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Michael is actually the villain in Godfather II
Posted on 1/22/19 at 11:26 pm
Posted on 1/22/19 at 11:26 pm
Yes, Roth is the primary antagonist, but he is not the real villain. In the end, he was small potatoes, compared to Michael's own wrath.
Upon a recent re-watch of part I and II, I found myself more disturbed than usual at Michael's character, from the end of 1 and on. I obviously always saw his actions as terrible but this time I was struck by how genuinely bad he really was.
He kills people with no remorse, he's a total sociopath, and, most of all, he is the true, old testament embodiment of evil after Fredo is killed.
He is also blinded by his own hubris and pride, classic traits of some on overtaken by his sins, and separates himself by his own undoing from the only decent things left in his life: Kay and the kids.
And of course it's all set in mirror image to the hero of the film in pt 2, Vito. He helps old ladies, he runs the old bully out of the neighborhood and he genuinely cares for his family, all while coming from a place of toxic vendettas and vengeance.
Upon a recent re-watch of part I and II, I found myself more disturbed than usual at Michael's character, from the end of 1 and on. I obviously always saw his actions as terrible but this time I was struck by how genuinely bad he really was.
He kills people with no remorse, he's a total sociopath, and, most of all, he is the true, old testament embodiment of evil after Fredo is killed.
He is also blinded by his own hubris and pride, classic traits of some on overtaken by his sins, and separates himself by his own undoing from the only decent things left in his life: Kay and the kids.
And of course it's all set in mirror image to the hero of the film in pt 2, Vito. He helps old ladies, he runs the old bully out of the neighborhood and he genuinely cares for his family, all while coming from a place of toxic vendettas and vengeance.
12
Posted on 1/22/19 at 11:55 pm to Jack Ruby
quote:
Upon a recent re-watch of part I and II, I found myself more disturbed than usual at Michael's character, from the end of 1 and on
I recently rewatched it too.
He turns into an amazing a-hole.
Maybe that's the point. He was this nice kid who was outside the business and then got the reigns and the power corrupted him.
I hate Diane Keaton but no wonder she left him. The Godfather was somewhat likeable, there was nothing likeable about Mikey in Part II. He was cold, even before Fredo betrayed him.
And if you haVe your brother under your thumb after that incident, do you really have to kill him?
The murder of Appollonia seemed to make him hate life and the world.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 12:18 am to Jack Ruby
He’s the head of a crime family. Of course he’s a villain.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 12:22 am to Fewer Kilometers
Yeah but we like that crime family. 
Plenty of bad people in cinema who we've rooted for.
He's not the villain just because he's head of a crime family.
He could be the villain by his actions and how he treats his family.
Plenty of bad people in cinema who we've rooted for.
He's not the villain just because he's head of a crime family.
He could be the villain by his actions and how he treats his family.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 12:22 am to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:He was ruthless from the moment Vito died and he became the Godfather in the first one.
Maybe that's the point. He was this nice kid who was outside the business and then got the reigns and the power corrupted him.
He never had his father's soul and capacity for warmth and mercy. He was only concerned with the aspect of power. It destroyed him and those around him. That's a basic theme of the films
This post was edited on 1/23/19 at 12:25 am
Posted on 1/23/19 at 12:32 am to Fewer Kilometers
quote:Watch the opening wedding scene of the first one. A man whose daughter is raped and beaten comes in asking for justice after the attackers are given a slap on the wrist, presumably due to status. Vito is a mafioso in an old World Sicilian sense where the "legitimate" powers that be are more corrupt than the mafia. He's a pillar of the community, a philanthropist, respected and loved and a true arbiter of justice in a corrupt society. He sees himself this way, a protector and a necessary force for good for his people.
He’s the head of a crime family. Of course he’s a villain.
Michael has no interest in any of this. He is simply a drug lord. Vito of course was against drugs. It's a dirty business and bad for the community
This post was edited on 1/23/19 at 12:37 am
Posted on 1/23/19 at 1:36 am to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:It's this.. When that car blew up, his soul burned up with it
The murder of Appollonia seemed to make him hate life and the world.
And he wanted to punish everyone that had anything to do with that life, including himself, for many years after
He may have thought he had repented, but his daughter's life was the payment for his deal with the Big Chief
Posted on 1/23/19 at 4:38 am to Jack Ruby
quote:
Michael is actually the villain in Godfather II
I thought that was always obvious. The main storyline of the Godfather series was always about the transformation of Michael’s character.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 6:04 am to Bench McElroy
In The Godfather, Michael flatout tells Kate, “That’s my family, Kate. That’s not me.” He already knows he doesn’t want that life. His father doesn’t want him to have that life...somewhat. Remember also that Tom tells Mike, “Your father has plans for you,” which sets Michael off.
