Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall in the Francis Ford Coppola movie ‘The Godfather Part II’

Matt Lynn Digital reviewed the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather (1972) in January 2023. Today, we look to Ford Coppola‘s sequel as released in December 1974, namely The Godfather Part II (1974). Both claim the Mario Puzo book The Godfather as source material, with screenwriting credit for Puzo and Ford Coppola.

(From left, Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen and Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The original movie told the story of a clandestine organized crime dynasty’s transfer from an aging patriarch to a reluctant son of the original; the second movie tells of the early life and career of that patriarch from Sicily, Italy to New York City, New York as prequel while showing the son expand and control the dynasty as sequel. This storytelling decision to expand upon the original while speaking to the fate of the Don Vito Corleone’s family broke cinematic ground with meaning while offering satisfaction.

(From left, Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone and Leopoldo Trieste as Signor Roberto in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The story of Don Michael Corleone within The Godfather Part II opens in 1958 in Lake Tahoe on the California and Nevada border, accepting meetings in that role on the day of his son’s First Communion. Capo Frankie Pentangeli raises dismay about extracurricular behavior in the Bronx by Jewish mobster Hyman Roth’s organization. Meanwhile, Senator Pat Geary insults the Corleones specifically and Italians generally, demanding a bribe for casino operations that Michael aims not to pay. A failed assassination attempt on Michael Corleone leads him, while departing, to confide in consiglieri Tom Hagan that he, Corleone, fears a traitor exists within the organization. Al Pacino, Michael V. Gazzo, Lee Strasberg, G.D. Spradlin and Robert Duvall portrayed Corleone, Pantengeli, Roth, Geary and Hagan, respectively.

(Giuseppe Sillato as Don Francesco in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The story of Don Vito Corleone starts within The Godfather Part II as nine-year-old Vito Andolini in the Corleone neighborhood of Sicily in 1901. An insult to Mafia chieftain Don Francesco by Vito’s father led to the murder of Vito’s family, with Vito fleeing to New York City with the name Vito Corleone. It was 1917 that Vito loses his job due to interference by Don Fanucci before Vito’s neighbor, Peter Clemenza, asks Vito to hold some guns to avoid criminal consequences. The pair later strike up the beginnings of the Corleone crime empire while we get to meet Vito’s wife, Carmela, and the couple’s four kids. Oreste Baldini, Giuseppe Sillato, Robert De Niro, Gastone Moschin, Bruno Kirby, Francesca De Sapio, Roman Coppola and Louis Marino portrayed Vito Andolini – as a Boy, Don Francesco, Vito Corleone, Don Fanucci, young Peter Clemenza, young Carmela Corleone, Sonny Corleone – as a Boy and young Michael Corleone.

(From left, Al Pacino as Michael Corleone and John Cazale as Fredo Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The stories escalate from there, with Michael moving against Geary for political support while aiming for business plans in Cuba. Intrigue with Pentangeli and Roth bring Johnny Ola and Fredo Corleone into clearer focus, while Geary goes to bat for Michael Corleone and the Corleone criminal enterprise against a Senate Committee in Washington DC. When Mama (Carmela) Corleone as portrayed by Morgana King, drama for Michael comes full force with revelations for Connie, Fredo, Kay and the ongoing legacy of the family. Meanwhile with the prequel, a partnership with Salvatore Tessio brings additional friction with Don Fanucci that leads to the initial expansion of the Corleone crime family that many years later becomes the storyline explored with Michael. Dominic Chianese, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton and John Aprea portrayed Johnny Ola, Fredo Corleone, Connie Corleone, Kay Adams Corleone, and Young (Salvatore) Tessio, respectively.

(Diane Keaton as Kay Adams Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The Godfather Part II movie raises so many questions and suspense that are resolved with clarity, directness and brutality. Loyalty and betrayal are strong themes running throughout; that the story of Vito Corleone and Michael Corleone have moved from an initial innocence to an assertive, yet seemingly principled criminal philosophy is remarkable and substantial when looked at in parallel. I grant The Godfather Part II as directed by Francis Ford Coppola 4.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, April 6, 2024

Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel and Barbara Hershey in the Martin Scorsese movie ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’

We travel back five decades for a decidedly personal, humanist, even brave to explore the challenges of the spiritual and physical endured by Jesus of Nazareth in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988). Directed by Martin Scorsese, the movie was inspired by the 1952 book The Last Temptation of Christ by Níkos Kazantzákis. Screenplay writing credits rest with Paul Schrader, with uncredited rewrite credits resting with Scorsese and Jay Cocks.

