For my ninth Film Friday, I am going to write about a movie that means so much to my family, both as an Italian movie, and in another way, which I will write about down below. This film is such an American classic, and the film I am going to write about is 1972's, The Godfather: Part I.
What this movie is about is the leadership of the Corleone crime family in New York City. The family is led by the Don, Vito Corleone, with the help of his son Santino "Sonny" Corleone. He eventually takes over after his retirement, but then is assassinated at the Jones Beach Car Terminals, wherein Michael Corleone becomes head of the family, and then leads it for many years.
This movie is so quoted throughout the day, by almost everyone that you might not have watched the movie, but you have definitely quoted it. When people say, "I am going to make them an offer they can't refuse", thats from the movie. Thats just one example. Also, everybody on this planet at one time or another has tried to do, successful or not, a Vito Corleone impression.
This movie is full of big time names. There is of course the director Francis Ford Coppola, and actors Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and James Caan, but also Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, and the now late Abe Vigoda.
Now this movie has such a big significance in my families life, because my grandfather was an uncredited extra in the famous scene with James Caan getting shot at the "Jones Beach Toll Booths". The reason this was possible, was that it really wasn't filmed at Jones Beach. Instead, it was filmed at Mitchel Field in Uniondale, on the site of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. He was helping with the Coliseum, and saw what was going on. He went over there and they said they needed an extra and he looked like he could fit the part. They dressed him up, gave him a fake gun, and told him to point the gun, and then run after all the sound effects were done. He did it, was paid nothing, and went back to real work. He had no clue what movie or what this was for, but later on, when he went to see the movie, there was the scene. The Sandas Family on the Silver Screen!
There is so much more to this film, but really thats what it is about. It's about the Mafia, it's about the crime, it's about the power. It is really an all-time classic film and I suggest it to anyone who like Mafia movies, or had about four hours to kill off.
Have you ever seen this movie? Would you want to? If you have, what were your favorite parts?
DGS
Quotes of the Day: "You grow up the first day you have a real good laugh at yourself." - Ethel Barrymore
"Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit." - Khalil Gibran