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The Godfather

Most crime and gangster movies have made their way into various lists of the greatest

movies ever produced. The Godfather trilogy and Bonnie and Clyde are two of the most notable

in this category. An analysis of these films reveals similarities between the production, direction

and use of various aspects in the storyline to meet the demands of the genre. A set of different

elements is also present to show the audience the unique storyline, as well as setting the story in

a specific timeline.

The Godfather is a classic gangster movie as its storyline is based on a mafia community.

The rivalry and lawlessness between the gangs was a key precipitate of the violence that would

ensure at different parts of the film. The film also takes similar elements from other mafia

movies such as the linage of the mafia families, the relationship within and around the family,

the values they hold and the general position they take in society. The elements are repetitive, a

fact that has been related to films and TV shows that focus on issues such as the law and crime.

In the 21st century, most if not all detective movies have a similar or repetitive element. The

music selection for the Godfather is a feature that stand out in this mafia instalment when

compared to others. The symphonies are sequences that are mostly of Italian decent. These are

used to have an effect on the audience in a passive way. The music creates and completes the

sense of an un-American feel to the movie. The families that rule the crime business in America
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are not your average Americans, but a section of people from a lineage that had been long

associated with crime. The audience is drawn into the film by this linkage. Film and TV requires

storylines that are easily relatable. Most of the greatest films are based on simple stories that

focus on the life on a simple character and explain it in an extra-ordinary way. In the event the

Godfather involved American families, the audience would not have been convinced to

appreciate the film. The whole set up of the film would looked theoretical as Americans are not

popularly related with the mafia business. Hence, the music complements the characters in

basing the storyline in an Italian-American culture.

The 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde heralded a new generation of filmmaking in America.

With the removal of the Hays Code, films could take a more violent and disillusioned turn as

long as they reached a certain MPAA rating. The Hollywood Renaissance as it was referred to,

showed the change in cinema styles that were to push the industry into lengths it had not even

thought of. The plot is of a gang that robs bank during one of the most difficult times in America.

Bonnie, initially a waitress, meets Clyde and is struck by his bold and audacious nature a

relationship then ensues. The duo decide to rob stores as a means to becoming rich. Later on,

they meet and engage a mechanic C.W Moss, Clyde’s brother Buck and his wife Blanche. With a

larger group, the magnitude of crime increases into robbing banks and killing anyone who stood

in their way.

Color throughout the film is used as part of the elements that make up its identity. The

movie was shot at a period where limited color adjustments could be made. However, this did

not deter the director and cast from changing color aspects within the limited variations they had

to meet their intended effect. A case in point is the scene that forecasted the death of Bonnie and

Clyde. The colors in the specific scene are brighter than in previous scenes. There’s a misty
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effect that seems to depict the scene as a memory, as opposed to an actual part of the movie’s

current storyline. The color works in line with the actions in the scene to affect the audience’s

mood. The scene is slower than the previous scenes as it shows children rolling down a hill and

branches swaying. The calmness of the scene integrates with the color and the slow paced

actions of the scene to meet a specific aspect of the storyline.

Bonnie and Clyde appear as any normal couple. Together with their children, they come

off as an ordinary family in any social setting. This aspect contributes greatly to the film’s

storyline. In the Godfather, violence is pre-meditated and one can almost pinpoint the moment it

would occur and the parties that would be involved. However, in Bonnie and Clyde, violence is

not premeditated and it comes from people who would otherwise be considered lawful and

harmless. Although the films are in the same genre, the significant difference between the

approaches to violence and lawlessness are key in showing the similarities to the real world.

Bonnie and Clyde shows the audience that people are not as they seem or as they depict

themselves to be. The directors are keen at ensuring the entire storyline matches this message

through the use of various elements in the film.

2.

The films had an effect on the social, political and even economic aspects of society.

Bonnie and Clyde has specifically had a significant impact on the culture of generations that

have been exposed to the film. The Godfather set the standard for films based on organized

crime. Even though the movie was released later than some of the greatest crime movies such as

Al Capone, it went a long way in forging the future for movies such as Scarface that was

released approximately a decade after the Godfather. The Godfather introduced us to family or

group values. The level of secrecy among the crime families was extraordinary. One may allude
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to the fact of the possibility or probability of death to anyone who would leak secrets. However,

there was a bond that was established among every individual in a group. A bond that would

elevate the status of the group above those of any individual in the group. This has been

replicated in social circles where individuals come together for a specific purpose that remains a

secret to the group members. Additionally, those who have attempted to leave these groups have

faced consequences similar to those in the mafia groups faced. This has mostly had a negative

effect on the social relationships of group members as most groups are constituted for negative

reasons. Closely related to this aspect is the raise of organized crime in the country. Numerous

people have felt connected to characters on these crime movies. They have personal heroes who

always come out from a challenge unscathed by the danger that existed. These stories of personal

heroes and the allure of various factors has greatly contributed to the establishment of organized

crime in societies that have been exposed to the movie. The social impact of this is great as the

new organized crime units will be keen on sealing loopholes in the management of groups on the

films. This would make them stronger and more dangerous in society.

Politics was a factor in the Godfather. Organized crime cannot work smoothly unless a

section of the law enforcement agents and political agents play a role in the organization.

Political office holders have been forced to manage their connections to ensure they are not

related or seen to associate with any organized crime unit. This has been beneficial in ensuring

corruption and organized crime is kept out of leadership and that the law can be implemented

fully without fear of the repercussions to a politician’s image.

Bonnie and Clyde gives a false sense of lawlessness to the section of society that would

consider crime as a long term activity. Crime in Bonnie and Clyde was sporadic and carried out

by people who were keen on changing their fortune. Both Clyde and his wife, Bonnie, grew up in
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poverty. They worked odd jobs that were mostly on farms and in small towns. However, the two

decided they wanted to change their fortune. Lacking in notable ideas on how to improve their

fortune, they turned to crime. The two were known all over America and shot to celebrity status.

This can easily be misleading to any individual who is keen on changing their life in the fastest

and ‘easiest’ way possible. In the 21st century, Bonnie and Clyde has had a huge social impact.

Most people have looked to the relationship between Bonnie and Clyde as an ideal relationship.

The values attributed to their relationship include trust, love and faithfulness. The popular phrase

‘ride or die’ has a footing in the relationship between Bonnie and Clyde. They were devoted to

each other as well as their course towards a better lifestyle. Some would argue the carefree

gangster drama and the celebrity factor attached to the film was a negative aspect. The aspect has

fueled individuals who are irrational and in need of some kind of validation to seek it through

sporadic violence and crime. All in all, the film has its impact concentrated on the social aspect

of society.