The Godfather Part II
1974
*****
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Lee Strasberg, Michael V. Gazzo, G.D. Spradlin, Richard Bright
The sequel to The Godfather is one of the finest sequels in cinema history, perhaps even better than the original. The film intertwines the lives of Michael Corleone, the new godfather who attempts to expand the family empire in the late 1950s, and his father Vito, an immigrant who tries to build a life for his young family in the beginning of the century. This is a long, emotionally and structurally complex, and simply stunning drama that won Academy Awards for best picture, director, adapted screenplay, art direction, score, and supporting actor (De Niro). Al Pacino gives one of his finest performances as Michael, who develops into one of the most intriguing and tragic screen characters of all time. Followed by Part III (1990).
