In 1972, The Godfather is an American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. The success of The Godfather indicates that the genre is because a powerful vigor.
It is a rhythmically ponderous domestic epic about the consequences of American capitalism on family life; however, it is not analogous to a soap opera. In the movie, the godfather Don Vito Corleone is considered a thematic character because the themes and the plots are around him.One of successful elements of this movie is many scenes are using the costume of mise en scene style to record Don Vito Corleone’s process of converting from a negative image to a positive image. For example, the scene of the funeral parlor owner kissing his hand is showing Don Vito Corleone’s original evil character, but the scene of Don Vito focusing on watering the plant in his mafia family business meeting is showing his evil character become weak, and then the scene of him playing with his grandson in the garden is showing that he is a godfather no longer.The scene of the funeral parlor owner kissing Don Vito’s hand takes place in Don Vito’s office.
It is about a weak Italian American whose daughter is beat cruelly by two guys goes to there to ask for godfather’s help. Because the court does not perform stern legal sanctions on those guys who harm his daughter, he requests Don Vito to bring him justice. In this scene, godfather is dressinga black suit with black tie. He is very professional and normal and looks like a leader.Francis Ford Coppola, the directors of the film, uses the costume of mise en scene to describe Don Vito’s real godfather image. His black suit informs that he is still an august and powerful godfather at this time.
Black brings audience visual elements such as mystery, sacrosanct and dignity. In people’s first impression to the godfather, these characteristics are godfather should have. Base on their first impression, it causes most of the people feel scare when they face godfather, but on the other hand, they respect godfather for his justice to them.This scene is arranged at the very beginning of the film to indicate the first step of Don Vito’s process of convert from negative to positive. Through applying the costume of mise en scene, the black suit shows the supremacy of the godfather.
The funeral parlor owner also is dressing a black suit following what godfather dressing, but in this scene, Coppola applies medium shot to only display portion of the funeral parlor owner’s black suit. His black suit indicates that he expects he is a person who stands on Don Vito’s side.Through applying medium shot to display portion of black suit, this scene implies that the funeral parlor owner is willing to be godfather’s “subject” and to show complete submission to godfather. Contrasting the significances brought by godfather’s costume with the significances brought by the funeral parlor owner’s costume, the audiences clearly realize godfather’s power and influence to society are much greater than a common Italian American. The funeral parlor owner’s submission to godfather enhances Don Vito’s negative image; it makes Don Vito looks like more ruthless and evil.
The scene of Don Vito focusing on watering the plant in his mafia family business meeting also takes place in his office but he is standing aside instead of sitting on the chairman seat. This scene is about Corleone family is going to move their mafia business to Nevada. Michael Corleone, Don Vito’s youngest son, convenes a meeting to discuss how their mafia business develops in the future. Don Vito gives all decision making power to Michael to deal with mafia business. He does not join the meeting and he does chose to stand aside by himself.Different from the first scene mentioned before, Don Vito is wearing a gray cotton-padded overcoat instead of his normal black suit.
He obviously looks like older and a little bit of feeble. The transforming of color of costume from black to gray brings the audiences a metaphor which is he starts giving up performing illegal deal. His change on costume accentuates his mind of being a good man. This scene is placed at the latter part of the film after his oldest son Sonny dies.Because of Sonny’s death, he starts realizing power and money do not bring him happiness, but power and money causes he loses his son. Also, by considering carefully, his hair is a little bit disordered than the previous scene.
It implies that he does not spend time on caring his appearance because he has a long time not to meet the people who are non-family members. Gradually his original godfather image is blurred. The audiences almost do not feel any characteristics of godfather release from him.The content in this scene is Don Vitois telling his old subordinations to listen Michael’s order because Michael is the chairman of Corleone family. His word completely represents that he purposes to retire himself. The significances of costume changing inform the audiences of what he purposes.
The scene of Don Vito playing with his grandson takes place in an orange garden. There are only two characters Don Vito and his grandson Anthony Corleone showing up on the screen. Comparing with the first and second scenes, this scene is completely different.Don Vito, the ex-godfather, who has ever ruled all the Corleone Mafioso, totally quitting his leading position in that mafia business and spends his time taking good care of his plant, especially with his future business successor Anthony Corleone. In this scene, Coppola also applies the costume of mise en scene to inform DonVito. He uses the light color on the costume to illustrate Don Vito’s old age life.
Don Vito is wearing a white shirt and a brown hat, so he looks like very casual. His hair is more disordered than before.The current image he shows to the audiences is a retired old man shares his life with his grandson rather than a godfather leads a mass of mafioso to perform illegal deal. Although he is one member of Corleone family, he no longer participate mafia business and successfully retired himself.
If white symbolizes brightness, then black symbolizes dark. Comparing Don Vito’s black suit dressing at the beginning of the film, his white shirt indicates that he is not as ruthless and cold as when he is being a godfather; he is only a peaceful and kind old man who enjoy sunlight with his grandson.However, unfortunately, this scene is about the last moment of Don Vito’s life. He dies suddenly when he is chasing his grandson in that orange garden. The sunlight shines his body after he falls down.
It reflects that he finally rises to heaven rather than falls into hell after he dies. It also implies that he, at least himself, gets rid of mafia at the last moment of his life although Michael leads Corleone mafia family performing illegal deal continuously.Many people feel unfortunate for Don Vito because when he finally achieves his purpose to be “qualified” to wear a white costume in his life, he dies suddenly. But for Don Vito himself, he is happy because his grandson with him to pass the last moment of his life. This scene is only one scene that shows Don Vito’s smile.
He looks like a warm and kind grandfather;on contrary, the first scene takes place in his office, the audiences see him as a violent, cruel and cold-blooded person.So Coppola uses white costume in order to definitely state that Don Vito, a complex character in the film, converts from negative image to positive image successfully. The godfather is a film for three hours. It is really praised by the audiences from all over the world because every single scene of this film, also others parts, including traces to develop later plots and metaphors to predict every character’s ending. For example, the scene of Don Vito wearing the black suit at the beginning of the film is a metaphor to imply that in his last scene in the film, he is in white.
In these two scenes, Coppola applies the costume of mise en scene to inform Don Vito’s complex psychology and distinct identities. Coppola uses this outstanding film style to create the alternative visual presentation through his film which not only tells the story but also states the thematic message, and in the same time develops the audiences’ emotions, leading them indirectly to the world of Corleone Family’s business, facing and solving conflicts together with godfather Don Vito.On the other hand, through watching and analyzing the distinct costume of mise en scene, the audiences are led to experience Don Vito’s process of convert from a negative image to a positive image. The Godfather is superb in its plot planning, impressive theme and distinctive mise en scenes which make it well famous and one becoming one of the best films ever made in history.
