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  • Walter's Blog.
  • Home
  • Introduction
  • About Walter
    • 1980 Joining Up - Grafton Street >
      • Arrival and First Impressions
      • First Week
      • Training
      • Passing Out
    • Yaumati Cowboy >
      • Getting on the Streets
      • Tempo of the City
      • Jumpers, pill poppers and the indoor BBQ
      • Into a Minefield.
    • Why Tango in Paris, when you can Foxtrot in Kowloon? >
      • Baptism By Fire
      • Kai Tak with Mrs Thatcher.
      • Home; The Boy Returns
  • 1984 - 1986
    • PTU Instructor & Getting Hitched
    • Having a go: SDU
    • Starting a Chernobyl family
    • EOD - Don't touch anything
    • Semen Stains and the rules
  • 1987 to 1992 - Should I Stay or Go?
    • Blue Lights, Sirens & Grenades
    • Drugs, Broken Kids & A Plane Crash
    • 600 Happy Meals Please!
    • Hong Kong's Best Insurance
    • Riding the Iron Horse
  • Crime in Hong Kong
    • Falling Crime Rates - Why?
    • Triads
  • History of Hong Kong Policing
    • History 1841 to 1941
    • History 1945 to 1967
    • Anatomy of the 50 cent Riot - 1966
    • The Fall of a Commissioner.
    • History 1967 to 1980
    • Three Wise Men from the West
    • The Blue Berets.
    • The African Korps and other tribes.
    • Getting About - Transport.
    • A Pub in every station
    • Bullshit Bingo & Meetings
    • Godber - The one who nearly got away.
    • Uncle Ho
  • Top 20 Films
    • 2001 - A Space Odyssey.
    • The Godfather.
    • Blade Runner
    • Kes
    • Star Wars
    • Aliens
    • Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    • The Life of Brian
    • Dr Strangelove.
    • Infernal Affairs
    • Bridge on the River Kwai.
    • This Is Spinal Tap.
    • Chung King Express
    • An Officer and a Gentleman
    • PTU
    • Contact
    • Saving Private Ryan
    • Family Guy Star Wars
    • Zulu
    • Hard Day's Night
  • The Long Read
    • How The Walls Come Down
    • War in Ukraine - the narrative and other stuff.
    • The Hidden Leader
    • The Big Game
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The Godfather - Part 1

PictureMichael contemplates the enemy.
This movie is an acting master class from Brando, Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall. Plus the second tier actors give performances of stunning depth. This movie has it all. A sweeping saga of intrigue, pathos, revenge, honour, deceit and ascendant power. The themes are ageless. Executed on screen with such skill that every scene needs careful watching.

Let us take one small scene that's pivotal. Don Corleone is approached by the Turk to enter a drug dealing syndicate. The Turk wants Don Corleone's connections for protection. Plus some seed money to kick off this lucrative venture would help. With the deal rejected by the Don, Sonny interrupts to speak in favour. He earns the wrath of his father. The undertone of the scene is that Sonny has invited the Turk to kill the Don, thereby clearing the way for the deal. Sonny’s impetuous nature has exposed a path for the Turk to exploit. Sonny has sealed his father’s fate. This is all done with least dialogue possible. Facial tics and deft editing capture the reactions around the room.

The transformation of Michael from the runt of the litter to the head of the family is foreshadowed by his calmness. Pacino manages to portray the young Micheal as thoughtful and composed.  Yet, a brooding ruthlessness is below the surface. 

The Godfather Part 1 remains my favourite of the trilogy. Although each instalment is watchable for its unfolding drama, Part 1 is the rock on which its all built.

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