wow Straw, that's a long one. Are you Italian, or part? I'm only half Italian, my other half is Irish. I'm 65 yrs old, and up until 6 or 7 yrs ago, I COULD NOT manage to sit down with the Godfather and watch it all the way through. I'm born in Brooklyn and later raised in the Bronx and for the life of me I couldn't get past the first few idiot "bit" actors they paraded on the screen. In my eyes they were too regular for me, they were guys buying coffee in the local deli. Fast forward to about 2018, I had just bought my current house with my wife, and I had a buddy visiting from Florida, last name Gambino, no joke, true story. So my wife had something to do, and left the 2 of us Bronx guys to flip around the channels and actually watch The Godfather. Neither one of us drink or party or anything else, but the movie was amazing, we were both floored, especially after both of us had avoided it for years. That's my GF story, and I concur with what you wrote. 😉
That’s a great story. I am not Italian. I have some relatives through marriage that are and were born in NYC. But that world was foreign to me and not everyday, in my case. So Italian culture is a beautiful thing. It also took some time to work up to watching the whole thing. Since, I’ve seen it countless times from beginning to end.
My favorite parts are with Deniro in Sicily in part II. For me, this is a supreme example of the power of art. It’s want I want to accomplish in some way. I’m not saying I can ever equal something that is a masterpiece. But, I want to move people and make them feel something. But anyway I am so glad you shared that with me. I have no idea if people watch classics anymore or not.
I have watched it maybe one more time since then. I tried getting into the next couple of GFs, but IDK they didn't have the same power of the first. I stand by my story that something amazing happened that day. I am a fan of "mob movies" too, but I HATE DeNiro. Remember "A Bronx Tale"? Think back to the guy who got out of the car with the baseball bat, "over a parking space" and Sonny shot him dead... we'll, I used to work with that guy in the NYC Dept of Sanitation. His name was Joe Iocovello, they called him Joey "Arms" because he was always lifting weights, his son was in the movie too as an extra, and also on the job with me, I knew the son a lot better. But I'm not crazy about Chazz Palmentiere either, I think he should give up the Bronx routine, it's too much. He can't do anything else.
I love Bronx Tale. That is an amazing thing, your meeting that guy, and I have seen that movie 1000 times. There is wisdom in that story. I like the pull of different father figures in the boys life. Deniro just came out with a movie where he is playing two real life, famous mafia guys. I would like to see it but don’t like that he is playing both characters. That ruins it for me.
That’s a unique view as far as Deniro’s acting. I can agree he has made some stinkers in later years, but I still think he can turn on his acting chops when he wants.
I thought DeNiro showed some flexibility in "The Intern", about the retiree looking for a job to stay relevant, other than that I've never been impressed. He spent his whole life portraying regular, everyday idiots like myself, and somehow adopts an attitude of liberalism, that I really DOUBT HE EVEN UNDERSTANDS, but that's just me, lol
No I definitely knew "Joey Arms" I worked with him only once, he was stationed on west side and I was on east side. I knew his son much better though, he worked east as well. They were ok, the father, (the movie star) was a little old school to put it mildly.
Well I hope you get to see them sometime. They do not make them like that anymore, although that movie Brutalist has been compared to the Godfather. I have not seen it. Thanks for reading and sharing.
Well, I haven't watched these films as I don't like mafia movies but I like your post. The message about Michael's daughter (that I knew before I read this) is interesting: it's like someone is telling him, maybe you have not died but you are going to pay a greater price anyhow. Like the Christ's expresión in the Gospels(Matthew, 26, 52): "Jesus then said, 'Put your sword back, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword". A truly interesting consideration viewing they actually maintained the Catholic rites.
Thanks so much. I am glad you liked, and it’s not really a mafia movie in the way most people use that term. The last of the trilogy has major flaws and lots of people hate it. But there is greatness in it, just not as much as the originals. Pacino’s portrayal as heartbroken after she dies is breathtaking. Coppola wanted to mix religious faithfulness with violence to show the contradictions between family love and maintaining family prestige.
I understand the portrait. Hypocrisy, basically. But they where not the normal family but a mafia one, so the sins where greater than most, while the behaviour was similar.
