
@@Xehanort10 The "it's just business" line was always just sugarcoating. Don Corleone always cared about power and not about wealth. Money was just a means to an end for him to strenghten his influence. Except of the big wedding he and "Mama Corleone" had a humble personal lifestyle e.g. no partying, no drinking, no whores, no gambling.
How did you forget to mention the scene at the hospital where michael lights the Enzos cigarette and he sees his own hands so calm compared to his... this was the scene where michael learned who he was.
This was a great video. Michael Corleone's path started with him choosing to protect his father. He always loved his family despite their corruption. Once he realized that even the highest of police and politicians were corrupt he decided to do anything to protect his family. Michael was more or less a product of his surroundings.
The love of Son for His Father.
I'm the same way I put no man above my Father
Pacino's transformation from Stage 1 to five is brilliant showing his world-class talent/acting skillset!
Absolutely
Michael Corleone had the best character arc of any character in cinema history.
May be in cinema but Walter white has the best character arc and development ever.....
@@nazrulhaque5986 You're damn right.
Also Sarah Connor from Terminator. In T1 she is just a typical young party going girl. By T2 she is a female Rambo. That's what you call a character arc.
💯 my man! His character arc is my absolute favourite and as iconic as Vito is, it is the transformation of Michael from innocent college boy to ruthless amoral don that transfixes me every time I watch parts 1 and 2. Also why I dislike part 3 because his arc ended perfectly at the end of part 2… and then he becomes a bit of a pitiable old man in part 3.
@@nazrulhaque5986 ratio, Tony Soprano absolute better imo
The turning point, for me, was always Michael lighting Enzo's cigarette outside the hospital. The way he, for a moment keeps looking at his hands, perfectly stable and unshaken, tells so much with so little. A triumph of script, direction and acting.
Al Pacino played Michael So perfectly I could not see someone play this role than Him.
The fact that we are still talking about this movie shows how long lasting The Godfather’s legacy is.
IT IS A TIMELESS CLASSIC IN INDIA TOO
In the third film, there’s a scene where Michael and Kay are in Sicily speaking to each other in private, and Michael kind of drives home this truth to Kay by saying, “I didn’t choose this life. My father was sick and he needed me, what was I to do?” then, as if on que, their conversation gets interrupted by their people asking them for vengeance for their assassinated don. This all just goes to show that he never really had a choice.
Although the one choice he did have, ordering the death of Fredo, is what weighs down on him the most towards the end of his life.
Remember what was said in the video. He couldn't have weak links inside the family and that's what led him to end his brother's life.
He thought to be loyal to the family, but the killing of his brother made him live with guilt and remorse
Fredo was really useless and harmful both alive and dead. Only thing he was good at was banging waitresses two at a time tho so he is my favourite.
Remember Fredo is the weak link in Godfather 2 and his carelessness almost cost them their family business.
Fredo inadvertently set up Michael's assassination by informing Johnny Ola of the layout of the Corleone Family home and compound.
Fredo neglected to tell Michael that Questadt, the Senate lawyer in charge of the investigation was on Roth's payroll. This caused Michael to deny any allegations of his actions instead of invoking his 5th Amendment rights. This opened the door to perjury, which he stopped by bringing in Vincenzo Pentangeli to dissuade Frank from testifying against Michael.
Michael had no choice but to have Fredo killed as the other families would have seen him as weak and therefore more likely to bring him down.
@@jrcasselman Well said but you gotta add to that, Fredo defo wanted Mikey "out of the way" because he was angry and jealous at being stepped over as Don. Fredo was the only person who could have opened the curtains in Michael's room before the attempted hit.
I dunno what Mikey was guilty about Fredo HAD to go, he was dangerous then and he was still dangerous as long as he had information in his brain and a mouth from which to speak...
The concept of family is very interesting. Initially you take it for granted, but when you sense danger that it might disappear or take damage you either decide you are part of it and want to give your contribution or you jump out once and for all.
