W&M Global Film Festival

The Godfather Part I (1972) tells the story of first-generation Sicilian-American immigrants, The Corleone’s, focuses on there post immigration lifestyle and how they brought their culture with them into America. Part I is a riveting tale about Italian immigrants, focusing on Vito Corleone, living in New York city during the 1970s focusing on the perceived lifestyle the most Italian immigrants are some way connected with mafias or crime family’s. Director Francis Ford Copolla focused on portraying the “Gangster” genre in this film, but during the course of the movie you see how Italian immigrants dealt with Americanization and how they fight to preserve their heritage.

While the Godfather Part I focuses on the post immigration life of Vito Corleone, Part II is a more in depth film relating to the pre immigration and immigration processes. In part II we find a young Vito living in Sicily with his family when, for reasons out of his control, he is forced to leave for America. Upon arriving we see how immigrants were given their names, based solely on where they were from, and how confusing and scary it can be for immigrants to arrive in America. During the course of the film we see how Vito survives; by finding work, finding a place to live, and by getting married and starting a family. Also we see how the immigrant culture influences the community where Vito lives, with their cultural celebrations and “Mafia” like neighbor hood boss.

Released: March 24, 1972
Director:Francis Ford Coppola
Book and Screen Writer : Mario Puzo
Starring:Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall,and Diane Keaton
Run Time: 2 hours 55 mins

The Godfather IMDb
The Godfather Official Website

Released: Jan. 23, 1943
Director: Michael Curtiz
Screenwriters: Murray Burnett, Joan Alison, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, Howard Koch
Cinematographer: Arthur Edeson
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid
Runtime: 102 min

IMDB
One of AFI’s Top 5 Films
Winner of 3 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Writing, Screenplay
Nominated in 5 other categories

Often rivaling Citizen Kane for greatest film of all time, Casablanca combines a classic tale of love with the dramatic history of World War II to create a plot centered on emigration. Michael Curtiz directs the film so the audience feels the urgency of the characters seeking immigration to the United States during the early stages of the war, when Nazi forces were gaining strength. However, the nostalgia of Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is equally powerful and conveys the inner conflict emigrants face when leaving parts of their lives behind them (whether it be love, family, or friends). Casablanca is an emigration story the way classic Hollywood would chose to tell it—with lovers (past and present), glamour and plenty of drama.