Book vs. Movie: The Godfather

I started writing a lengthy essay about how The Godfather Part I has to be in the top 3 movie adaptations of all time. My only complaint is that I would have liked a bit more of the female characters’ perspectives. In the book Mama Corleone comes alive as a really sassy woman who doesn’t take her husband too seriously. Kay is fleshed out a lot more too. And who doesn’t love speculating on whether Johnny Fontane was really based on Frank Sinatra?

Instead, I’ll leave you with a few favorite clips that illustrate the brilliance of Coppola’s film.

Here we see Michael’s first step into the “family business.” Outside the hospital, he’s calm and cool and ready to become the next Don.

This scene possibly makes the movie better than the book, because the greatest line wasn’t in the book. “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”

The final scene where the door closes on Kay is such a perfect haunting image. In the book there is one more chapter, but for the movie this leaves such an impact.

Here’s a fun article from Vanity Fair with more geeky details: The Godfather Wars

And if you haven’t read the book, go get it! It’s a fun page-turner with a lot of subplots involving the minor characters that aren’t in the movie.