Al Pachino was born to play this role. His acting range is astonishing. He went from being an innocent outsider to inheriting the keys to the kingdom. Not by choice but because he had to. You can see his expression change from wide-eyed innocent to cold and calculating. He had to become cold to protect his family. I still don't excuse him for killing his own brother. that's something his father and mother would never forgive him for. Santino would of never gone that dark, but Michael goes there. So sad... 😢 but Al portrayed the role wonderfully.
I watch this as I am alone watching over my dad in his funeral wake who has recently passed away.
I feel the things talked about in this video in a much deeper level.
I now have new responsibilities I need to handle. Thus, requiring me to change and evolve.
Good luck, become the person you were meant to be. Not the person people want you to be.
Good luck to you. All the best
Watch Jordan Peterson lectures...great help in times like this
May god protect you and guide your father into heaven
Duchi your not and never will be alone 🙏🙏
Michael's life is summed up at the final scene of Godfather 2: The extreme closeup on his face, his eyes black pools, nothing behind them.
"Piss holes in the snow"
An absolutely accurate analysis of the character, Michael Corleone. The reason many of us love this character is because we are sad about the tragedy that he was forced by circumstances to go from Stage 1 to Stage 5.
Even in Part II, when he had Fredo killed, it was the correct decision to protect the family from Fredo's incompetence.
man, I don't know if you gonna see this, but this video is a masterpiece. Thank you.
Michael Corleone evolved so much he became an entirely different person in III.
We don’t talk about III
@@Pekoe. yeah 3 doesn’t exist
@@theequalizers1983 oath
@@Pekoe. I don't see why not, is wasn't a bad movie and gave an ending fitting to the story.
Well, that’s what happens when they keep pulling you BACK IN!!
HOO-HAAAH
"Life made him an offer he couldn't refuse." The line gave me goosebumps!!
For the last question, I think it's a bit of both. Michael was the only one smart enough to protect his own family under-pressure... under his own circumstances, but on how Michael evolved as a character is clearly based on how life written itself, it definitely was an offer he couldn't have refused. He had his own intentions for himself but life initiated all the challenges he had to went to through to cause THE "transformation".
Michael did nothing wrong. His character is the proof that sometimes no matter what you do, it's never going to be enough. He had to lie to those who trusted him and was betrayed by those whom he trusted, because the world he inherited from his father had no room for honesty and trust anymore. Vito could be Vito and not lose his family because he had an oldschool wife in his corner, this was not the case for Michael and so when he did what he had to do, to be strong for his family, he lost his family. He knew that it was inevitable, too, because in his last conversation with his mother before she passed away he discussed the matter with her, and he concluded the discussion with: "Times are changing", basically acknowledging the fact that he can't have the family life his father had, because women like his mother don't exist anymore.
Michael had chosen his path until his true path was revealed. The call of responsibility to family, especially to lead, is a powerful force that most are not ready for. Michael was not ready, but after taking out the heads of the other families, he proved himself capable. He became the man he didn't want to be and it cost him dearly
Amazing how its been 50+ years since this movie was made and still relavent today
It is now 2021. It came out in 1972.
@@KaneGruber Hmm his close
they don't make movies like this anymore, not even close
@@KaneGruber but production did start before it came out, so it is atleast 50 years old.
Great analysis - really like the use of stages and characteristics to illustrate Michael’s descent into darkness. Speaking of which, I read a great article years ago which talked about how his dress changes to reflect the changes in his character. He starts out in earthy colours, brown etc., then goes to wearing those grey suits at the end of part 1/start of part 2, and by the time he is ordering his brother’s execution he’s wearing mostly black.
No he didn't, he wore colorful close when he appeared at the door.
In a script at that moment Coppola writes a sentence--- Michael aged over night----.
He aged over night when she didn't come to his mother's funeral.
When he lost Kay he got diabetes, stopped smoking, drinking, killing, dressing like mafia ( no more silky suits) , never took the ring of his finger or touched another woman for the rest of his life.
