I have always been an avid reader. As a child, I used to read Urdu storybooks. When my father realized this, he was, to put it mildly, upset...
OPINION
I have always been an avid reader. As a child, I used to read Urdu storybooks. When my father realized this, he was, to put it mildly, upset. After all, he was doing everything in his power to make me proficient in English, and here I was, reading Urdu books! He decided to introduce me to books written in English by giving me Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five books, Hardy Boys mysteries, and Nancy Drew’s adventures. I fell in love with books in English – there was a lot to choose from, and the variety was much better compared to Urdu storybooks.
By seventh grade, I had graduated to Erle Stanley Gardner, and I would like to inform John Grisham fans that he – along with many other writers – owes a lot to Gardner and the portrayal of his male protagonist, Perry Mason. And yes, I read Grisham. I started reading him after I read an interview of President Asif Zardari in which he said he liked Grisham. Interestingly enough, both Erle Stanley Gardner and John Grisham are lawyers-turned-novelists.
I was 15 when I read The Godfather by Mario Puzo, and I don’t think this book has an equal – it is like no other that I have read, and, let me tell you, I have read hundreds of books to date. Anyway, after reading The Godfather, I decided to watch the movie, but the first 20 minutes were enough to convince me I wouldn’t like it. I did not finish it.
I was around 20 when I decided to give The Godfather another chance, and I was hooked straight away! The movie is also like no other I have watched; Marlon Brando was superb, and Al Pacino and Andy Garcia have always been my favourites. Both are super good-looking. However, The Godfather, the book, remains my all-time favourite. So, when a friend said the movie was better than the book, I felt insulted on behalf of Mario Puzo. After a heated debate, we decided to agree to disagree.
The debate over whether The Godfather by Puzo is better than its movie adaptation is an old one. The movie adaptation often hinges on the depth and breadth of storytelling possible in the two different mediums. It is not easy to encapsulate a book with all its plots and sub-plots and characters in a three-hour movie. So, while The Godfather is a cinematic masterpiece, the book offers a richer and more emotionally satisfactory experience. I think that the book delves deeper into the backstories, motivations, and quirks of its characters, which is not possible to portray in the film. A recent example would be that of Game of Thrones books.
Anyway, while the film focuses primarily on the Corleone family and how they cope with their immediate struggles and betrayals, the novel provides detailed histories and personal development for many secondary characters. For instance, Johnny Fontane’s journey through the highs and lows of his career, as well as his relationship with the Corleones, is explored in much greater detail in the book. This adds layers of context to the character, making his actions and the Corleone family’s influence over him more understandable and impactful.
Mario Puzo was brilliant with the way he wove plots and subplots. The intricate workings of the Mafia world, the cultural nuances, and the personal vendettas that drive the story are all given more room to breathe in the book. The result, of course, is a more intriguing and complex web of relationships and power dynamics that define the world of The Godfather. For example, the subplot involving Lucy Mancini and her affair with Sonny Corleone, and her subsequent relationship with Dr. Jules Segal, adds another dimension to the story, but Lucy appeared only briefly in the film.
Another thing the film couldn’t provide is insight into the internal thoughts and emotions of the characters, something that is challenging to convey in a visual medium. Through Puzo’s narrative, readers gain access to the internal conflicts and moral dilemmas faced by characters like Michael Corleone, Vito Corleone, and Tom Hagen. This internal monologue enriches the reader’s connection to the characters and enhances the emotional depth of the story. For instance, Michael’s transformation from a reluctant outsider to the ruthless head of the family – or don – is more gradual and psychologically complex in the book, allowing readers to fully grasp the magnitude of his internal struggle.
Finally, the book contains a wealth of rich, descriptive prose that creates a vivid and atmospheric setting, which makes it a delight to read. Puzo’s detailed descriptions of the Italian-American culture, the opulent lifestyle of the Mafia, and the stark contrast between the different worlds inhabited by the characters provide a sensory experience that the film, with its time constraints and visual focus, cannot fully replicate.
As for the film, Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of The Godfather is a landmark in cinematic history. Coppola made The Godfather a great film by staying true to the essence of the novel. Also, he assembled a stellar cast, including Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, and Diane Keaton, whose performances were simply fantastic. The musical score by Nino Rota, too, was superb. Most importantly, Coppola infused the film with cultural authenticity, reflecting the Italian-American experience and the intricacies of Mafia life, making the story more relatable and compelling. Coppola’s genius transformed The Godfather into a timeless cinematic masterpiece.
The novel by Mario Puzo offers a more in-depth exploration of characters, themes, and narrative complexity. The book’s ability to delve into the ins and outs of the Mafia world, and its backstories and internal monologues, makes it a richer and more immersive experience for those looking to fully understand the intricacies of this iconic story. The author has been criticized for glorifying and romanticizing the Mafia, but let’s admit it: he did it with a panache that has made this book immortal. Folks, I loved all the three parts of The Godfather, but the novel remains my first love.
