Everyone Says... Like Dumb
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By Zac Williams. June 9, 2010
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It is sometimes difficult to organize my thoughts towards the members of my immediate family; therefore, I choose instead to think of each Italian member of the Corleone family from The Godfather movie trilogy, which closely mirrors the personalities found amongst my Mormon American parents and brothers.
The Corleone family consists of Vito, the all-powerful father; Carmella, the kind mother; Santino, the ill-tempered oldest brother; Connie, the high-maintenance sister; Michael, the capable and intellectual youngest brother; and Fredo, the black sheep middle brother. My own blood, the Williams family, is similarly structured but without females in the younger generation. By considering the strengths and weaknesses of each member of the former family and measuring them against my respective relatives, I am able to objectively respect my parents and brothers virtues and shortcomings.
First consider the fathers. The opening scene of The Godfather portrays several friends asking Vito Corleone, who is given near religious respect and admiration, to assist them with problems and favors. Vito seems to know the best course of action to solve each situation, and is kind enough to help those who have earned his respect. Furthermore, Vito gives viewers a sense of his strong family values when, as Michael is missing from a potential family photo, he walks out of the shot while saying "We're not taking the picture without Michael." Later in the film Vito reveals more of his character when he states, "I spend my life trying not to be careless. Women and children can be careless, but not men." and "A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man." Similar traits and views are evident when speaking with my father, Mark Williams. He is always consulted when trouble arises within our family and he tires restlessly to assist those who have earned his respect. A strong correlation exists between the fathers of the Corleone and Williams families, much more so than of the mothers.
The other Corleone parent, Vito's wife Carmella, is not featured prominently in the film. She is kind and obedient, but in the Italian culture of the film she does not assist with business decisions. This is contrasted by my career-oriented mother, Judy, who has a voice in our Mormon American family structure. Judy displays the characteristics that briefly make Carmella a good mother with the added virtues of her professional success and promotions. The Corleone and Williams mothers are not strongly analogous based on the film's weak character development, a problem not encountered when comparing the families' brothers.
Santino and Michael Corleone, the oldest and youngest brothers in the films, are polar opposites on an emotion-to-analytical scale. This is perhaps best illustrated in the scene where the brothers are deciding what action to take following the failed assassination attempt on Vito. The scene includes Michael's famous line "It's not personal; it's strictly business," which is countered by Santino's "They shoot my father and it's business, my ass!"
Santino booms the message of revenge, violence and retribution, whereas Michael calmly considers options before spelling out a plan complete with reasons. Santino screams, "No more meetin's, no more discussions, no more... tricks. You give them a message: I want [to kill the man who ordered the attempt]! If not, it's all out war." Michael waits out his brothers antics before stating his plan, which includes confirming what has happened to that point, mobilizing informants to gather more information, and manipulating the location of a meeting so a weapon can safely be smuggled. The plan is ultimately accepted and put into action, but not before Santino ignores the Michael's logic and gloats, "You're taking this very personal. This is business and [Michael is] taking it very, very personal."
The eldest and youngest Williams brothers, too, are most aptly characterized by their positions on the emotion-to-analytical scale. My older brother, Shane, plays poker daily. One constant agitation is his inability to put aside emotion when considering actions that involve a good deal of mathematics and pattern recognition. My younger brother, Jake, views the world from the opposite perspective. Jake, like Michael, took time away from the family to attend college and is constantly analyzing and weeding emotion out of his plans to reach the best solution to a given problem. "Never let anyone know what you're thinking" says Michael Corleone, and Jake is one of the most difficult people to anticipate that I've met. "Never hate your enemies; it affects your judgment" says Michael, and I often have a hard time deciphering whether Jake respects of resents the people he meets. The similarities between Santino and Shane, as well as Michael and Jake, are staggering, quite contrary to the differences I consider between the third brother and me.
Fredo Corleone is the odd man out, the ugly duckling of the Corleone empire, and of the comparisons between the Corleones and Williamses. In part two of the trilogy, Michael tells Fredo "I've always taken care of you," and Fredo responds "Taken care of me? I'm your older brother, Mike, and you're taking care of me. Did you ever think about that?" Fredo is incompetent and immature emotionally, physically, and in all aspects of business. "How do you say 'banana daiquiri'?" Fredo asks Michael when they visit Cuba. "Banana Daiquiri" quips Michael. To the contrary, I have always taken responsibility for my actions and have control of my life. I am pursuing a degree, whereas Fredo says "I'm smart, not like everybody says... like dumb!" I deserve the respect Fredo so desperately seeks.
In conclusion, movies can be a useful tool to objectively analyze the strengths and shortcomings of one's family, which is difficult to do given the emotion one feels for them. From his similarities to Vito Corleone, I know the family values and sense of responsibility displayed by my father, Mark Williams are admirable traits. I know my mother, Judy Williams, as moved beyond the limited role of mother portrayed for Carmella Corleone. I realize that my brother, Shane, would benefit from acting less on emotion and that my brother, Jake, will always be an intellectual well to draw from. Most importantly, I realize I am not Fredo Corleone. This analysis was not personal; it was strictly business.
You were there.