Introduction
Despite the existing attitudes and opinions, most critics and ordinary people across the globe consider The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola a classic movie that changed everything about gangsters in the film industry. In addition to professional stage direction, well-developed dialogues, and a perfectly chosen cast, the work covers a number of themes, including the relationships between parents and children, loyalty, betrayal, power, and justice.
Discussion
However, in my opinion, the most predominant theme is a strong connection and comparison between business and personal. After a terrible attack on the head of the family, Vito Corleone, his children and followers, namely Sonny, Michael, Tom Hagen, and Clemenza, discuss a plan of revenge. Several characters mention the phrase “it’s not personal; it’s strictly business” in the same context, proving the necessity to distinguish the goals (Coppola). The Godfather’s private vs. personal mantra as the main theme helps explain inevitable violence and the harshness of decisions made by the Corleones during the daughter’s wedding, the father’s retirement, and the son’s baptism.
One of the main scenes that reveal how personal and business are intertwined in the movie is in the beginning when Vito Corleone accepts several clients during his daughter’s wedding. Most people come to the Godfather for justice and protection. Still, Vito does not treat their requests as the business only. He points out that Bonasera does not “ask with respect” or “offer friendship” but wants “to do murder for money” (Coppola). In contrast, Johnny Fontane comes to his Godfather in despair of getting the role in the movie, and Vito decides to make an offer a person “cannot refuse” (Coppola). These statements convey the essence of the Corleone business based on personal issues and honest relationships. Although gangsters kill many people and use violence as the only solution, Coppola makes their story enormously emotional because of the necessity to use business to support personal needs (Mondello). It is not always easy to recognize the line between the good (acceptable) and the bad (violating), and the movie shows how ambiguous gangster life can be.
Another interesting example of how personal and business issues are combined is the moment of transferring the leadership from a father to a son. Although one of the main issues is how the family business is organized, the power of human feelings, with special attention to “the sense of family and the sense of love,” is obvious (Gambino). When Vito can no longer lead the family affairs, he needs to understand which of his sons could continue the business. Sonny is shot, Fredo is weak, Tom is not strong enough, and Michael is the only one who should deal with the situation. In his conversation with Michael, Vito represents the power of fatherhood and the necessity not to forget about their business by saying, “women and children can be careless but not men” (Coppola). The Corleone family is strong and diverse at the same time, and Vito’s task is to explain to Michael how to balance personal and business. Each word, movement, and sight play an important role in delivering the message about the worth of every decision and action in the gangster world.
Finally, the baptism scene serves as the best evidence of when the family cannot escape from the loop of the violent business and personal responsibilities. On the one hand, there is nothing more important and sacred than a moment when a child is introduced to the church together with the closest family members and friends. On the other hand, the same time is used to take business revenge and murder several gangster leaders. This scene underlines the power of inevitable conflict between what should be done in the name of family and in the name of business and power. Although Michael renounces the worst virtues in the church, his decisions contradict his vowels in society. In his dialogue with his wife, he asks her not to interfere with his business and lies, verifying the superiority of the business over personal interests (Coppola). Still, after watching The Godfather, it is possible to understand that sometimes, personal and business issues cannot be divided or compared, giving birth to a new strong concept of the family business in the movie industry and social science.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the importance of maintaining a family business is a critical theme in Coppola’s Godfather, which combines personal and business concepts. During the movie, the Corleone family faces a variety of situations when fast and rational decisions should be made to protect the family’s dignity and life. Unfortunately, gangsters can hardly achieve their happy ending in most cases because their violence and competition have a high price. The end of the Corleone story may be predicted, but the strength of the movie lies not in its perspicuity but in the unpredictability of the people’s reactions. When a person feels sorry for the gangster’s death, it means that the director succeeds as a great manipulator of business and personal elements. Such events as a wedding, a funeral, or a baptism demonstrate the strengths of family ties. When characters use these moments to solve their business affairs, they prove that business can never disappear in their personal lives.
Works Cited
Coppola, Francis Ford. The Godfather. Paramount Pictures, 1972.
Gambino, Megan. “What is The Godfather Effect?” Smithosnian. Web.
Mondello, Bob. “’The Godfather’ Bridged Old and New Hollywood to Save American Moviegoing.” NPR. Web.