Overall, this is a story about acceptance. Michael has seen his father attacked and knows the world is changing. He has to be ruthless. Survival is not assured. It’s certainly not assured if you are a forgiving and benevolent boss.
Overall, this is a story about acceptance. Michael has seen his father attacked and knows the world is changing. He has to be ruthless. Survival is not assured. It’s certainly not assured if you are a forgiving and benevolent boss.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 6:29 am to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
The whole point is shown in the birthday scene at end of movie. Vito was about the family and using power to protect it. The opposite of Michael.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 6:56 am to Jack Ruby
In GFIII Michael still doesn't know why he was feared when others (Don Tommasino) were loved. This conflict lingers in his mind and comes up a few times during the movie.
It's interesting to think of why he would turn out this way compared to Vito's style. Perhaps it was the changing times and ways of the mafia... would Vito's style have worked in Michael's era?
It's interesting to think of why he would turn out this way compared to Vito's style. Perhaps it was the changing times and ways of the mafia... would Vito's style have worked in Michael's era?
Posted on 1/23/19 at 6:56 am to genro
quote:
Watch the opening wedding scene of the first one. A man whose daughter is raped and beaten comes in asking for justice after the attackers are given a slap on the wrist, presumably due to status. Vito is a mafioso in an old World Sicilian sense where the "legitimate" powers that be are more corrupt than the mafia. He's a pillar of the community, a philanthropist, respected and loved and a true arbiter of justice in a corrupt society. He sees himself this way, a protector and a necessary force for good for his people.
Michael has no interest in any of this. He is simply a drug lord. Vito of course was against drugs. It's a dirty business and bad for the community
the problem is that this dies in the first movie. not with the Corleone family, but with the 5 families
they all choose to become degenerate drug dealers, except the Corleones. so this romanticized version of terrible people is gone forever
if Michael didn't do what he did and how he did, they'd all have been killed. it's that simple
they're all villains. you just bought into the window dressing. a couple scenes after that wedding Vito sends muscle to a Hollywood producer to force him to pick Vito's relative in a movie role (after that relative cucked him)
Posted on 1/23/19 at 6:58 am to Jack Ruby
quote:
Michael is actually the villain in Godfather II
You are just figuring this out.
The entire point of the movie was Micheals decent into evil.
He went from revenge/protecting his family at the end of GF1 to destroying everything he loved in part 2.
That’s why I think the last scene of the movie when he is sitting alone thinking about the last dinner he had with the family before going off to war is the best, most powerful scene in the series. Not really showed just how far he had fallen.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 7:36 am to Jack Ruby
I thought everyone already knew this.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 7:53 am to Tactical1
Michael did arrange the murder of a prostitute in order to entrap a U.S. Senator, but other than that he was a good guy.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 8:00 am to Jack Ruby
Of course he is. Who didn't know this?
Posted on 1/23/19 at 8:07 am to PowerTool
quote:
Michael did arrange the murder of a prostitute in order to entrap a U.S. Senator, but other than that he was a good guy.
I actually always saw a lot of Michael in Craig James.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 8:12 am to Jack Ruby
Roth...he played this perfectly.
Posted on 1/23/19 at 8:57 am to PowerTool
quote:
Michael did arrange the murder of a prostitute in order to entrap a U.S. Senator, but other than that he was a bad guy.
FIFY
Posted on 1/23/19 at 9:01 am to BurningHeart
quote:
It's interesting to think of why he would turn out this way compared to Vito's style. Perhaps it was the changing times and ways of the mafia... would Vito's style have worked in Michael's era?
Vito gave Michael the blueprint. The two of them together orchestrated the elimination of the other families, it was all spelled out in both the book and movie.
I'm amazed that the man who kept Luca Brasi on retainer and used him to murder or threaten anyone in his path is viewed as a kindly old grandfather.
Vito wanted to keep Michael from the business because he knew his competency and drive for success could lead him to a legitimate position of power and move the family away from the underworld, but when the circumstances around them changed (Barzini and Tattaglia assassainiation plots), it was necessary that they protect the family.
I know John Cazale gave one of the best acting performances ever in Godfather II, but Fredo allowed a hit to be carried out on Michael and his family. There is no way he could be trusted to not let it happen again.
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