MovieChat Forums > The Godfather Part II (1974) Discussion > Ending?

Ending?

posted 8 years ago by The_Shawshank_Inception
23 replies | jump to latest

What is with that ending; Michael enlists in the military, everybody is pissed at him, then we cut straight to him sitting in his chair in the present day... and fade to black??? THAT'S IT??? I don't hate the film, I think its great, but the very last scene seemed like it was missing something. I expected a last Hurrah, but this movie didn't have that. What did you think of the ending?

Also, Robert De Niro was okay, but i think the Academy had a certain liking for Vito Corleone... and thats the only reason he won the oscar...

"What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

[–] spurtle467 (1525) 5 years ago

In my opinion, it was primarily Michael's reflection on how at that time he wanted to follow a different path to that of his father and live his own life (away from the mafia); a "what could have been" moment as it were, hence the discussion and falling out over his future, contrasting to now where he is completely consumed by that lifestyle to the point he has lost his wife, and killed his brother Fredo, as a result.

That's what I take from it most, other than being a memory of the family all being alive and together before the events of the first Godfather happened and changed everything.

[–] TexasJack (12515) 5 years ago

I agree. If the Don made the deal with Sollozzo, Michael would have had a very different life.

[–] tennsmoothie (8) 4 years ago

Coppola talked at length about his "guilt" for making the Corleones such sympathetic characters in Godfather 1. (Stupid on his part I would say, but feeling guilty about success seems to be quite popular in this country anymore).

Thus, he made a point of making the Corleones (thru Michael) as dark and depressing as he could because, after all, they were a murdering crime family. So, he shows Michael all alone and very unhappy at the end of Godfather 2.

[–] johnnm58 (545) 4 years ago

I think he was just reminiscing about the past and present. Maybe.