Analytical Review- the Godfather

Analytical Review- The Godfather
Mise en scene, also known as what’s ‘onstage’, is a way that films display scenic elements in a shot. When the movie is paused at a certain point, the particular objects and lighting in that scene is what mise en scene is. In the Godfather, there are many props that are metaphorical and instrumental. The lighting is a very important aspect of this film because it’s mostly darkness throughout the entire film.
At the beginning of the movie there is darkness. It’s in Don Vito’s office (Marlon Brando) and we see his first client asking for a favor. There is very little lighting, the only light you really see is the top of the man’s head as he speaks; everything around him is dark. It’s aware that when someone talks to Don Vito and is on the other side of his desk, it means they are doing business. The desk is an instrumental prop in this scene because it’s a source of power and distance. The first shot we see of Don Vito is the back of his image sitting in a chair with the point of view of the client in focus. The room is dark, and once we see Don Vito, he is stroking a cat while listening to the man’s request. The cat is a prop as well, and I think it’s a metaphorical prop. The cat symbolizes how the Godfather takes care of so many people and grants requests to his friends and people who honor him. He strokes the cat gently and carefully just like his care for his clients. When he pets the cat it makes him look like less of a powerful mafia man and more of a caring Italian family man. It makes the audience have a soft side for him even though his job is to order murders and commit crimes.
It’s important to notice that there is a fine line between business and family in this film. In the office it’s all business. There is a part in the scene where children run into the office and Tom (Robert Duvall) puts his hands out and abruptly leads them out of the room. Light shines on them as they enter the room and the girls have colorful dresses on; however, they are rushed out. There is symbolism there because it makes it clear that family and business should not intertwine. I think the children resemble a metaphorical prop because they wouldn’t have had that happen in the film if it wasn’t significant. It also shows that Don Vito is a family man, because he wasn’t angry or concerned that the children ran in so suddenly.
The setting of the wedding creates a whole new atmosphere. The sun is shining on a beautiful day and all the woman and children are wearing colorful vibrant dresses. It’s very distinct that it is an Italian family wedding. Everyone has dark hair dark brown eyes. One thing I thought was interesting was how the family wouldn’t allow pictures being taken for the wedding. When a man tried taking a picture of a large group of men, they kicked him out of the wedding and smashed his camera. The costumes of the men really stand out especially outside in the bright sunny weather. The large group of men were all wearing very similar attire, a black suit and tie, and it was aware that they were all ‘business’ men. The darkness of their suits can symbolize the darkness and suspicion of the family business. They stood out amongst the crowd because everyone else was so colorful. The only man who wasn’t wearing a black suit was one of Don Vito’s sons, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), who was wearing an army suit.
It’s ironic that Michael is the only one not wearing a black suit; in the beginning of the film he was the only son that didn’t want to get involved with the family business, however, as the movie goes on he has no choice and ends up just like his father, and I think even worse. Michael’s set of costumes change throughout the movie. He slowly starts to wear all black as he becomes more involved with the family business. Lighting, costumes, and props are three main products of mis en scene in The Godfather. Lighting is one of the main ones because throughout the entire film it’s all dark shadows and there’s barely any light. This symbolizes the tasks and events that happen in the film because everything that happens in this movie is dramatic, murderous, and illegal.