Originally posted by Cristina's Way:
Excuse me for posting even though I'm not a man 
; but when MaryCas mentioned Mama Corleone, I wanted to chime in with my (counter) opinion (which doesn't mean MaryCas is wrong; we just have different positions -- or maybe his view of her is based more on the book, while my view is arrived at just by what I saw in the movie).
But here's my blunt assessment:
Mama Corleone was an inhabitant of her own little domestic universe wherein she turned a blind eye to the criminal activities around her [b](not strong, IMO), believed in non-interference when her daughter was being abused by her husband
(not compassionate), and didn't have a clue what Michael was talking about when he came to her with his anxieties about losing his family
(not wise).
Yes, Mama raised four children lovingly, no doubt, and possessed a commendable sense of responsibility even for her grandchildren (as seen in GF2 when she scolds Connie for being an absentee mother to her two young sons). But a great many mothers are like this. It is Mama's unquestioning acceptance of the riches of crime, her utter subservience and dependence, and her unwillingness to open her eyes and see what's going on (she actually tries to persuade Connie that Michael didn't have Carlo killed; Mama, wake up -- your son's a
mafia don) that, in my opinion, combine to make her not particularly admirable to me. That's just my two cents
. [/b]
Cristina,
I think that the reason you are feeling this way about Mama Corleone is because you are thinking in the now, the present. It is unacceptable in our society today for a wife, mother, etc. to sit back and remain silent about her husbands illegal activities, the abuse by a son in law of her daughter, etc. But you need to remember that back in the era that The Godfather movie is taking place, it was not uncommon (especially with an Italian wife who came over from Italy) for a wife to remain silent about these kinds of things. Not that I agree that a wife or a mother should have remained silent, but that was how it was back then. So in my opinion, Morganna King along with FFC portrayed the "Italian wife" perfectly for that era. Back then no italian woman would dare interfere with her husbands activities or with the marriage of one of her children. It was wrong, no doubt. But that is exactly the way it was and Morganna King did a great job in portraying the typical italian wife of that era.
By the time GFII rolls around, times have supposedly changed, woman became more modernized, and FFC again brilliantly portrays the small detail of the change of the era by now having Mama speak out a little bit more about the well being of her grandchildren and her daughter.
I agree with MaryCas that the potrayal of the Mama character may have been one of the best out of the 3 movies.
Now as far as looks go, well I have to go with Appollonia for her pure and natural beauty.
Don Cardi