Hypocrisy is a great word and is actually used in the movies. Michael uses it to say that politicians and gangsters are part of the same hypocrisy. So, I agree with what you mean.
wow Straw, that's a long one. Are you Italian, or part? I'm only half Italian, my other half is Irish. I'm 65 yrs old, and up until 6 or 7 yrs ago, I COULD NOT manage to sit down with the Godfather and watch it all the way through. I'm born in Brooklyn and later raised in the Bronx and for the life of me I couldn't get past the first few idiot "bit" actors they paraded on the screen. In my eyes they were too regular for me, they were guys buying coffee in the local deli. Fast forward to about 2018, I had just bought my current house with my wife, and I had a buddy visiting from Florida, last name Gambino, no joke, true story. So my wife had something to do, and left the 2 of us Bronx guys to flip around the channels and actually watch The Godfather. Neither one of us drink or party or anything else, but the movie was amazing, we were both floored, especially after both of us had avoided it for years. That's my GF story, and I concur with what you wrote. 😉
That’s a great story. I am not Italian. I have some relatives through marriage that are and were born in NYC. But that world was foreign to me and not everyday, in my case. So Italian culture is a beautiful thing. It also took some time to work up to watching the whole thing. Since, I’ve seen it countless times from beginning to end.
My favorite parts are with Deniro in Sicily in part II. For me, this is a supreme example of the power of art. It’s want I want to accomplish in some way. I’m not saying I can ever equal something that is a masterpiece. But, I want to move people and make them feel something. But anyway I am so glad you shared that with me. I have no idea if people watch classics anymore or not.
I have watched it maybe one more time since then. I tried getting into the next couple of GFs, but IDK they didn't have the same power of the first. I stand by my story that something amazing happened that day. I am a fan of "mob movies" too, but I HATE DeNiro. Remember "A Bronx Tale"? Think back to the guy who got out of the car with the baseball bat, "over a parking space" and Sonny shot him dead... we'll, I used to work with that guy in the NYC Dept of Sanitation. His name was Joe Iocovello, they called him Joey "Arms" because he was always lifting weights, his son was in the movie too as an extra, and also on the job with me, I knew the son a lot better. But I'm not crazy about Chazz Palmentiere either, I think he should give up the Bronx routine, it's too much. He can't do anything else.
Hey Rob,
I love Bronx Tale. That is an amazing thing, your meeting that guy, and I have seen that movie 1000 times. There is wisdom in that story. I like the pull of different father figures in the boys life. Deniro just came out with a movie where he is playing two real life, famous mafia guys. I would like to see it but don’t like that he is playing both characters. That ruins it for me.
I never really liked DeNiro, I never saw any flexibility in his portrayals, now I hate him for his politics
That’s a unique view as far as Deniro’s acting. I can agree he has made some stinkers in later years, but I still think he can turn on his acting chops when he wants.
I thought DeNiro showed some flexibility in "The Intern", about the retiree looking for a job to stay relevant, other than that I've never been impressed. He spent his whole life portraying regular, everyday idiots like myself, and somehow adopts an attitude of liberalism, that I really DOUBT HE EVEN UNDERSTANDS, but that's just me, lol
yeah Sonny was a surrogate father to C for sure
No I definitely knew "Joey Arms" I worked with him only once, he was stationed on west side and I was on east side. I knew his son much better though, he worked east as well. They were ok, the father, (the movie star) was a little old school to put it mildly.
This is great!!
Thanks so much. Glad you like.
I haven’t watched these movies yet, but the way you wrote about them makes me want to check them out!
Well I hope you get to see them sometime. They do not make them like that anymore, although that movie Brutalist has been compared to the Godfather. I have not seen it. Thanks for reading and sharing.
Well, I haven't watched these films as I don't like mafia movies but I like your post. The message about Michael's daughter (that I knew before I read this) is interesting: it's like someone is telling him, maybe you have not died but you are going to pay a greater price anyhow. Like the Christ's expresión in the Gospels(Matthew, 26, 52): "Jesus then said, 'Put your sword back, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword". A truly interesting consideration viewing they actually maintained the Catholic rites.
Thanks so much. I am glad you liked, and it’s not really a mafia movie in the way most people use that term. The last of the trilogy has major flaws and lots of people hate it. But there is greatness in it, just not as much as the originals. Pacino’s portrayal as heartbroken after she dies is breathtaking. Coppola wanted to mix religious faithfulness with violence to show the contradictions between family love and maintaining family prestige.
I understand the portrait. Hypocrisy, basically. But they where not the normal family but a mafia one, so the sins where greater than most, while the behaviour was similar.
Hypocrisy is a great word and is actually used in the movies. Michael uses it to say that politicians and gangsters are part of the same hypocrisy. So, I agree with what you mean.
good point