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Adam Zoibi Eng 425 Sequence Analysis

__ Darkness in the Godfather __

Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Mario Puzo’s //The Godfather// uses lighting and editing to enhance the films central themes, meanings, and intentions. I will be analyzing a sequence from the very beginning of //The Godfather//. The scene has become know as the “//the day my daughter is to be married//” scene. Throughout the film evil and murderous gang violence is veiled by the closeness of family and respect. This veil is often provided by the lighting and the editing in the scene. During this sequence the lighting and editing establish themes that remain present throughout the whole //Godfather// trilogy. The scene starts off in the dark. We hear Bonasera’s voice and we see nothing. This lack of lighting creates feelings of solitude and disparity. It is if Bonasera is somewhere holy and he is praying for the justice he so desires. The first light in the film arrives shortly. We are brought into a low-key high contrast close up shot of Bonasera’s face. The shadows produced by the low-key lighting add to the desperation and to the dark nature of Bonasera’s plea for justice. As the scene develops we are slowly brought out from the close up shot on Bonesara.

We begin to establish a sense of where the scene is taking place. The camera continues to move backward through out the whole take. This type of shot leaves Bonasera seeming smaller when he once was the focus of the scene. This camera movement shifts the viewers perspective making the Godfather the new focus in the same take without actually moving the camera.

The lighting remains the same through out this three minute and thirty-eight second take. The change in perspective established via the type of shot gives the lighting in the scene new meaning. Bonasera suddenly looks like a boy at an alter waiting for the approval of a priest, ironically he is about to make a deal with the devil. This room is the devils den. During this first scene darkness serves as more then just the lack of light in the room. Don Corleone asks Bonasera what he wants done and instead of just saying it he gets up and moves in closer to the camera to deliver his request. The darkness in this scene serves as both cover for Bonasera as he asks for the murder to be committed, it also covers up the words that are actually said. Bonasera gets up from his seat and moves in close to speak privately to Don Corleone. He gets up and walks out of the light he is under and into the darkness that covers Don Corleone. He leans in to whisper his request, all we see at this point are silhouetted black profiles whispering.

The use of high contract lighting in this section of the sequence provides more than just a dark foreboding ambiance. The shadows produce a place where silence occurs but things are said. The second shot in the beginning sequence occurs after the justice in the dark has been requested. We are brought in for a medium close shot of the Godfather. The light is coming from the windows in the background and from above. The effect of the high contrast lighting here has the same effect it had earlier in the opening of the scene. Don Corleone’s eyes are enveloped in shadow and the dark mysterious power that is the Don is exemplified.

The third shot in the scene is a long shot.



The lighting clearly establishes and identifies the devils den I referenced earlier. The right side of the room is much brighter in light level and in color than the left side. The lamp on the right side of the room is shining brighter then the one on the left wall. This disproportionate lighting furthers the overall impression of a dark power that the director is trying to establish. The lighting in the scene establishes the fact that this is a place that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It says that the one lives in the shadows holds the ultimate power. Shot five in the sequence is a high contrast shot. The lighting again darkens Don Corleone’s eyes establishing him as a mysterious and powerful.



What is unique about this shot is the way it plays with the standard conventions of angles and what they mean with regards to power and perspective. In this sequence Bonasera is standing over Don Corleone in a chair. Typically this would establish him as the one with the power. In this case however we see that it is Don Corleone in his chair that has the power and Bonasera standing is the weak one. Shot twelve is where the lighting establishes Bonasera coming over to the dark side (no pun intended). He asks the Godfather to be his friend and then he bends down to kiss the ring. The kissing of the ring is the moment where Bonasera becomes indebted to Don Corleone. At the moment of the kiss on the ring Bonasera’s face is completely covered in shadow. The veiled kiss shows his acceptance of the Don Corleone’s dark services.



Shot fifteen is one that uses light to further establish the fact that Bonasera is now in the debt of Don Corleone. He is now a member of the darkness because he called on the devil to do his bidding and the devil accepted. This section of the sequence starts with Don Corleone on the light side of the shot. This is the first time in the sequence that he has been on that side of the room. Bonasera is now in the dark side of the room.



His placement here shows that his is both literally and figuratively on the dark side. The scene continues and Don Corleone puts his arm around Bonasera and walks him into what seems to be an even darker section of the room.



It is at this point that they say their goodbye’s and Bonasera is officially in debt to the devil. As soon as the deal is done the mood of the room changes. Fun music can be heard from outside as Don Corleone tells Tom who to have take care of things. The lighting in the scene serves as a cover for the evil that is so prevalent throughout the whole film. The Godfather itself is a contradiction and that is why we love the film so much.