RECAP: TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL'S "GODFATHER" REUNION

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival's closing event; a 45th anniversary screening and discussion of "The Godfather" and "The Godfather: Part II". Aside from the entirely unique experience of viewing two of the greatest films of all time, back to back, at the famed Radio City Music Hall, it was also a once in a lifetime treat to hear directly from Francis Ford Coppola as well as core members of the cast, including Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, James Caan, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Robert De Niro. According to these Hollywood legends, this was the first time since the early seventies that they had all come together to discuss the Mafia masterpieces, and frankly as the cast and crew becomes continuously further removed from their young, fiery, Mafioso selves, I'm glad to say I saw this once in a lifetime event.

Of course, the first two installments of the "Godfather" saga are two of my favorite films. After every time I've watched them, I find myself playing over scenes and running through the best lines of the flawless screenplay in my head for days. Each having runtimes around the three hour mark, one may expect that a back to back viewing would be a bit too much underground crime for one day, but a testament to the brilliance of these films lies in the fact that throughout the event, I recall putting zero thought to the amount of time I had been sitting in the theater. The story of the Corleone family is so dazzlingly woven through the family bonds, development, and depth of the characters, that a viewer forgets that the world around them isn't the dark, corrupt, smoky world of post-war New York. I must say that the consecutive screening of the films had the effect of opening my eyes more than ever before to the true darkness of Michael Corleone's deterioration from unassuming outsider to kingpin verging on the psychopathic. Also, taking in these films alongside such a large crowd yielded results I can't say I anticipated. The expected cheers and applause were present following the films best scenes and upon the first appearances of the main characters, but it was certainly something of a surprise to hear praise and acclaim toward things like Michael, quite literally, shutting his wife out of his life. Fans will unswervingly be fans.

De Niro has stated that getting Francis Ford Coppola to agree to the reunion was a struggle at first, but the legendary director was eventually able to be convinced. I guess he just couldn't refuse the offer. During the discussion panel which followed the films, Coppola's anecdotes and recollections of the filmmaking process dominated conversation. It is truly amazing to think that, early in production, Paramount came within an inch of firing him, and vehemently opposed the participation of two actors named Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. We're lucky that they reconsidered. Without Coppola, Brando, and Pacino, there is no "Godfather". I was interested to hear whether or not the cast had seen the films recently themselves, and with Diane Keaton's mentioning that, not long ago, she had her own viewing, "On a f***ing computer!", it's clear to see that the people behind the movies have the same appreciation for them that fans do. James Caan, as entertaining in his own right as his character, Sonny, provided some stories of the best behind-the-scenes laughs, such as Marlon Brando's placing of weights in his hospital bed to make it difficult for the cast to carry the injured Don up the stairs. As a fan, its amusing to imagine the famed Vito Corleone chuckling and doing things like mooning cast members between takes. One inclusion in the discussion which I found fascinating was that Talia Shire proposed the idea that Kay Adams should have an abortion to avoid bringing another Corleone child into the world. This scene between Michael and his wife is one of the most emotional in the entire saga (I'll avoid the word trilogy, as not even a mention of the tabooed third film came from the panel), and Shire's generating of this idea shows the vital role that each of these people had in the success of the films. With the exception of late stars such as Brando and John Cazale, the true core of the "Godfather" family was present, and I am thrilled to have been able to experience it.

Having the chance to view two of the greatest films of all time and hear reflections from its key figures was endlessly enjoyable. It immediately made me wonder what others of my favorite films with ensemble casts an event like this could be held for ("Goodfellas" perhaps? "Pulp Fiction"? "The Lord of the Rings", years from now?). Without question the event made me all the more excited for more film festival gatherings like it in the future. These stories and discussions about "The Godfather" add a new, entertaining perspective to watching the films, and the stars behind the characters are as timeless as the characters themselves.