They did a great job making look young as a marine, and older as he took over the business.
Al Pacino's portrayal of Michael is the best becoming ever put on film.
Vito Corleone via auto-generated CC:
"I'm going to make them an awfully camera fuse."
It just goes to show you, every man's life in one sense or another is Edmund Dantes. We all start out smiling naive and illiterate to the ways of the world. Then our Chateau D'if comes as a hurricane kicking the shit out of everything we thought we knew, innocence slain. You gain wisdom, shade and scars, and maybe enemies too, wounds that never completely heal. We're better and worse for it at the same time. You learn to survive. Everything you have endured, means more you can endure. Wisdom only comes through great suffering.
The Godfather and Godfather part ll are hands down two of the greatest creations of all time. I call them great creations as in my head they aren't really films, they transcend 'film' status; they are art!
Just tremendous. I never get bored of watching them.
As amazing as the sequel is, this is exactly why I will always place the original above it. The transformation Michael goes through is drastic yet so subtle, it's absolutely brilliant to watch and is my favourite part of the entire story. I am aware that Michael goes through further changes in TG2 but he was already on his way to becoming that man by the end of the first film.
Second that.
TG2 is mainly interesting for the becoming of young Vito, played by Robert De Niro. But nothing equals Michael's character development.
That baptism scene is a masterpiece
That final shot of her looking into his office was perfection.
Brilliant video! There's also an interesting similarity between Michael and Pacino himself. Just as Michael was viewed as an outsider and thought of as unlikely to belong and fulfil the role of Godfather, so Pacino had a hard time convincing the production team that he belonged in the movie. Thankfully the director Francis Ford Coppola fought for his part!
He made that choice & he unfortunately was overcome by evil. The same with his sister Connie. Both start off appearing innocent & untainted by the dark world surrounding them. But as with Michael,so with Connie,who changes for the worse like her brother.
Thanks for sharing !
9:03 - Fate giving us all the finger.
people who dislike the video are from Barzini family
🤣💯🎯
Very true
Yes, it was them all along
Immature
Lmho
Had goosebumps at the end of the video on stage 5 of Michael's transformation. It is the best character arc, ever put to film in history. ❤️❤️
I usually don’t comment on videos which analyze and translate what they may see in a film. My opinion on your own videos may be altered due to how much I treasure The Godfather, but I feel you do an excellent job summarizing key points and your eloquence meets the quality of cinema you choose to deconstruct. Bravo.
This is a truly brilliant analysis. One of the best I have ever seen on the epic Godfather movies
Truly brilliant! I enjoyed this analysis as well
Very nice synopsis. He was willing to sacrifice his personal ambitions to maintain his family legacy as was expected of a true man in his fathers eyes. He made his father proud.
Hope so. Hehe. 😅😂😊
What a great analysis! 👏🏻
You literally brought another 13:31 minutes of quality time to my life, thank you so much!! 🙏🏻
I have seen “The Godfather” movies countless times. They never get old, and neither do these observation videos. I love hearing different perspectives. 😃
I've watched countless Godfather analysis videos. This was a PHENOMENAL breakdown.
god this channel is so underrated, the vibe of authenticness and clean editing is just amazing.
you maybe little but you pack a whole punch on entertainment.
Brilliant analysis of the movie, every time I watch it there’s so much to observe from each character and learn about life. It’s completely unpredictable where life is going to take you but it surely is preparing you for something.
Damn congratulations because that was done so well!! That final line gave me chills!
Also I can't help but fawn over Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, he was a real fine gentleman in his prime!
Also liked de Niro's portrayal of Vito in part 2. Both were very refined men and loved their families to the core.
That's right girl!
Michael was the perfect Don, because he had the war experience + IQ.
He was born to be Don.
The dinner, where he admitted, that he is going to the army, showed that he was alone from the start. Only Fredo felicitated him, but at the end he was alone.
This moment also shows, that he was the only hope for the family to survive.
But he lacked Vito’s other qualities that made him loved by everyone.
