Al Pacino gives one of the best performances by an actor, in this powerful sequel to The Godfather. It is amazing that he did not receive an academy award for his portrayal of crimelord Michael Corleone. Although Pacino was left out, Robert Deniro did win for best supporting actor, as a young Vito Corleone. Robert Duvall and Diane Keaton are also back in their respective roles as Tommy Hagen and Kay Corleone.
The story is two different tales. The first, tells Michael Corleone’s story, several years after the concluding events of The Godfather; beginning in 1958. The second story details the rise to power, of young Vito Corleone. The first story makes sense. The second lends to some confusion, and undercuts Michael Corleone’s story. There is also nothing but Italian spoken, which makes it seem like a Fellini film. It also makes the film overly long, but that was the director’s decision.
Michael Corleone has become the leading crime lord in the country, picking up, where his late father left off. He has made many enemies, which leads to an assasination attempt. He survives it, by his instinct, and his wife wondering why the curtains are open, at night. This scene is reminiscent of gangster films made decades before. What is even more disturbing about the attempted hit, is when Tommy Hagen, informs Michael that its an inside job. After this, Michael leaves his compound, in Lake Tahoe, to find out exactly who is responsible.
Michael goes to Miami to conduct business with Hyman Roth, (Lee Strasberg). It’s quite a treat to see Pacino and Strasberg in their scenes together. Michael Corleone is trying to expand his casino business to Miami and Havana, and wants to partner with Roth. He also wants to know who set up the hit on him, as well as Frankie Pantangeli, (Michael V. Gazzo), who is an old friend of the family. He is disenchanted with how Michael is running the New York business. Pantangeli believes Michael ordered the hit on him. It is because of this, and fear for his life, that he comes to the feds for a deal.
The government is hoping to send Michael Corleone,to prison, with Pentangeli’s testimony. It appears grim for Pacino’s character. Michael Corleone has an ace up his sleeve. He’s brought Pentangeli’s brother over from Sicily. The shock of seeing his brother, makes him recant his testimony. The senate committee is embarrassed and Pentangeli is going to prison for perjury. This sets up a good scene for Robert Duvall. His character becomes visibly upset, and demands an apology, from the committee. While he is waiting to be transferred to a federal prison, Pentangeli is visited by Tommy Hagen. Hagen talks about the good old days, when Frankie worked closely Michael’s father, Vito Corleone. Hagen talks about the Roman Empire, and how disgraced Roman nobles were allowed to commit ritual suicide, and the empire took care of their families. After Hagen leaves, Pentangeli follows the Roman way, and slits his wrists in the tub.
After the senate hearings, Michael goes to his hotel. Kay is waiting for him. She tells him that she’s had enough, and she’s leaving him. While having a heated argument, Kay tells Michael that she didn’t lose their baby, she had an abortion. She says, that she couldn’t bear to bring another Corleone son, into the world. Michael’s eyes bulge and his face turns red with rage, and he strikes his wife. He tells her she will never take his children. It is at this moment, that a crumbling marriage is destroyed. This is a powerfully acted scene, between Al Pacino and Diane Keaton.
After the hearings, Michael Corleone goes to to Havana to discuss business with Hyman Roth. He is putting everything together regarding the failed attempt on his life. Michael has a very revealing conversation with Roth. He tells Corleone that Mo Green, who was killed in the first film, by Michael’s men, built Vegas and was a protege of his. This information, proves that Hyman Roth wanted him dead. He also finds out that Johnny Ola, (Dominic Chianese), organized the hit. He was able to do this with vital information, from Michael’s brother Fredo, (John Cazale). Michael asks Fredo if he ever had any association with either Hyman Roth or Johnny Ola. Fredo says that he never met either man.
Later Fredo takes everyone to a sex show. He tells everyone its a great show, and Johnny Ola took him to the show the first time. Michael says nothing, and is devastated by his brother’s betrayal. Later, at a chaotic New Year’s Eve party, where Cuba’s leader says that he’s fleeing, Michael tells Fredo, that he knows it was him. He then tells him, “You broke my heart.” Fredo flees in panic. After hiding in New York, Fredo comes back to the compound. He tells Michael that he wasn’t treated fairly, and thats why he worked with Johnny Ola. He naively believed nobody would get hurt. Michael tells Fredo that he’s dead to him.
Later, Michael Corleone finds out that Hyman Roth is going to jail, and that he’s terminally ill. He tells Tommy Hagen, that he wants him killed. His attorney, is shocked by this. He asks Michael if he wants to kill everybody. In an acknowledgement of who he is, he says, “just my enemies.”He orders the hit, and Hyman Roth is killed, while at the airport.
