Character Transformation

Character Transformation in: The Godfather trilogy

Part I:

Each of the movies in this trilogy starts off with a family celebration; in the first part it’s the wedding of the Godfather’s (Vito Corleone) daughter, Connie. In these first scenes we get an idea of what the story is about, how business works, traditions, who is part of the family, the characters and their role in the family. When we first see Michael, the youngest son, we know that he is out of the “Family”. Firstly because he is wearing a soldier’s uniform and never enters his father’s office and secondly because he says it himself after he explains to Kay, his girlfriend, how the family business is run and how things work within it – “That’s my family Kay, not me”.

Michael was very close to his father and also his father’s favourite son, so when Vito is shot outside his “Genco Oil  Imports” office Michael begins to change. Vito survives but his eldest son Sunny wants to act as the Capo to fill in for his father’s absence, but he is very impulsive and predictable. On the other hand Michael listens and takes everything into consideration. He is already showing characteristics of a true Capo and we get to see the instant when this change happens. It is when he sits in his father’s chair.

It is then that he makes his first killings, that of the people responsible for ordering his father’s assassination. For his and his Family’s protection, Michael had to leave New York until the situation between the Leading Families could be solved. He is sent to Sicily under the protection of allies to the Corleone family. Here he meets Apollonia, a beautiful local girl. They eventually get married and so, builds even more allies in Sicily. Back home, in New York, Sunny falls into an ambush and is killed. Finally, Michael receives word that he can return to the States safely and prepares to leave Sicily. One of Michael’s bodyguards places a bomb in his car and Apollonia is killed instead of Michael. He returns to America and back to Kay which eventually they get married.

Michael’s position has grown also shown by the way he is dressed. No more in the military uniform, then with a normal suit, now, he’s in a three piece suit complete with a top hat and long coat as well as bodyguards driving behind as him and Kay stroll together down the road. He is now in charge and following in his father’s footsteps in the same manner he used to run the business following his father’s advice.

  

Vito Corleone dies of a heart attack while playing with young Anthony, Michael’s son, and during the funeral we understand that Michael knows who has betrayed his family and plans his next move to get even with all the Families that were trying to destroy the Corleone Family.

The plans are paid and the whole operation is run during the baptism of Connie’s son, to which he is godfather. Only killers very close to Michael are used to settle the score. One of the men who gets killed is Connie’s husband and she knows the truth behind the lie of his departure to Las Vegas. She grew up in this environment therefore knows what really goes on. On hearing these accusations, Kay is alarmed by her husband’s new position in the family business and demands to know the truth. Here we see that the relationship between Michael and Kay transform from what it was during the wedding. Back then when she pleaded to know what the family business was about he told her but now that he is a Don he won’t. Instead he tricks her and makes her believe that he has told her the truth for “this one time”. The end scene is very powerful in capturing his position in the family and how Kay is cut out of it.