The Godfather Part II (1974) – A Masterpiece of Crime, Family, and Power

Rating: 10/10

Genre: Crime, Drama

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Main Cast: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, John Marley

Plot Summary:

The Godfather Part II is both a continuation of the story of the Corleone family and a powerful prequel that delves into the rise of Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro). The film alternates between two timelines: the post-Vito era, where Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) struggles to maintain control of the family business and solidify his power, and the younger Vito’s early life in Sicily and his journey to America. Michael’s increasing isolation, paranoia, and ruthlessness are contrasted with the rise of Vito, who started with nothing and built a criminal empire. The film is a deeper exploration of power, loyalty, and betrayal, showing the generational impact of the Corleone family’s choices.

Strengths:

Al Pacino’s Masterful Performance: Al Pacino gives a stunning portrayal of Michael Corleone, showcasing the character’s transformation from a reluctant outsider to a cold, calculating mafia boss. Pacino captures Michael’s inner turmoil, the conflict between his desire to protect his family and his descent into moral corruption. This is widely considered one of the greatest performances in film history.

Robert De Niro as Young Vito: Robert De Niro’s portrayal of the young Vito Corleone is equally iconic. De Niro’s quiet yet powerful performance brings a new layer to the character, capturing the ambition, intelligence, and vulnerability of Vito as a young man, making it one of his most memorable roles. His work earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Francis Ford Coppola’s Direction: Coppola’s direction in The Godfather Part II is nothing short of exceptional. He crafts a complex narrative that intertwines two separate but deeply connected storylines. The film’s pacing, tone, and cinematography are flawless, with sweeping, intimate scenes that explore the intricacies of family, power, and betrayal.

Thematic Depth and Emotional Impact: The film explores themes of power, family loyalty, and the consequences of violence. It’s a meditation on the cost of maintaining control and the moral compromises that come with it. The Godfather Part II is an exploration of the American dream turned dark, showing how both Michael and Vito are shaped by their pasts and the choices they make. The tragedy of Michael’s journey—his loss of humanity, his estrangement from his family, and his ultimate isolation—is heartbreaking.

Cinematography and Score: The film’s cinematography, courtesy of Gordon Willis, is hauntingly beautiful, with its use of shadow and light adding a sense of foreboding and melancholy. The iconic score by Nino Rota is haunting and perfectly complements the film’s tone, becoming synonymous with the themes of the Corleone family saga

Weaknesses:

Complex Narrative: While the dual timelines are an ᴀsset, they can also be challenging for viewers to follow, especially for those unfamiliar with the first Godfather film. Some may find the structure a bit overwhelming at first, but it ultimately deepens the story.

Pacing Issues: Although the film is nearly three hours long, some critics argue that certain sections, especially those involving minor characters, could feel slow or less engaging compared to the central narrative of Michael and Vito.

Conclusion:

The Godfather Part II is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, a rare sequel that matches and, in many ways, surpᴀsses its predecessor. The film’s exploration of family, power, and the cost of ambition is profound, and its complex characters, memorable performances, and brilliant direction make it a timeless classic. It is not only a perfect continuation of the Corleone saga but also a standalone masterpiece in its own right.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

Hoxne Hoard treasures. Photo by Helen Simonsson CC by SA-2.0

November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

The silver “Hoxne Tigress” – the broken-off handle from an unknown object – is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.