The Godfather II & Westerns

At 4 a.m. I abandoned the idea of being able to sleep and made my way to my office.  Waiting for me was the chapter I’ve been working on for the second edition of the Hearts West book and the last chapter of the Sam Sixkiller book.  I’m thankful every day that I get to write about the west for a living and I look forward to being able to do it for the rest of my life.  While I was working this morning my mind drifted to some classic film moments I thought were exceptionally well written.  The Godfather isn’t a western, but it could have been.  The story line would resonate just as well with a western setting as it did in the setting of New York.  The dialogue could have been dialogue any cowboy and outlaw might have had.  I let my mind settle on the opening scene from Godfather II.  Not only because I think the film is wonderful, but because the opening scene fits my mood this morning and best conveys the frustration I’m feeling.  My brother had a particularly hard weekend.  He suffers so and knowing that makes me deeply sad.  Which leads me to the Godfather II.  Little Vito Andolini, the boy who would grow up to be the Godfather, was born in Sicily.  In 1901 his father was murdered for an insult to the local Mafia Chieftain.  His older brother Paolo swore revenge and disappeared into the hills, leaving Vito, the only male heir to stand with his mother at the funeral.  His mother eventually takes him to see the Don Ciccio, the man who had killed her husband and son and the Godfather’s father and brother.  After recapping for the Don what he had done she pleads to him for the life of her one and only son.  The Don refuses her request.  He believes Vito will try to get revenge on him when he grows up.  Vito’s mother pulls a knife on the Don and holds it to the man’s neck, giving her son just enough time to run away from the scene.  When Vito turns and looks back he sees his mother being shot and killed by the Don.  Vitto does get away and escapes to the United States .  Decades pass.  Vito never forgot what was done to his family at the hand of the Don.  As the Don predicted, Vito does return to exact justice on the Don for his actions.  So much time had lapsed, the Don had forgotten about Vito.  That’s how I see the situation with my brother.  So much time has lapsed that the outlaws in this long tale have forgotten what they’ve done.  I remember every day.  I’m forced to.  I will not stop pursuing justice until the real criminals are behind bars and that will happen – sooner than they ever allowed themselves to imagine.  Until that day I’ll continue writing my western stories.  Ti amo, Rick.