In 1972, Coppola's film "The Godfather", based on Puzo's novel of the same name, was released, and the wonderful storyline, amazing camera movement, and Marlon Brando's unparalleled acting skills made this work a god.
After the release of "The Godfather", it not only became a masterpiece that made people acclaimed and acclaimed, but also won the 1973 Oscar for Best Movie, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor and many other awards.
Bloody rain and warm veins are all truly staged in this landmark gangster epic blockbuster.
The success of "The Godfather" gave Coppola the courage to hit the iron while it was hot.
In 1974, The Godfather 2 was released.
Many people unanimously agreed: "Godfather 2: Sicilians" is the most wonderful of the "Godfather" trilogy. This is a more successful work than The Godfather.
"Godfather 2" adopts a two-line narrative approach, the main line mainly tells the story of the old godfather Vito after the death, the younger son Mike took charge of the family, and struggled to protect the family.
The side line tells the story of the old godfather Vito when he was young: Vito fled from Sicily to New York, started a family with his wife, and then stepped up to the peak of power.
The two-line narrative method not only makes the story more exciting and complete, but also makes up for the audience's curiosity about how the godfather Vito, the "perfect man", is in power.
Not surprisingly, "The Godfather 2" was once again a great success, and the results were so high that Coppola was astonished: "The Godfather 2" won 7 Academy Awards and was nominated for 15...
Because "Godfather 2" is better than "Godfather", plus "Godfather 2" is a dual storyline narrative.
Therefore, Mike, the "second-generation godfather" played by Al Pacino, was compared by the audience with vito, the "godfather of the generation" played by Robert...
The final conclusion is that "the second generation godfather" Mike, greater and more successful than Vito, also ... More loneliness!
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="22" >01, Mike stands at the pinnacle of power with strength</h1>
"The Godfather 2" is the greatest work in the "The Godfather" series, but if you want to understand "The Godfather 2", you need to see "The Godfather" first.
In the first "Godfather", Vito's eldest son, Shan Tino, is calculated by the husband of the new York five families and his sister Connie, and finally Shan Tino is at the toll booth and is beaten into a honeycomb by the people of the five families.
The old godfather Vito, who was seriously injured at the time, was very hurt, but he quickly calmed his anger and decided to first cooperate with the five major families and take back his younger son Mike. And promise the five families that he will never be the one who provokes the war.
After Mike returned to the family, he took over Vito's career, and Vito took a back seat, advising and escorting Mike, and also gave his life's style of life to Mike.
The old godfather Vito, with his own practical actions, let Mike grow into the domineering and wise "second-generation godfather" in "The Godfather 2".
After the death of the old godfather Vito, Mike found the traitors of the family according to Vito's calculations before his death, and planned a series of plans to eventually eliminate the five families.
The Corleone family, the only one
The beginning of "Godfather 2" is already 7 years after Mike destroyed the five major families, and at this time, Mike's career has surpassed that of the old godfather Vito.
Mike brought the family business to the top: he mastered the gambling and drug business in the United States and became the country's largest "mafia" organization.
Of course, they call this "family.".
At this time, Mike has almost no external enemies, the only enemy, from within the family, and those "partners" Johnny and Rose who have done business with the old godfather Vito.
In order for the family to be stable, he fulfilled his promise to his wife Kai and his father Vito's last wish: the family business was fully legalized.
Mike applied the rules of survival given to him by the old godfather Vito: be close to friends, but also close to enemies.
He began to approach the enemy Rose, complete the expansion of the family, and do business in Cuba. At the same time, he also contacted frank, the old man of the family... A series of plans were completed.
But he never expected that Rose would bribe his brother Fredo, who was betrayed by Fredo, causing his own calculations to fail, not only did not destroy Rose, but he was also calculated by Senator Jill and sued in court.
Fortunately, Frank's cooperation with Johnny was Mike's calculation at the beginning, so Senator Jill's calculation failed.
Mike begins a second round of planning, culminating in Frank committing suicide to save the family, and Ross is assassinated by Mike's men under the strong protection of the Councillors.
