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The role that showed that Al Pacino could have a cold-blooded cruel side. The role where the protagonist turns to a villain. The one and only Michael Corleone, the boss of all bosses of the Corleone mob family. The way Michael becomes a stone-cold mob boss is one where Shakespeare states is a tragic hero. A fall not only in humanity but also emotions and morals. A man who believes that you should never go against the family.
Michael is the s the youngest son of Vito Corleone, a Sicilian immigrant who builds a Mafia empire. Unlike his two older brothers, Michael wanted nothing to do with the Corleone “family business” and neither does his father, hoping he will go into politics. Michael enlists in the United States Marine Corps the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. During World War II, he rises to the rank of Captain before being discharged. He makes his first appearance in the Godfather coming back in time for his sister’s wedding. When his father is critically wounded, Michael decides to do the hit and kill a police officer and others. He leaves the country and lives a peaceful life in Italy when his wife gets blown up. When his dad recovers, he pleads with the other bosses to bring him back. This is where Michael changes into the evil mob bass.
Michael is one of the smartest but cruelest men in the mafia game. He always seems calm inside but there is a brewing volcano inside of him. When he needs to put out a hit, he orders it with extreme justice and believes the family comes first over everything. At his father’s funeral, Michael learns of a plot and he sets in motion a plan to get rid of the other five bosses and gain full control. When does he does this?? The same day Michael stands as godfather to Connie’s newborn son. In the second film, Michael is full on Mafia boss mode. All Michael looks for is revenge against his enemies. When he finds out that Fredo is a mole within the family; Michael gives him the Sicilian “kiss of death”. In part 3, Michael doesn’t want to be boss and yet they bring him back in.
What makes Michael such a great villain is that he is more a tragic hero. You see someone who had a life and was a war hero only to end up in the family business both his father and he didn’t want. He becomes a monster when he takes over the head of the family. When that happens, Michael gives zero fucks about anyone else but the business and family. He goes on a killing rampage. As the great man stated: “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
