“We’re bigger than US Steel” is one of those sayings. THE Godfather this tends to go unnoticed, but it masterfully explains the entire premise of the trilogy. Francis Ford Coppola’s franchise masterpiece, born from Mario Puzo’s award-winning novel of the same name, is on another level in terms of storytelling, character development and atmosphere. From iconic quotes to exceptional directorial choices, The godfather continues to stand the test of time decades later, with strong potential to never be remade.
The godfather The trilogy ultimately remains one of the best trilogies of all time, even if The Godfather III is by far the lowest payment. Marlon Brando steals the show in just a few minutes as Vito Corleone, while Al Pacino controls the rest of the screen as Vito’s son Michael Corleone. Even though most of Michael’s scenes are legendary, a conversation with a The Godfather, Part II the character stands out from the others.
The Godfather trilogy represents the American dream
“I believe in America” is one of the best movie opening quotes of all time, and for good reason. The phrase, spoken by Amerigo Bonasera to Vito at the wedding of his daughter Connie, perfectly sums up the spirit of The godfather and what will happen to the possible trilogy. The American Dream is more than a set of ideals; it’s a path to success that anyone can achieve with the right cards. With an arsenal of connections and the drive to achieve their goals, everyone can rise in one way or another.
Although Vito has his flaws, his life story perfectly embodies the American dream and the idea that anyone can succeed through hard work and dedication. As a child without family, in an attempt to escape violence, Vito immigrated from Italy to the United States with nothing. Passing through Ellis Island, he is presented with the ultimate new beginning; his name is even changed from Andolini to Corleone by the immigration officer.
Over the years, Vito slowly climbs the social, economic, and ultimately criminal ranks, ultimately leading to a long-standing act of revenge. At a time when the main events of THE Godfather At the start, Vito is one of the richest, most influential and most respected gangsters.
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However, Michael’s transformation from army veteran to Vito’s successor takes the American dream and gives it an incredibly dark spin. The American dream is achievable, because The godfather explores, but at a high cost. The Corleone crime family and those who run it wield enormous influence and may have the wallets to show it, but that doesn’t mean everything is rosy. The price of achieving one’s goals in Coppola’s famous trilogy is the sacrifice of relationships, morals, and even things that some desire more than money, like love.
The Godfather Part 2 serves as a prequel and sequel, continuing to follow Michael’s tumultuous life while showcasing Vito’s rise through flashbacks. As Vito’s beginnings and rise to the top of the Italian-American Mafia progress in the past, changes in Michael’s personality and motivations occur decades later. This creates an interesting juxtaposition between the two characters on every level: one of the most iconic father-son duos confronting the American dream and its effects head-on, with different results in reality, but rooted in a similar theory.
“We are bigger than American steel” undermines capitalism
Throughout The Godfather II, Michael’s business efforts steal most of the attention. After his official ascension to the rank of Don of the Corleone family, Johnny Ola, an associate of mafia boss Hyman Roth, offers Michael an investment in the Las Vegas casinos. After the attempted assassination of Michael, Roth further invites Michael to Havana, Cuba to invest in additional opportunities.
Michael suspects Roth’s motives from day one and embodies the “keep your friends close, but your enemies closer” mindset. He maintains the idea, despite the rise of the Cuban Revolution. As the film unfolds, Roth discusses the legacy and influence of the Mafia with Michael, noting that the mob has enough money to shape politics and economics as they see fit.
When Roth tells Michael, “We’re bigger than US Steel,” the mob boss simultaneously boasts about the influence of organized crime while pointing out the irony of capitalism. The Godfather Part 2 takes place in 1959; At the time, US Steel was not only the nation’s largest steel producer, but one of the largest companies in the world. Roth, played by Lee Strasberg, Pacino’s former acting teacher, is also based on Meyer Lansky, a Jewish gangster who built a criminal empire around casinos.
Roth’s statement to Michael in The Godfather Part 2 is a great callback to real life that goes unnoticed, while also highlighting that the idea of a free market can easily collapse under enough pressure.
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Of course, Roth’s ridiculous attitude toward organized crime and its long-term effects comes into its own when his true intentions and motivations come to light. While Roth outwardly supports Michael and says he wants to join businesses, he is the gangster who attempts to murder Michael in Lake Tahoe. Roth’s reasons for eliminating Michael are both personal and professional. Roth views Michael as a threat and attempts to use Fredo to infiltrate the family, while also seeking revenge for Moe Greene, whom Michael murders during the attack. That of the Godfather famous baptism sequence.
Everything that happens in The godfather The trilogy, in a way, stems from capitalism and the implications of being successful in business, even if that business is not legitimate. Vito’s early life and criminal rise after immigrating to the United States, for example, are marked by petty crimes and involuntary vigilantism. The Corleone crime family is fiercely loyal and ruthless against their adversaries, but they make their money and stay in the game through a multitude of capitalist enterprises above all else.
Without these business opportunities and diverse sources of income, the empire would likely collapse immediately. Without the ideals of capitalism guiding the narrative, there is no Godfather a story to tell.
The Godfather trilogy highlights the effects of corruption
Capitalism and the American dream go hand in hand, as do the consequences of power, influence and corruption. ““We are bigger than US Steel” is an underrated phrase that, intentionally or not, recognizes how all of these themes influence The godfather trilogy. Beyond the drama, action, and destruction, Coppola’s films perfectly demonstrate how even the most decent people can fall into moral disgrace with enough pressure. As the Corleone crime family grows under Michael’s leadership, more and more characters enter the picture, with more enemies and adversaries than actual accomplices.
Interestingly, The godfather The trilogy is motivated by the consequences of moral, political and financial corruption. Yet as the films and the personal lives of the characters develop, the institutions involved grow in size and influence. In the first GodfatherFor example, the Corleone family and the Italian Mafia as a whole primarily fight among themselves for control, with the help of politicians and salaried police officers.
After Michael succeeded his father, and throughout the current history of The Godfather Part 2the need for police officers is traded for a more legitimate approach to business, even if its ethics are just as questionable. The Godfather III is taking the most ambitious step in this regard by attempting to use the Vatican Bank for monetary purposes.
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In THE Godfathercorruption seeps into every corner of life, with family, friends and associates becoming central targets. Besides Michael’s mother, Carmela, everyone in Corleone’s immediate family is a victim of violence, directly or indirectly. Vito survives his assassination attempt, although in real life his injuries would likely have been fatal. Connie’s husband, Carlo, is another victim of Michael during the Godfather baptism massacre; Sonny and Fredo, Michael’s brothers, are murdered The godfather And The Godfather Part 2respectively.
As Michael’s reign as Don of the Corleone family continues, more and more people connected to the character lose their lives. the death of Mary in The Godfather III is a dramatic nail in the metaphorical and physical coffin.
Ultimately, the effects of corruption in The godfather The trilogy, particularly from the perspective of capitalism and influence, is best highlighted through Michael’s moral collapse. Michael’s character transformation is one of the most compelling in cinematic history, and also one of the most depressing. When the first Godfather opens, Michael is a veteran who has no interest in joining the family business. As conflicts erupt and the Corleones face direct threats, Michael digs deeper into the mafia in the name of loyalty.
This loyalty ultimately leads to intense brutality, with Michael appearing as a shadow of his former self by the end of The Godfather, Part III. Rising to defeat some of the largest legitimate companies in the United States is a massive achievement that comes with an even greater price.
The godfather
- Release date
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March 24, 1972
- Runtime
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175 minutes
- Director
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Francis Ford Coppola
- Writers
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Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
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Marlon Brando
Don Vito Corleone
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Al Pacino
Michael Corleone