I have to say vito is the perfect don. Vito had one thing michael didn't have, humility.
Vito humility allowed him to diffuse situations with his enemies without conflict or bloodshed. Michael's powerbase comes from fear and power. Vito had humity and made his job much easier.
@@lk5388 agree, but in Mob also in real life kind people are always f**ked.
I prefer Michael, because he gonna do whatever it takes to reach the targets. Vito was emotional.
Michael was they type of guy: "It's just a business".
He always did rational decisions.
Except he was in love with Apolonia, but after this he was even more brutal.
@@kaiseri.4641 Apollonia’s death was when he died.
And in trying to keep his family together by continuing to lie and kill, he lost it.
Vito doesn’t has a brother who tried to backstabbed his family,Vito’s enemy not much powerful&smart as Michael’s era ,Vito’s wife doesn’t get car bomb in front of him.
In my opinion in Michael’s era, being Jesus’s type is suiciding in this business, that why he ending like this.
I very much like that personal inside look of Michael Corleone.
I first saw this movie 25 years ago. Never really understood the whole movie because there were parts too long in the movie that I kept falling asleep thru them. This evolution definitely helped me understand now. Thank you.
I'm a law student studying criminology. The godfather was my introduction to crime many years ago through the game. I watched this movie and found his transformation too radical, but you've definitely layed it out well and I over looked alot of things which would impact him. Great video and visuals.
Yep, the transformation was done too quickly and the phases he went through truly seemed like marks cleared on a checklist. There is a lot of things you have to interpret into the movie because it is simply not depicted unfortunately.
@@documentarydistributor The restrictions of the movie format in general does not excuse the faults this movie has, at least not for me. The decision was done consciously to feature a wide net of characters and plot lines and thus a lot of things can´t be as detailed and can´t be explored as they should have been. I appreciate Godfather as something that paved the way for different things, but as a standalone movie it certainly does not hold up as one of the best ever.
This was outstanding. Impossible to not assess your own parallels in life that led you to the the person who’s typing this today...
The way you’ve put it all together, strategically, throughout the psychological depth and the language that you’ve used to create a personal dynamic shifting scenery is just outstanding!
Thank you for such a precisely put picture of such a colourful character.
Literally the best line you’ve ended with for a Godfather video. I almost jumped with joy! I love this channel!
Michael turns evil, and yet, even by the end second one seems to take no pleasure in the sadistic things he does. He truly seems depressed and that he doesn't even know why he does all the horrible things he does other than the fact that he wants to win. He wins but finds no glory. Great tragic role
nobody "turns" evil unless they have the capacity...
@@joepianograziose3822 everybody has the capacity to do both good and bad.. some more than others yes but ultimately it boils down to the choices we make which can be influenced by unfortunate circumstances as was Michael's case imo.. all i'm saying is how sad it is to see what a miserable existence Michael ended up living
@@joepianograziose3822 it's easy to deem someone "evil" when you've never been in a life or death situation of either yourself or your family.
All is fair in love and war. And he was a war leader.
@@dab0331 Firstly, this is a movie...aka...fiction....and the story said he was a war "hero".....Hitler was a "war leader"..2nd, "life and death situations" sometimes necessitate desperate action, but they do not make a person evil or always involve evil measures...3rd, you don't where I've "been"...4th, with luck some things turn out "fair" with love, but war in an atrocity with no fairness....5th, I'm pretty surfeited with these dago mobster image films that debase Italians and are drawn on for pseudo social anthropology...this defamation is rampant despite the ultra PC culture, and are insult to the sacrifices and gifts brought to this country by my noble heritage
@@dab0331 I totally disagree, trying to post a reply but it gets censored..
It's inevitable that someone will have to take that throne one day. Michael is perhaps that unlucky dude who is forced to embrace the dark side of it.
And in the end even after godfather part 2 you still feel more sorry for his father than Michael. He tried his best to keep the one son he had with a bright future from carrying that burden. It makes it even more painful to see that son turn into the monster he becomes by the end of part 2.