The Corleone family has completely become the "king", Mike not only created the history of the Corleone family, but also created the history of the mafia: to become the real king of the underground world, and to push the business abroad...
Behind the glory, carved is loneliness.
Mike's career reached its peak, making history and surpassing Vito. But in the family, it is doomed to not be as happy as Vito.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="48" >02, The Lonely King</h1>
Mike stands at the pinnacle of power, but he is destined to be a lonely king.
"The Godfather 2" not only tells the story of Mike's career success, but also recalls Vito's career as a young man.
From the story of Vito's youth, we get a message: behind every successful man stands a woman who silently supports him.
Vito's successful career was built by him with strength, the happiness of his family, and the charm of his personality.
When Vito was young, a friend took him to the theater with him to see a performance, and a friend introduced him to a beautiful theatrical actor, and Vito said: I think the most beautiful girl is my wife...
Vito is absolutely loyal to his wife,
In the same way, the wife supports Vito, no matter what Vito does or how he does, she supports him without hesitation. This couple is mutually accomplished, so there is Vito's most reasonable saying: a man who is not willing to spend time with his family is not a man.
Half of Vito's success comes from his wife!
Friends who have watched "The Godfather" should all know that in fact, Kai is not Mike's good person. Mike's beloved is the sicilian girl, and Kay's personality can't make her fully support Mike.
Because of this, after Kay was ambushed at home, she beat up the unborn child in her womb and divorced Mike, leaving Mike a "loner".
In addition, Mike learned the essence of Vito in terms of mentality and means, but in the treatment of relatives and friends, Mike is far from the same.
Arbitrary and arrogant, making his sister Connie reluctant to live with him, making Tom want to leave him to live alone in Las Vegas, and letting his brother Fredo betray him.
By the time Mike learned Vito's phrase "think about things from the position of the people around him, if you do it, everything is possible", it is too late, and Fredo has betrayed him at this time.
The moment his mother dies, it is already doomed that Mike will become a "lonely king", losing his mother's restraints, mike with zero tolerance for betrayal: executing his brother Fredo.
Mike succeeds, he becomes the King of darkness, but he also fails, the family is broken, the eldest brother has long since died, the second brother betrayed himself and was executed, Tom also wants to leave, what is left of him?
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="70" >03, Mike, regret it? </h1>
I have to say that in addition to the wonderful story and rich philosophy of the "Godfather" series, his mirror operation is simply a "textbook".
At the beginning of "The Godfather", in the dark little room, the godfather Vito's back-to-back shot tells about his greatness... In "The Godfather 2", similar shots are also operated, backlighting, vistas, small elevation angles... Without any unnecessary narration, the camera sense has already shown the loneliness of the "Godfather" to the fullest!
At the end of The Godfather 2, Mike sits there alone, looking lonely. The camera switches instantaneously, coming to that year: Father Vito is in his prime, the eldest brother ShanTino begins to gradually take over the family business, the second brother Fredo is incompetent and timid under the protection of his father and eldest brother, but he has infinite care for Mike, Tom has never been born out of the family's mind, Mike himself, just chose to quit school to prepare for the army, Connie has not yet married...
Everything is so beautiful, this family, is so prosperous, vito was alive, the family's joy and harmony, and at the end of the story, Mike is alone, sitting in the manor, the sun is gradually setting, the great manor, except Mike, there is nothing else... A stark contrast is formed. Did Mike ever regret it at this moment?
That year, if Mike did not rebel and chose to join the army, but as his father Vito wished, he became a senator after studying, perhaps the family would prosper under the leadership of Sandino. The second brother will not feel incompetent because he is an older brother, but he needs the care of his younger brother, and wants to change... Tom is still a military master, giving advice...
Mike, do you regret it?
I think he regretted it, under the power, and was devastated.
Early in the story of "The Godfather 2", mike's eyes are so determined, and how lost his eyes are the moment the sunset is.
Under the firm eyes, Mike is doomed to have no one to rely on, and can only become the fate of others.
The era of lecture qi has changed, and Mike is endlessly lonely in his heart, and no one can understand it.
As someone asked: If in the end, Connie did not choose to stay, Mike, where will she go?