(From left, Harvey Keitel as Judas Iscariot, Willem Dafoe as Jesus, Barbara Hershey as Mary Magdalene, Victor Argo as Peter the Apostle and Verna Bloom as Mary (Mother of Jesus Christ) in the Martin Scorsese movie The Last Temptation of Christ).

The movie itself opens with an account of Jesus that deviates dramatically from the tales shared of the holy man and the events surrounding his life as shared in the New Testament of the Bible. We first encounter Jesus, as portrayed by Willem Dafoe, in Judea. The carpenter’s son is confronted by Judas Iscariot, as portrayed by Harvey Keitel, with a mandate to murder his friend for collaborating with the Romans to crucify Jewish rebels. Judging the messianic path in front of Jesus, Judas declines the mandate and spares his friend, warning him away from harming the rebellion.

(From left, Randy Danson as Mary, sister of Lazarus, and Peggy Gormley as Martha, sister of Lazarus in the Martin Scorsese movie The Last Temptation of Christ).

After being baptized by John the Baptist, as portrayed by Andre Gregory, and saving the prostitute Mary Magdalene, as portrayed by Barbara Hershey from a stoning, Jesus begins preaching in accordance with the visions he receives from God. A cursory telling of Jesus‘ preaching yields to a dramatized period of deprivation with temptation by Satan, portrayed in vocal form by Leo Marks. Having passed these tests, Jesus emerges from the desert and his nursed back to health by the sisters of Lazarus, namely Mary as portrayed by Randy Danson and Martha as portrayed by Peggy Gormley. Besides raising his health, the sisters encourage Jesus to follow the dictates of his flesh by settling down, getting married and having kids.

(Tomas Arana as Lazarus in the Martin Scorsese movie The Last Temptation of Christ).

Lazarus, dramatized in being saved from death by Jesus, was portrayed by Tomas Arana. It is with his ministry reaching Jerusalem that the Cleansing of the Temple of Jerusalem followed by the betrayal of Jesus at Gethsemane is dramatized following a dramatized negotiation for such between Judas and Jesus. It is in the court of Pontius Pilate, as portrayed by David Bowie, that Jesus‘ remaining passion is decided, with the aforementioned arrest, visit to Pilate and subsequent whipping, humiliating walk through the streets and crucifixion.

(From left, David Bowie as Pontius Pilate and Willem Dafoe as Jesus in the Martin Scorsese movie The Last Temptation of Christ).

The steps in punishment meted out by the hand of Pontius Pilate are shown, with the story of the moment just before death introducing a new storyline at the moment just before death. A Girl Angel, as portrayed by Juliette Caton, representing herself as a Guardian Angel for Jesus indicates to the savior that he’s suffered enough. Oblivious to the crowd gathered at the crucifixion site, Jesus is taken away to marry Mary Magdalene as God has found pleasure with Jesus and wants him, Jesus, to be happy. This lasts until Magdalene abruptly dies, Jesus living with Lazarus‘ sisters into old age with children, and Paul as portrayed by Henry Dean Stanton proclaiming the resurrection. With the Siege of Jerusalem burning Jerusalem revealed to Jesus among other things, the story has Jesus realize this temptation was indeed a ruse by Satan. Crawling back to the crucifixion and begging to die per the original vision, the temptation of family, marriage and a burning city is rebuffed with Jesus‘ death.

(From left, Juliette Caton as Girl Angel and Willem Dafoe as Jesus in the Martin Scorsese movie The Last Temptation of Christ).

