Original interpretation — not a still from the production
A film about a family business, which happens to be murder.
The Continental Verdict
Essential
Everything said about it is true, so we will confine ourselves to one observation: it is the great film about succession. Michael does not fall into the family trade; he is drawn in by competence, and competence is the most dangerous quality a young man can possess.
Gordon Willis's photography — those tan-and-shadow interiors, faces half-lost above the desk lamp — remains the most imitated look in American cinema and has never been bettered.
Why Watch It
The Gentleman Factor
Study the manners, not the methods. Vito's courtesy is a tool of control.
Look Out For
- The wedding, shot like documentary
- The Sicilian interlude
- The final door
The Locations
Staten Island, Little Italy and the Sicilian villages of Savoca and Forza d'Agrò.
More from the travel pages →The Cars
1940s Packards and Lincolns, all correctly weathered.
More from motoring →The Wardrobe
Anna Hill Johnstone's tailoring charts Michael's descent from Ivy League service uniform to double-breasted darkness.
More on style →The Soundtrack
Nino Rota, again — the most recognisable eight bars in film music.
Into the music room →Watch Next
Where to Watch
Prime Video; the Coppola Restoration disc set.
For the Collection
Also in The Criminal Gentleman
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