 The Godfather, 1972There's not much I can say about this film that hasn't been said already. I think reviews are usually just glorified points of view from people you trust or do not trust... or maybe you're just in the bathroom and need something to read. I don't know. Try that bottle of Perl over there... that's got some good ingredients.By 1972, Francis Ford Coppola had directed eight films. His first four films were practice, essentially, in what was a still underaged, underdeveloped Hollywood. Sure, there were names, but no-names were still able to get b-movie jobs left and right... for, comparibly, a low amount of money. In 1963 he would write and direct Dementia 13, a cult flick that would garner him some respect... enough for a name following. In 1966 Coppola would direct You're a Big Boy Now (also writing the script from David Benedictus' novel of the same name)... which would enter him into the world of Awards. He would be nominated at Cannes that year, along with some of his cast. Five years later he would direct Fred Astaire and Petula Clark in Finian's Rainbow... adding some local talent to his pictures... and gaining some more recognition. The film would also garner him (and his cast/crew) awards at both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes. In 1969 he would work, for the first time, with James Caan and Robert Duvall on The Rain People. This film would not win any awards, but would start the incredibly acting relationship that would cause Coppola to add these two men to his next feature, The Godfather. I'm not going to pretend I know any of the stories as to how the Godfather got made. I do know some info, but it is unsubstantiated, and therefore not worthy of going into a review. I will say this... the DVD collection is one of the finer ones made. I have yet to watch the DVD supplement disc, and it would be foolish (if I had) to re-hash that experience with prospective buyers. Regardless, if you're a fan of the films, get the set. It's more than worth it. Mario Puzo wrote the novel in 1969 and, to this date, has sold over 22 million copies of the book. Whew. He would win the Academy Award, with Coppola, for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. His next works are puzzling, to say the least. In 1974 he would help write the film Earthquake and would help Coppola write part II of the Godfather, in which both men received another Academy Award. From there, his career went a little weird. Puzo was asked to write the story (and the script) for Superman. Superman, you heard me correctly. This is the character that dozens of writers have written about in the comics, including the creators Siegel and Shuster. There were three other writers on Superman, along with Puzo, who helped Richard Donner create such a great film... but what a choice! Was it his ties with Marlon Brando that got him the gig? Was it that he was the new guy on the block... an Academy Award winning writer, a big name to add to the press kits? How do you go from The Godfather to Superman? Very strange. But, it worked. Puzo would go on to pen Superman II, also, though with problems during production, the film would only be half as good as it could have been. The stories behind the films A Time to Die and The Cotton Club would both come from Puzo, who was also continuously writing novels. He would write a few other Mafia type books in his lifetime, and they would spawn (unfortunately) a series of made for TV films. The Sicilian, The Last Don and The Last Don II... all riding on the undying popularity of The Godfather. Puzo would, in 1990, finish out The Godfather films with part III, writing again with Coppola, although this time they would not receive boo from the Academy. There's not much I can say about the acting of this film. It would be ridiculous, like me talking about Laurence Olivier's Hamlet, or Welles' Citizen Kane. The film has a superb cast, it's brilliantly acted from start to finish. There's nothing more to say. One thing I will talk about (because it's such an intrical part of the movie-making business) is the cinematography. Gordon Willis started out in 1970, shooting four films that year. End of the Road (with Stacy Keach, James Earl Jones), The People Next Door (with Eli Wallach), Loving, directed by Empire Strikes Back and Robocop II director Irvin Kershner and The Landlord, directed by the great Hal Ashby, starring Beau Bridges. A pretty good year, all things considering. He would follow up 1970 with Little Murders, directed by Alan Arkin in 1971, and the famous detective mystery Klute, directed by Alan J. Pakula, starring Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland and Roy Scheider. You can see how, little by little, he garnered the trust and respect from an ever changing scale of director. I have no idea how Coppola and Willis got together. I'm sure, somewhere in the annuls of history, we could find this answer... and if you're truly interested, I'm sure the internet would provide such an answer. I could not find one... Winner - Best Cinematographer: Cabaret (1972) - Geoffrey Unsworth Other Nominees:
1776 (1972) - Harry Stradling Jr. You can see the kind of competition that Willis was up against, especially since he was so young. These were old timers who'd paid their dues, in the spiritual sense, of course. He would shoot two other films in 1972... a workhorse... Up the Sandbox, again by Kershner, starring Barbara Streisand, and Bad Company, working with the other Bridges brother, Jeff, directed by Robert Benton (who would help Puzo write Superman). Before Part II he would shoot The Paper Chase and The Parallax View. Part II would not get him the credit he deserved. He would not get nominated, again, though would win the National Society of Film Critics Award for best cinematographer. A bunch of crap, if you ask me... but the competition in 1975 was pretty ruthless. Towering Inferno, The (1974) - Fred J. Koenekamp; Joseph F. Biroc Other Nominees:
Chinatown (1974) - John A. Alonzo Whew, I mean jeeeeez. That's some competition. So, it's slightly understandable... but still, given the shady side of the Academy... the older, more experienced guy who's about to get fired, kick off, or get blacklisted always gets the prize. In 1976 he would shoot All the President's Men for (again) Alan J. Pakula and get nominated at the British Academy Awards. He would then hook up with Woody Allen for one of his finer films, Annie Hall. From there, to two would collaberate on a number of projects. Interiors, Manhattan (in which Willis would get nominated again at the BAFTA), Stardust Memories, A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, Zelig (for which he was finally nominated for an Academy Award), Broadway Danny Rose and The Purple Rose of Cairo. In between, Willis would shoot Comes a Horseman and Pennies From Heaven. In 1985 he would cut ties with Allen and shoot films like Perfect, The Money Pit, The Pick-Up Artist, Bright Lights, Big City, Presumed Innocent, Malice and The Devil's Own. At the end, after the Allen films, his career seemed to peter out. He was still a competent DP, but his choice of jobs seemed to get tighter and tighter. In 1990, after being shuned by the Academy and his peers, Willis would finally get nominated for his work in the Godfather series for part III. It's unfortunate that work such as this has to be put on the backburner for people who are older or have stronger ties. Work should be rewarded, and it was obvious in the days of the 1970's, 80's, 90's and even today that this is still not the case. His work on the Godfather films is brilliant. There is a feel about the photography, the lighting, the blocked shots... the trust in direction. It all comes together more than beautifully. His work post-Godfather only proves his ability as a brilliant photographer. He was trusted with serious work. He produced serious work. His recognition not withstanding, Willis' work is something that should be studied, along the parallel of the great directors he's worked with. This movie is nothing short of brilliant, and is one of the top ten (if not top five) movies, ever.
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