@@MP-lc7vy Why was Michael a monster? The only thing he did wrong was not show Kay or his kids enough affection, but during the parts we actually see, Michael he is literally fighting for his and their lives as plotters try to kill them. Obviously it is to be assumed that Michael wasn't around enough, even when things were peaceful but all the people Mike killed deserved it...
@@mariolisa2832 Yeah, people and the movie also seem to imply that killing fredo was a bad thing, buttttt he literally tried to assassinate Michael and openly admits that he is jealous because he wants to be at the top, despite getting everything one can ask for without putting any work. He also kills the brother-in-law who killed his brother and abuses his sister.
Wow, this may be the single best piece of content around The Godfather that I've ever seen. Bravo
This was a really good analysis! Michael Corleone is such an amazing character. Subscribed.
It's not personal, it's just a great channel here at Just an Observation. You never betray the family.
He was a combat veteran Marine who just got back from the Pacific campaign. These mobster fights and fat blowhards were a joke compared to what he endured. His transformation happens before the movie. What you are talking about is his families coming to understand his changes.
When he is at his sisters wedding, he is the most dangerous person there, and no one has any idea.
V good comment
Absolutely not, war did not take his morality away. It gave him skill, courage, and masculine achievement/pedigree, and he always had a backbone, but it's 100% clear that you made that up because it seems like a cool idea too. There is absolutely nothing about the film that suggests what you're saying. War made him competent and hardened, it may have even made him a decent leader, but it didn't make him a "boss" or a "don", and it certainly didn't turn him into a Machiavellian.
The whole point of the film is illustrating Michael's transformation, you just ignored the whole point of the movie to justify your theory.
Never thought about that, but that’s sooooo true
Facts
This channel is gem, you can't refuse
What a fantastic channel. So perfectly explained. I'm just rewatching the Godfather ,I hadent quite grasped some of the twists in the story the first time. Your synopsis is making all crystal clear, making it more enjoyable to watch. Thank you.
it was the love he had for his father that pulled him in the family business
Absolutely loved this. It has showed me to forgive myself for some of the mistakes I have made. Sometimes life isn't fair and pushes you down roads you otherwise wouldn't have gone down. Sometimes all you can do is follow the road in front of you.
Good analysis. The character development of Michael Corleone in the movie is second to none.
"Or did life simply make him an offer he couldn't refuse?". Genius closing statement. I was glued to my screen. Much praise.
Michael's evolution encompassed in just 3 hours, compared to an episodic series on HBO, Netflix or Hulu is truly an amazing achievement in film.
This is a very great analysis of a character transformation. The best I've seen on this platform. You deserve more subscribers!
A well made video. I love the writing, especially the ideas that you discuss conspicuously by defining each idea with a certain stage.
""A friend should always underestimate your virtues and an enemy overestimate your faults"
-Don Vito Corleone
Interesting... gotta say I always love your music choice!
Thanks, I just harvest the UA-cam library
Please can you tell the background music name
@@dante6779 which one? It’s in the description
@@unfiltered8682 thanks man, but I found it tho👍
Great video bro. If there was an Emmy award for UA-cam, you’d win for this video.
I loved the way you ended it you every point that the conveys . Youve done such a hard work for this . This video definately deserves a like here you go !
One of my favorite movies of all times. I really enjoyed this explanation of Pacino changes as his character has been always my favorite specifically for his transformation. Well done!!
Such an in-depth analysis of one of the most loved characters in Hollywood
Best godfather analysis I have ever seen. You are so damn intelligent dude. I felt dumb for not understanding some of these nuances back when I watched the movie. They seem so obvious to me now that you have pointed it out
You are an amazing, entertaining, and thorough analyst. Bravo.
Life is Like a Pendulum
Oscillating between the things we didn't choose. The details and works of your is "Just NOT an Observation'' but a complete Study. I wish you gr8 Success and I wish for myself to receive more in-depth analysis of other films too.