The tug between the spiritual and the physical feels like the full value proposition that the film’s director, and the writers for the source book and the movie, had in mind. To say that exploring this point through the telling of this controversial temptation, as mentioned in the introduction to this summarization and review, was brave is perhaps the best light that I have to place on the emotions I experienced with my screening of the movie. While I understand the choices made in conveying the pull between the wants for spirituality and physicality, that exploration didn’t need to use the leader of what has been passed to us as Christianity to do so. I give The Last Temptation of Christ as directed by Martin Scorsese 3.5-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, March 16, 2024

Paul Newman, George Kennedy and Strother Martin in the Stuart Rosenberg movie ‘Cool Hand Luke’

Set in central Florida of the 1950s, the Stuart Rosenberg directed movie Cool Hand Luke (1967) is a film adapted from the 1965 Donn Pearce novel named Cool Hand Luke. The central protagonist for this anti-establishment prison piece is Lucas ‘Luke’ Jackson, portrayed by Paul Newman.

(From left, Luke Askew as Boss Paul, Ralph Waite as Alibi, Warren Finnerty as Tattoo, Harry Dean Stanton as Tramp and Paul Newman as Lucas ‘Luke’ Jackson in the Stuart Rosenberg movie Cool Hand Luke).

We’re introduced to the character of Luke Jackson as he gets hauled off to a rural jail for a two-year sentence for cutting parking meters off their poles for what amounts to entertainment while drunk. We meet Alibi, Tattoo and Tramp brought into a chain gang prison camp by Boss Paul. Boss Paul, Alibi, Tattoo and Tramp are portrayed by Luke Askew, Ralph Waite, Warren Finnerty and Harry Dean Stanton, respectively.

(From left, Strother Martin as The Captain and Robert Donner as Boss Shorty in the Stuart Rosenberg movie Cool Hand Luke).

The audience meets stern warden, Captain, almost immediately in the prison camp. We meet Walking Boss Godfrey, ‘the man with no eyes’ and floorwalker Carr just as quickly, with Boss Higgins and Boss Shorty coming into the picture as the story moves into establishing the pecking order among the prison leaderships and guards, including Captain, Walking Boss Godfrey, Carr, Boss Higgins and Boss Shorty as portrayed by Strother Martin, Morgan Woodward, Clifton James, Charles Tyner and Robert Donner, respectively.

(From left, Anthony Zerbe as Dog Boy, Charles Tyner as Boss Higgins, Luke Askew as Boss Paul and Morgan Woodward as Walking Boss (aka Godfrey) in the Stuart Rosenberg movie Cool Hand Luke).

The notion of pecking order extends from the guards and into the inmates of the prison pretty quickly. George Kennedy won the Academy Award for role as Dragline in Cool Hand Luke. Luke runs afoul of Dragline immediately, as the top of the inmate pyramid for the chain gang prisoners is Kennedy’s character. It is when Luke is severely outmatched by Dragline in an impromptu boxing match of interest to the guards and inmates alike, followed by a bluffing himself to victory while gambling with a “real cool hand” that cements respect among the prisoners and attention from the guards.

(From left, Paul Newman as Lucas ‘Luke’ Jackson and George Kennedy as Dragline in the Stuart Rosenberg movie Cool Hand Luke).

An incident later with a rattle snake between Luke and Godfrey, aka Walking Boss, strikes a further note of anti-establishment for Luke Jackson the character. Adding the full-throated treatment of Luke’s relationship with his sick mother, Arletta, gave depth and resonance to the internal compassion and conflict that became so striking for the central character and themes explored through the movie. Jo Van Fleet portrayed Arletta.

(From left, Ralph Waite as Alibi and Dennis Hopper as Babalugats in the Stuart Rosenberg movie Cool Hand Luke).

Cool Hand Luke justifiably received much respect for a superior narrative, an indomitable will for a leading character, an ensemble cast of recognizable talent 55-years later, and a commendable anti-hero counterculture approach that fit the life and times of the period when the movie filmed in and portrayed. I grant Cool Hand Luke as directed by Stuart Rosenberg 4.5-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, March 12, 2022

Henry Fonda, Vera Miles and Anthony Quayle in the Alfred Hitchcock movie ‘The Wrong Man’

A theme running through many Alfred Hitchcock movies has been an innocent party being suspected of a crime. With the movie The Wrong Man (1956), we in the audience enter a clear example of film noir mixed with true crime, drawn as this movie is from the book The True Story of Christopher Emmanuel Balestrero by Maxwell Anderson as well as a magazine article titled A Case of Identity by Herbert Brean as published in Life magazine in June 1953.

