Speak Softly Love. Summer. I decided that I could spend a wonderful day watching all three of the Godfather movies. I invited my work colleagues and friends. My mother cooked. Zinfandel and Chianti on the table. Pastries from Moio’s Italian Pastry in the fridge. By noon, we gathered in the living room, ready for the mafia marathon. Nine hours of romantic gangster movie viewing. Can there be anything more wonder filled to contemplate? Part I The wedding feast feels splendidly familiar. Hell, they sing Ce La Luna Mezzo Mare with all the obscene gestures. I’m going to let you guess what the Butcher will give the daughter. We all squealed when Johnny Fontaine entered. We all flinched when Khartoum’s head ended up under Jack Woltz’s sheets. We left the gun saved the cannoli for later. At hour three: Sonny was in the grave. Tattaglia was a pimp. Appolonia was blown up. All family business settled while Sofia Coppola was at the baptismal font. We reject Satan and all his works. Michael closed the door on Kay. We had dinner. Part II Every a festival on the streets of New York or in Sicily in all three movies fills you with angst. Some unpleasant bloodletting will occur Maybe carrying around those large statues of Mary is bad juju. Maybe horror is felt much more effectively in the midst of joy. At hour six: Connie is still a mess. Don Fanucci (who just wants to wet his beak) and Don Francesco get their due from Vito Andolini. Fredo is gone. Hyman Roth is shot by Rocco Lampone. Frankie Pentangeli recants before Congress. We eat dessert. Except for the cannoli, because I have seen these movies before. Many times before. I insisted we save the cannoli for the end of Godfather 3. Part III We are all fraying. The most comfortable living room furniture turns to hard and lumpy beneath us. We dread the start of yet another San Gennaro Festival. This is hard work. But we buck up and move onward. Part III is the weakest of the Godfather movies, but I believe that all the carping about it by fans is somewhat misplaced. The ending (no spoilers here) is the only appropriate way for the saga of Michael to conclude. When Don Altobello (Eli Wallach) puts the poisoned cannoli to his mouth I have us prompted, pastry at the ready, to take the last bite with him. It was glorious. When I suggested that we make the viewing a yearly affair, all the cushions in the room hit me at one time.
Posted on: Thu, 01 May 2014 06:29:23 +0000
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