« As Seen On TV | Main | Blubber Update »
May 08, 2008
An Analogy You Can't Refuse
People often use analogies to explain difficult concepts or illuminate discussions. No analogy is perfect. But when you start out wrong-headed in using an analogy to explain something complex, things can get turned on their heads. Mitchell Hullsman at the LA Times used The Godfather to explain post-9/11 American policy and got it all bollixed up. Now, put aside for the moment that use of "The Godfather Analogy" in explaining things from American foreign policy to the UN to the Bush Family crime syndicate is a bit overplayed. In this latest go-around, "see-dubya" at Michelle Malkin's blog gets into the parlor game and sets things straight. I know Hank is a big fan of the Godfather series. Maybe he can shed some more light on where Kay falls in the scheme of things.
May 8, 2008 by Marty | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/395529/28885166
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference An Analogy You Can't Refuse:
Comments
Interesting reads, Marty. Makes me want to whip out my Godfather "Trilogy" (scare quotes because I never watch part III) DVDs and watch 'em again. DANG, that's a good set of films.
Posted by: Ben | May 8, 2008 9:45:45 AM
Marty--I'm not sure that Kay fits into the LA Times thing at all. Kay was a PITA that is an odd fit into the puzzle. Just like we were always told "Marry a NICE POLISH CATHOLIC GIRL",
Kay was always an outsider in the Family.
Malkin hit it a little bit better.
In the LA Times Discussion, they forgot to mention Michael's part of the discussion with Tom and Sonny. (Fredo was already out on the west coast after his mental breakdown over the attempt on Don Vito's Life)
Tom sugggests to Sonny--"let things cool down,Pop can negotiate"
Sonny replies with "negotiate hell, I'm gonna end this thing and kill that SOB!" Meaning Don Tattaglia.
Mike is smart enough to realize that Tattaglia's family is a bunch of pimps and bar owners, no real muscle there. He doesn't know Barzini is behind the whole thing yet, as he's ignorant of the family business. But when he speaks, he does speak of what he's been able to see.
Michael said (I'm quoting mostly from memory here)
"Sollozo is gonna kill Pop---It's a key for him"
which it was, because Don Vito wasn't going to allow anyone to use his political contacts to help heroin dealers--it's a dirty business compared to gambling,or even prostitution, which the Don admits "most people want nowadays but it's prohibited by the pezzonovantes(Government) and the Church"
Michael's highest concern is "no more attempts on my father's life"--as he told Solozzo and the Police Cap't in the car before the meeting.
Michael knew the only way to keep Solozzo from killing his father was to kill Solozzo. Michael was considered a "Civilian" in the gang war brought on by the attempt on Don Vito. Nobody thought that he would be able to kill Solozzo and his Police Bodyguard Mafia Style, after all--he'd been in the Marines.
But he knows he's in an excellent position to do the hit. All he had to do was have a gun planted in the rest. as he knew he'd be searched before the meeting began. This was where Sonny says the famous "BADA BING", while explaining to Mike he'd have to kill close up. They didn't realize what it takes to get a Navy Cross, and had no idea of Marine training in hand to hand combat.
Speaking of "the car"--In Part I there is a 1939 Cadillac Fleetwood Formal Limousine used in about 6 different scenes. It was here at Steele Rubber last year. I got to look all inside and out of it. It was bought originally by Warner Bros. Pictures to take celebrities to premieres, and among others it carried Mae West, and took Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable to the Atlanta Premiere of "Gone With the Wind". All I wanted to do was open and close the doors of this car. That's a good way to judge craftsmanship. That car is a dream.
Posted by: hank | May 8, 2008 12:59:09 PM
Thanks, Hank. Your knowledge of GF stuff never ceases to amaze me. The characters in GF I are very vivid, but that doesn't mean that there aren't problems with them. Michael is problematic, but that's because he's supposed to be. The tortured soul who wanted to leave that life until it threatened his father. How quickly he became very streetwise, calculating, and almost soulless. But Kay is the biggest problem. She makes a good foil. It's easy to see how Michael might have gotten interested in *her* in his young, idealistic time. But she's rather bloodless and almost charmless. How could Michael have gone back to her after his return to the way of his family? And Kay? But talk about naive! How she could have remained with Michael after the first time she met his family and found out the story. No alarm bells? Red flags? Yeah, Michael said it's not his world, but even if Michael had had more success leaving his past, where were they gonna go without having his family? It's a tough problem. But it's a great movie, one I watch whenever I can.
Posted by: Marty | May 8, 2008 6:48:03 PM