A feeling for Michael Corleone’s character, comes when his estranged wife, Kay, makes a secret visit to see her children. Michael arrives at the house, and she tries to speak to him before leaving. He looks at her, and closes the door on her, without a word. Michael’s final descent into evil comes when he orders the hit on his brother, Fredo His brother is on a boat with the hitman, and says a Hail Mary, and is shot in the head. Corleone stands inside his house, with no emotion. There is a flashback scene of the Corleone family, getting ready for a surprise birthday party for Vito Corleone. Everybody rushes to greet their father, except Michael, who remains at the table alone. The final scene shows Michael Corleone sitting in a chair, deep in thought, and alone.
The story of young Vito Corleone is taken from the book. The main theme would be like father, like son. Vito is working hard in a grocery store, to support his family. He loses his job to the nephew of Fanucci,(Gastone Moschin), the local crimelord. When Corleone loses his job, he resorts to theft, partnering with Clemenza (Bruno Kirby) and Tessio (John Aprea). Fanucci finds out the young thieves, are making a considerable profit. He demands a piece of the action, because they are operating in his territory. Deniro’s character meets with Fanucci, and gives him a small portion of the profits. Fanucci isn’t outraged, and tells Corleone to come see him, to set up a business arrangement. This is part of Corleone’s master plan. He later kills Fanucci outside his apartment, when fireworks, celebrating a religious celebration, are set off. This action, by Vito Corleone, gives him control of Fanucci’s territory. Later, Corleone is shown setting up his olive oil importing business, the front for his crime dealings. When he’s established, he goes to Sicily, to take care of one last piece of unfinished business. He finds Don Fresco, the man who killed his parents. After a brief introduction, Corleone leans over and says this is for his father, Vito Andolini, and stabs Don Fresco, killing him. He then leaves, and gets on the train, waving goodbye to friends and family.
The most important aspect of The Godfather: Part 2, is the development of Michael Corleone’s character. He goes from not wanting anything to do with the family business, in the first film, to being the head of it. He is transformed from the beginning of The Godfather, from a nice young man to a ruthless, unfeeling criminal, in The Godfather: Part 2. Michael is forced to become a ruthless crime lord, because of circumstances. He knows that his father’s and his brother’s death, left him in a vulnerable position. His eldest brother Fredo, isn’t competent, to take over. The opposing families would kill him, if he gave up power. He made a decision to maintain his family’s position, by any and all means necessary It kept him alive, but cost him his soul.
Despite Michael Corleone’s power and wealth, he can’t control his family. His emotionally starved sister, Connie, (Talia Shire), wants to marry her boyfriend, and go on a honeymoon cruise. She asks him for the money for the cruise. He tells her that the ink on her divorce papers isn’t dry. She says that she loves him, and he gives her the money. Talia Shire gives a terrific performance as Connie, displaying an unhappy woman, who has no say in family business; not even stopping Fredo’s execution. His brother, Fredo, can’t control his drunken wife at Michael’s son’s first communion party. Michael’s bodyguard says to Fredo, that Michael instructed him to take care of Fredo’s wife, if he can’t. Fredo says for the bodyguard to handle the problem. Fredo’s wife is then forcefully escorted from the premises. This leads to an embarrassing apology from Fredo.
This movie presents a cinematic profile of criminal psychology. Al Pacino manages to get the Michael Corleone character away from his father Vito. The only thing Michael has in common with his father, is his occupation. He doesn’t understand his father’s respect for family. When Michael has his discussion with brother about his betrayal; Fredo says Pop would never treat him the way Michael has. Michael Corleone isn’t able to negotiate his business dealings. When he wants a United States Senator, Pat Geary, (G.D. Spradlin), to negotiate a casino deal, he cuts off the discussion, when he is insulted. He later forces the senator, to work with him, when he gets him out of a very bad situation.
Francis Ford Coppola has succeeded in getting the most out of his actors. This can be a difficult thing. A few of them, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and Diane Keaton, won academy awards later in their careers. Coppola’s film legacy was cemented with this film. He won the award for best director. It’s story of a powerful man, who ends up friendless and alone, is reminiscent of Citizen Kane. The Godfather: Part2, is a long film, coming in at nearly three and a half hours. It is a gripping drama, with great cinematography, direction and superb acing, making it very watchable. Francis Ford Coppola managed with The Godfather: Part2, to make a sequel worthy of its predecessor.