Reviews: "The Godfather," "The Godfather Part II," and Cinematic Inheritances

Movie of the Week #8 is an offer you can't refuse: two classics for the price of one!

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The Godfather is a movie so timeless that many of us inherit it. The film was always one of my Dad’s favorites; I remember going with my mom to get him the DVD set when it first came out for his birthday. I don’t quite remember when he first showed it to me, but I know that when he did, it became one of my favorite movies too. The more we watched it together, the more we appreciated it, for we had each other to share it with. Our divide in ages made no difference. It affected us with equal power.

Both of us were, of course, part of the film’s immediate demographic: Male and American. Though The Godfather is not insensitive towards its female characters, it is made from a staunchly male perspective. While people of any nationality could enjoy the film for any number of reasons, it is at its core a distinctly American story. Its laser focus is not a detriment, but a fundamental strength. As Roger Ebert likes to say, “movies made for everybody are really made for nobody.” The Godfather is made for a specific audience, with a thoroughly authoritative voice, and its greatness extends naturally from there.