This article seeks to describe a new breed of films that emerged in the 1970’s.  Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather was one of the films that epitomized and exemplified this type of film, which was the epic melodrama.  The article describes this type of film as pessimistic and theatrical, with heavy political and social influences such as Vietnam and Watergate, as well as formal European influences, which fit well with the heavy emphasis in this film on Italian-Americans.

The films that fall into this category are characterized by the larger than life characters, the intense emotions, and most importantly the great battle between good and evil.  In the case of The Godfather, this battle became an inner moral one, but nonetheless capable of creating just as much drama.  As the article continues, this film, as a direct result of the melodrama, strikes a chord within audiences.  It is suggested that perhaps this is simply because of the time during which it was released, and the political and social emotions that were still in the air as a result of Vietnam.  Thus, ultimately the historical and political events of the time become “a springboard” through which these movies become about much larger issues.  The Godfather, as claimed in the article is not simply about an Italian family linked to the mob, but also one of “greed, vengeance, and power.”

One of the symbolic manifestations in these films are the ways in which theater itself is brought into the script.  In The Godfather, specifically, there are various instances before turning points in the film, or bits that are used to foreshadow, where Italian melodrama is viewed. Another important aspect to these films are the manner in which they are rooted in particular genres already, gangster films in the case of The Godfather, and thus particular scenes, such as the wedding, further place the film in this context as well as providing another layer, emphasizing the family and Italian heritage of the Corleones.