Coppola
Brando's raspy-voiced role (later to be mimicked by a host of impersonators) was difficult in one respect for Coppola in that the actor was 47 at the time, much too young for the aging Mafia don. The problem was solved by makeup expert Dick Smith, who has accomplished similar wonders in The Exorcist (1973) and in Little Big Man (1970), where he aged Dustin Hoffman to 100 years old. Smith added wrinkles to Brando's skin by applying liquid latex, especially around the eyes and nose. A leathery appearance was achieved the same way, along with loose flesh and bags beneath the eyes. He imparted olive skin tones to give Brando a Mediterranean appearance. A special denture was inserted along his lower jawline to make the actor's jaw jut out in a completely different bite and to cause his cheeks to sag. He then stuffed the actor's cheeks with a gummy substance to affect heavy jowls, and it was this device that altered the actor's appearance drastically, giving rise to wild speculation that Brando spent hours stuffing his cheeks with cotton, facial tissue, and newspapers. The film is dark--Coppola had cinematographer Gordon Willis deliberately underlight each scene; the mood is dark; and the climax, in which Mich
Performer/CharacterMarlon Brando Don Vito CorleoneAl Pacino Michael CorleoneJames Caan Sonny CorleoneRichard Castellano ClemenzaRobert Duvall Tom HagenSterling Hayden McCluskeyJohn Marley Jack WoltzRichard Conte BarziniDiane Keaton Kay AdamsAl Lettieri SollozzoAbe Vigoda TessioTalia Shire Connie RizziGianni Russo Carlo RizziJohn Cazale Fredo CorleoneRudy Bond CuneoAl Martino Johnny FontaneMorgana King Mama CorleoneLenny Montana Luca BrasiJohn Martino Paulie GattoSalvatore Corsitto BonaseraRichard Bright NeriAlex Rocco Moe GreeneTony Giorgio Bruno TattagliaVito Scotti NazorineTere Livrano Theresa HagenVictor Rendina Phillip TattagliaJeannie Linero Lucy ManciniJulie Gregg Sandra CorleoneArdell Sheridan Mrs. Intro-Practically all of Coppola's important themes are present in the film. We see it from within, sympathizing with the motives and dilemmas of these very real, attractive and charismatic individuals; and we see it from without, in a state of suspended disgust at a moral code that knows only greed and blood. Film as business, rather than film as art, was always the important thing for Coppola (even if he couldn't help the artist in him from breaking forth in his best work); while many of his contemporaries sought to transform the medium as an art-form during the early Seventies, tipping their hats in the direction of the French "Nouvelle Vague" - (think of Robert Altman's ground-breaking MASH, and Scorsese's timely Mean Streets) - Coppola instead set out to change film as an actual industry, hoping to wrest distribution from the money-hungry major studios, and place it in the hands of independent filmmakers. The Godfather is an insightful sociological study of violence, power, honor and obligation, corruption, justice and crime in America. Who knows if his long-cherished wish to film a live-action version of Pinocchio will bear fruit, but at the moment it's enough to look back at that amazing body of work, containing such towering masterpieces as The Godfather, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now, and proclaim Francis Ford Coppola a true giant of modern cinema. The key to this idea was the acquisition of capital, firstly through his journeyman work for legendary producer Roger Corman, and then consolidated by his role as producer-director of major commercial works, of which The Godfather is the most obvious example. It's a 'gangster picture', but the emphasis is firmly on the Corleone clan as a closely-knit family unit: the integration of the family is the most important thing to Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), and his shadowy business dealings are subservient to this goal. And this points to Coppola's greatest achievement with THE GODFATHER; he simultaneously presents us with two views of the Corleone family. Flowers,Joe Lombardi, Dick Smith, Sass BedigStunts Paul BaxleyCostumes Anna Hill JohnstoneMakeup Phil RhodesIntroduction Since the early Seventies, and continuing into the next two decades, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola has occupied a special place in the pantheon of great directors; no modern director has commanded as much respect as the former UCLA film school graduate - Scorsese always excepted - and his films display a complete mastery of the medium throughout a wide variety of genres. Reynolds, Peter Zinner, Marc Laub, Murray SolomonComposer Nino RotaMusic director Carlo SavinaProduction designer Dean TavoularisArt director Warren ClymerSet designer Philip SmithSpecial effects A. The film is characterized by superb acting and deep character studies, beautiful photography and choreography, authentic recreation of the period, a bittersweet romantic sub-plot, a rich score by Nino Rota, and superbly-staged portrayals of gangster violence. Unfairly neglected in favor of Oliver! and Funny Girl, both made the same year, Finian's Rainbow is a well-handled genre piece and might be the best movie musical of its era: Coppola's direction is faultless - given that this was his first widescreen film - and the only wrong note is sounded by Tommy Steele's embarrassing mugging in the role of Og, the Leprechaun (not as bad as Dick Van Dyke's infamous turn in Mary Poppins but pretty darn close!). Exciting Scenes-The first two installments in the trilogy are vastly different in both style and scope; The Godfather is more of a classical thriller than its successor - it is made up of exciting action scenes and memorable set-pieces (the horse's head, Sonny's violent death, Michael's protection of his father in the hospital, that brilliant Baptism scene - all assault the viewer and leave an indelible impression); - Noel O'Shea.
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Acceptance Essays
