The Godfather Part 2 VS Scarface

TALE OF THE TAPE

                 Title: The Godfather II                                                   Title: Scarface

                 Tomato Meter: 98%                                                      Tomato Meter: 88%

                  IMDB Rating: 9.0                                                         IMDB Rating: 8.2

                 Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Nero                            Starring: Al Pacino, Michelle Pheiffer

                 Director: Francis Ford Coppola                                   Director: Brian De Palma

                 Box Office: $47.5 million                                              Box Office: $44.6 million

                 Academy: 11 nominations, 6 wins                               Academy: N/A

                 Year: 1974                                                                    Year: 1983

Pacino vs Pacino, the Mafia vs the Cartel, this bout will only end in bloodshed.


Godfather 2 is both a sequel and prequel to the 1972 mega-hit, The Godfather. Several years after the events of the first film, we see the Corleone family entrenched in Nevada. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) has a lot on his plate as he must deal with internal vendettas, uncovering a rat within the organization, a federal injunction and congressional hearing, all while finalizing a huge international deal with Hyman Roth. We are also treated to the story of young Corleone patriarch Vito Corleone, wonderfully played by Robert De Niro. Here we see his exodus from Italy, his immigration to America, falling into petty crime, and finally his early rise to power. Both treatments are cut back and forth throughout the film seamlessly, and at over a 3 hour run time, both are given their full due. Godfather 2 sees the return of seasoned actors Robert Duvall, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton and John Cazale, reprising their roles from the first film. Both romantic and violent, Francis Ford Coppola direction loses no momentum, literally recapturing lightning in a bottle as the sequel delivers, some argue even beyond, the original.


From Italian Godfather, Al Pacino equally is absorbed into the character of a Cuban immigrant who rises in power to drug kingpin. Brian De Palma directs this adaptation from screenwriter Oliver Stone. It centers on a Cuban named Tony Montana (Pacino) and his friends living in a refugee area in Miami, Florida seeking political asylum from Castro. A deal is made to assassinate a political figure earning them a green card. Not content to be a fry cook, Tony and his pal Manny Ribera (Steven Bauer) get a job delivering cash to some Colombians in exchange for narcotics. The deal goes down horribly wrong, but Tony and Manny manage to kill the Colombians, retain the buy money, and deliver the cocaine to boss Frank Lopez. So impressed with Tony that Frank takes him under his wing, but Tony grows greedy and strikes a deal with a drug manufacturer that Frank can't handle. Tony kills frank and takes over the business. 


While both films are well paced and explore their characters, Godfather offers more drama than Scarface. But Scarface is a tour de force of on screen violence and brutality. Tony is a mean, treacherous and paranoid individual who is consumed by his own nature. Michael Corleone is a ruthless, but calculating personality who holds family over business, but ironically kills off family in the name of business. He is an interesting and complex character. Montana is a roller coaster of a character that isn't likable, but fun to go along with for the ride. Coppola is strong as a director where De Palma clearly makes a few rookie mistakes in editing and dramatization. 


One on One, Pacino is up against a formidable opponent, himself. Arguably his two most famous roles, this seems like an epic bout. However it isn't. Scarface seems to apply the heavy burden on Pacino's shoulders to carry the film. However Godfather 2 creates a synergy between Pacino, his co-stars, an award winning director and a proven screenplay that work in unison to propell the movie to greatness. Heavy hitting on both sides, and plenty of blood on the canvas, Scarface goes down in round 4.


Winner: Godfather 2