(From left, Henry Fonda as Christopher Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Balestrero and Vera Miles as Rose Balestrero in the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Wrong Man).

Henry Fonda portrayed Christopher Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Balestrero, the New York City musician who seeks to borrow money from a life insurance policy for his wife, Rose. Rose Balestrero, who needs dental work in the sum of $300, is portrayed by Vera Miles. It is in the attempt to meet this need that Manny Balestrero is accused of robbery.

(From left, Harold J. Stone as Detective Lieutenant Bowers and Charles Cooper as Detective Matthews in the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Wrong Man).

Detective Lieutenant Bowers and Detective Matthews, as portrayed by Harold J. Stone and Charles Cooper, respectively, are the law enforcement officer of a mind to prove Manny Balestrero guilty. Their heavy-handed procedures offer tension to Balestrero’s case, as we in the audience know him to be clearly innocent of the deeds the detectives have a mind to pin on him.

(From left, Henry Fonda as Christopher Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Balestrero and Anthony Quayle as attorney Frank O’Connor in the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Wrong Man).

Anthony Quayle portrayed Frank O’Connor, the attorney seeking to aid Manny Balestrero in his defense. With today’s eyes, I struggle with the notion of Balestrero cooperating with many of the activities that police detectives Bowers and Matthews put Manny through in the course of making their case. That these activities were those of a man aiming to cooperate with police make sense, though the notion of presumed guilty until enough baited hooks are fished proved difficult.

(From left, Esther Minciotti as Mama Balestrero and Vera Miles as Rose Balestrero in the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Wrong Man).

While the case against Manny Balestrero was being made and further put to a jury, the emotional well-being of Rose Balestrero deteriorated. The stress of the proceedings coupled with a sense of guilt for needing the dental work that cast suspicion upon her husband initially lands Rose in the hospital. The storytelling of this demise is told rather factually and dispassionately. I would have liked to see more development of the onset of Rose’s depression in this movie, though I can appreciate the understated presence of it nonetheless.

(From left, Henry Fonda as Christopher Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Balestrero and director Alfred Hitchcock in cameo in the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Wrong Man).

The mistaken identity at the center of The Wrong Man is based in fact. The larger underlying story points for Manny Balestrero, concerning his being investigated as well as taken to trial, also are based in reality. The understated qualities of the film noir storytelling, with the subtext of a string of robberies rather than the murder, make for an interesting combination for this film. While the end result isn’t among my favorite efforts by Alfred Hitchcock, the sum total did work. I grant The Wrong Man as directed by Alfred Hitchcock 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, December 4, 2021

Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles and the movie ‘Kelly’s Heroes’

In sharing some thoughts on movies recently, an intelligent and fundamentally humorous uncle of mine suggested that I take a look at a movie that he enjoyed from back in the day. Given that this conversation occurred over Memorial Day weekend in the United States, where those who have died in the country’s wars are honored, movies about war are sure to appear on television. Given the confluence of Memorial Day with the Uncle California suggestion, let us look at the movie Kelly’s Heroes (1970).

(From left, Clint Eastwood as Private Kelly, and Telly Savalas as Master Sergeant Big Joe in Kelly Heroes).

Kelly’s Heroes tells the story of a group of World War Two American soldiers who go AWOL to rob a bank behind enemy lines. The plan is the brainchild of Private Kelly, played by Clint Eastwood, who enlists the crew of Master Sergeant Big Joe, as played by Telly Savalas, to support the operation. Kelly himself is quite capable of leading the operation alone, yet had been unjustly kicked back to private as an act of bureaucratic discretion that made Kelly want to stick it to the man.

(Donald Sutherland as Oddball and Don Rickles as Supply Sergeant Crapgame in Kelly’s Heroes).

Don Rickles played the role of Supply Sergeant Crapgame was recruited by Kelly to get the guns and other supplies that were needed to get behind enemy lines. Add Donald Sutherland as a hippie tank platoon commander Oddball with three M4 Sherman tanks to the shenanigans. The mission itself is clearly established without the benefit of offical military planning, with the men pursuing a fight and riches through theft for their own accord.

