The Godfather Part 2 (1974)

The Godfather Part 2 (1974)

starring Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, John Cazale

directed by Francis Ford Coppola

202 minutes

Young Vito Andolini (Robert De Niro) flees Sicily in 1900, soon after the rest of his family is murdered. His name is changed to Vito Corleone when he immigrates to the United States. He makes a life for himself in New York City with the help of others. He grows up, gets married, and starts a family.

Vito teams up with Clemenza and Tessio to form a gang that provides protection to people in his neighborhood. This brings them into conflict with the local godfather, Don Fanucci. Clemenza and Tessio are ready to give into Don Fanucci's demands but Vito has bigger plans. He talks his partners into letting him solve the problems with Don Fanucci.

Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), a few years after he had the heads of the five families murdered, survives an attempt on his life without physical injury. He is in the process of trying to form a business relationship with Hyman Roth, an aging gangster who also did business with Vito. Michael leans heavily on Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) for help while at the same time keeping him at arm's length in some ways.

The attempt on Michael's life leads him to believe that someone within his organization has betrayed him. Michael's marriage to Kay (Diane Keaton), his wife, goes through a rocky period following the attempt on their lives. He puts time and effort into cultivating the relationship with Roth and rooting out the traitors within his inner circle. This eventually leads to the discovery that his brother Fredo (John Cazale) has been consorting with Johnny Ola, who was behind the attempt on Michael's life.

Thoughts

The film jumps back and forth between the stories of Vito and Michael. Most of the actors who were in the first film are also in this one.

Young Clemenza was played by Bruno Kirby. Hyman Roth was played by Lee Strasberg. Johnny Ola was played by Dominic Chianese.  

This is a very well made movie. I like it very much but it does not compare favorably to the first film in this trilogy. There are a few really intense moments but they are rare, unlike in the previous film. In some ways it is just a little too straightforward in a way that the first film was not. I was not bored by it but it just didn't feel like there was enough driving this movie for it to impress me in the way that the first one did.