I haven't watched the films in a year or so, but I always remember there being a definitive turning point in Part I where the film shifts from the "golden age" of the family with Vito as the leader -- and then becoming more of a darker film as the plot against the Corleones evolves and Michael slowly takes control of the family.

I love all parts of the film equally, but for some reason I am always a little deflated when the film shifts. But then I am picked right back up with the scenes with Michael in Sicily and his eventual return to the States.

I usually do that with movies and shows... the beginning is always the most sentimental part of stories for me. That is usually when everyone is the happiest.

Anyone else feel the same?

if every1 stayed happy it wuldnt b a good gangster film lol but i agree the film does go darker n michael kind of transforms continually throughout the whole of the film which is good its da best story made

I definitely understand and agree, DBCH.

The turning point in GFI begins soon after the meeting with Sollozzo. The beginning of the movie was smooth as the Don was able to take care of situations for his friends and run a good business outside of the law. Then when this thing with the Turk, and Sonny opens his mouth, the Corleone Family status suddenly makes a turn for the worse.

Though it all plays a part beautifully in the story, it's kind of discouraging to see what got in the way of the family's achievements.

It guess it's what gets me about GFIII, it reflects on the badness and fault in the family (as well as Sofia Coppola's acting), and shows the shifting of the thrown where Michael hands his power to Vincent. A powerful transition, but sad to see where the family stands after all the years, watching Vito Corleone start a power empire from scratch, to have it end with a down fall.

Then again, that's the mafia. That's the point they get at in all these shows. Good'Fellas, Blow, Casino, Gotti, they mostly end in the fall of what once was great, and as we all know, it's the point they're trying to convey.

Vito murdered and had people murdered. So, Michael's doing the same is not so surprising. But, I guess the realization that a transformation has really taken place (unlike the murder of Sollozzo which can be attributed to revenge)is Michael appearing at Kay's school and telling her that he is working for his father and that his father is just like any other powerful man. That's evidence of transformation for him and the film.

THE TURNING POINT APPEARS TO BE THE DON DANCING WITH HIS DAUGHTER....ITS A REALLY QUICK TRANSISTION BUT REMEMBER HOW SURPRISED TOM HAD TO BE WHEN HE WENT TO CALI TO FUCK WITH WOLTZ.....THE GOLDEN AGE IS ONLY SEEN AT THE WEDDING, SOLLOZO FINISHED ALL OF THAT.

Turning point no question is 'You're telling me the Tattaglia's guarantee our investment?'

Simple as that

This board doesn't seem that friendly to newbies right now, but this touched on what I always felt was a major, perhaps THE major, theme in the films: the struggle to reconcile traditional Sicilian/mafia traditions with changing American realities.

I feel that this is Michael's major failure. He recognizes that times are changing but his attempts to evolve end up isolating him and destroying his family. The caporegime structure was made for simpler times.

In my opinion, the turning point was merely the passing of time and, in particular, the social changes in the post-WWII era.

One of the things the book does that the movies don't have time to do is explain how, in his time in Sicily, Michael
comes to understand and maybe identify with the traditions he was born to.

Well, hopefully it won't come to that.

As for Michael, I always thought it telling that, after decades of trying to be more "modern" he chooses to spend his dying days (years?) in Sicily.

Welcome, LW.

I like your screen name, BTW. Very clever.

As far as being friendly to newbies goes, you may want to recall the words of Senator Geary.

Also, I think that the only thing the "ignore" feature does is eliminate the option of exchanging private messages between yourself and someone on your ignore list.

Indeed. Sorry that I put that misinformation into my now-edited post.

In my opinion - the turning point of Part I isn't the meeting with Sollazzo or Michael's time in Sicily - although they both are extremely important - its the time Michael is in the hospital visiting his father, and takes control of the situation in moving his father to a different room to save his life.

On a seperate thread someone said Michael whispers to Vito, "I'm with you now" or something like that. I have never heard that in the movie - Michael does whisper something but i cannot hear it- but that would not surprise me.

What happens from here on out starts with that action.

I agree with you

But I guess its how you define turning point

is it the moment which start the chain of events which set the film on its way?

Or is it the moment in which the main character has their key moment?

I suspect a little bit of both - both definitions would work. Vito refusing Sollazzo - the clash of the "old school" ways of Vito with the new world of Sollazzo - is the moment that starts the chain of events - but Michael's time in the hospital is when he has his key moment.

(Geez i might have just changed my mind here - lol.)

Presisely. If Sonny had kept his mouth shut...There may very well not have been a hit on the Don. Thats why I consider it the most pivotal moment of the movie

It definitely depends on the meaning of "turning point"

But, I agree with Genco that Michael's turning point (and to me the biggest turning point in the whole movie) is in the hospital. Michael does whisper "I'm with you now." This could just mean "I'll protect you from the boogie man here in the hospital," but we all know better than that.

Without this trip to the hospital, the family would have been crushed.