(From left, Carroll O’Connor as General Colt and Gavin MacLeod as Moriarty in Kelly’s Heroes).

Kelly and the heroes who join him take clear risk and suffer real loss on their way, yet the squad level mockery of senior military leadership is demonstrated through General Colt, as played by Carroll O’ Connor. The tribulations of the journey getting through enemy lines and the silliness that ensued are provided in humorous relief with the support of Gavin MacLeod as Moriarty, Gene Collins as Babra, Stuart Margolin as Little Joe, Dick Balduzzi as Fisher, and Perry Lopez as Petuko.

(From left, Gene Collins as Babra, Stuart Margolin as Little Joe, Dick Balduzzi as Fisher, Perry Lopez as Petuko, and Telly Savalas as Big Joe in Kelly’s Heroes).

Overall, Kelly’s Heroes worked for me as a decent mix of satire combined with heist caper and battlefield action. Definite star appeal existed in the casting for the era of this film. While not the best of any individual elements mentioned as included with the film, I offer the movie Kelly’s Heroes 3.75-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, June 6, 2020

Sigourney Weaver and Tom Skerritt in the Ridley Scott film ‘Alien’

Ridley Scott‘s second film that spawned a movie franchise while launching the acting career for Sigourney Weaver. Alien (1979) premiered in May of 1979 at the fourth Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), with a broad release later that summer. The film won an Academy Award for Visual Effects, garnering wide critical and fan esteem in the science fiction horror genre.

(John Hurt as Kane, Veronica Cartwright as Lambert, Tom Skerritt as Dallas, Yaphet Kotto as Parker, Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, Harry Dean Stanton as Brett, and Ian Holm as Ash from the film Alien).

Ridley Scott directed the Dan O’Bannon written film Alien, which follows the crew of the commercial space ship Nostromo. After having mined a world for cargo ostensibly valuable on Earth from far outside our solar system, the crew is awakened to discover the possibility of life on a moon more than six weeks from home. By the terms of their contract, the crew must investigate or risk not getting paid upon delivering their cargo.

( From left, Ian Holm as Ash, Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, Tom Skerritt as Dallas, and John Hurt as Kane in the film Alien).

When landing on the moon in question, the Nostromo sustains damage when traveling through a challenging atmosphere for landing on a rocky landscape. Parker and Brett, as portrayed by Yaphet Kotto and Harry Dean Stanton, repair the ship while Dallas, Kane, and Lambert, portrayed by Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, and Veronica Cartwright, head out to investigate the signal that prompted the crew to land on the moon. It is during this time that Ripley, as portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, deciphers part of the message that brought the Nostromo to the alien moon as a warning.

(From left, Yaphet Kotto as Parker, Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, Ian Holm as Ash in the film Alien).

Unable to communicate the warning to the exploration crew, Dallas, Kane, and Lambert stumble upon a chamber containing hundreds of eggs, Kane is attacked by a creature that breaks through his helmet and attaches to his face. Dallas and Lambert carry Kane back to the Nostromo. Ash, as portrayed by Ian Holm, overrules a command decision by Ripley and allows entry onto the Nostromo to Dallas, Lambert and Kane.

(Bolaji Badejo as Alien and Veronica Cartwright as Lambert in the film Alien).

It is at this point that the stage is clearly set for what transitions Alien from a science fiction film to science fiction horror film. Movie time and suspense passes before the audience is introduced to Bolaji Badejo as the title character, Alien. The intelligence controlling the Nostromo, known as mother and voiced by Helen Horton, becomes one of multiple characters to question along the journey of the larger movie.

(Sigourney Weaver in character as Ripley with Alien director Ridley Scott).

The film Alien fits in stylistically with many of the larger movie successes of the nineteen-seventies. While taking a bleak tone in the nature of the storytelling, the suspense building with a rising sense of tension accompanied by character revelation his many marks that land the movie into classic status. The feel of this movie makes this a worthwhile watch for those who haven’t seen it yet are looking for an entertaining escape. My rating for Alien as directed by Ridley Scott is 4.25-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, May 6, 2020