Leonard Melnicks' review of "The Godfather" March 16, 1972, New York Voice Observer..
"......People often approach me and inquire as how I was so fortunate to obtain a career in critiquing movies. They don't know about the challenges. Almost 3 hours of my life were wasted in a nightmare of a film, "Mario Puzo's The Godfather" which I had the misfortune of sitting through last night. The film, adapted from Puzo's novel, begins with a painstakingly filmed (and painful to watch) wedding scene, in which I kept thinking "please, Ive known marriages that were shorter." The once-great actor Marlon Brando lumbers through a forgettable performance as 'Vito Corleone". Brando's laughable mush mouth performance made me cringe while he delivered nearly indecipherable, eminently forgettable speeches. At one point, there is talk about an "offer he couldn't refuse". I'd take that offer if it was to get my money back for sitting through this horrific dud. A bland music score plays while a host of unskilled actors muddle through this rancid waste of celluloid. Particularly awful is Al Pacino as "Michael Corleone". One can only hope Pacino has learned another trade, it will come in handy as he displays no promise in acting. Mr. Puzo must have truly regretted allowing the talentless Coppola to adapt his novel. When we are put out of our misery as the film ends, we can leave happy that, with the death of the main character portrayed by Brando, there is no chance for a sequel for this disaster of a film. Thankfully for this beleaguered film critic, a wonderfully nuanced motion picture, 'The Poseidon Adventure', also opened this week.."
No comments:
Post a Comment