The Godfather (1972)
I am now very, very afraid of the mob. And I have no regrets.
The Godfather is an interesting twist on a coming-of-age story. Instead of the usual "grow up, become a moral human being" path, Michael Corleone grows into the family business his father fried to keep him so far away from. At the beginning of the film, he makes a clear distinction between himself and his family, especially his father. Somehow, the audience continues to like Michael as he becomes more and more involved with his family's business, and eventually takes over as the head of the Corleone empire of corruption and violence. Michael doesn't lose his humanity, and the audience is able to connect with him through the movie, unlike many of the protagonists of current movies of a similar genre. Many of those protagonists are idolized and appear godlike, and their struggles are not believable. Oftentimes, the scripts are poorly written and the appeal of the movie lies in the violence. In The Godfather, the special effects are excellent (especially for 1972) and the script is impeccable- it's an offer you can't refuse.
The Corleones' business is not supposed to operate on a personal level; it should be strictly business. However, it is difficult not to take a failed attempt on one's life personally. The Corleones continually struggle with this distinction, and it is also true about humanity. We often find it difficult not to take things personally when something is directed at us- for instance, if someone doesn't want to work with us on a project and works with someone else because their skills are better suited to the project, it is difficult not to take this snub personally.
The Godfather is an interesting twist on a coming-of-age story. Instead of the usual "grow up, become a moral human being" path, Michael Corleone grows into the family business his father fried to keep him so far away from. At the beginning of the film, he makes a clear distinction between himself and his family, especially his father. Somehow, the audience continues to like Michael as he becomes more and more involved with his family's business, and eventually takes over as the head of the Corleone empire of corruption and violence. Michael doesn't lose his humanity, and the audience is able to connect with him through the movie, unlike many of the protagonists of current movies of a similar genre. Many of those protagonists are idolized and appear godlike, and their struggles are not believable. Oftentimes, the scripts are poorly written and the appeal of the movie lies in the violence. In The Godfather, the special effects are excellent (especially for 1972) and the script is impeccable- it's an offer you can't refuse.
The Corleones' business is not supposed to operate on a personal level; it should be strictly business. However, it is difficult not to take a failed attempt on one's life personally. The Corleones continually struggle with this distinction, and it is also true about humanity. We often find it difficult not to take things personally when something is directed at us- for instance, if someone doesn't want to work with us on a project and works with someone else because their skills are better suited to the project, it is difficult not to take this snub personally.