The Godfather (1972, USA)

Aichi Insurance Physicians’ Newspaper

The power struggles among Sicilian mafia immigrants, which began after the Great Depression, still continue today. The Depression not only brought about mass unemployment, social unrest, and the rise of fascism, but also allowed the underworld to thrive unchecked.

At the estate of Don Corleone (Marlon Brando), a wedding is being held for his daughter Connie. No matter how poor or powerless a person may be, Corleone would solve even the most difficult problems if they came to him for help.

Michael (Al Pacino), the youngest son, hopes to pursue a legitimate life without becoming involved in the underworld. When he hears of his father’s shooting, he rushes home and, by chance, saves Don’s life from a second attack. While the eldest son Sonny takes command of their men, the family’s adopted son and consigliere, Tom (Robert Duvall), tries to avoid a full-scale war with the Five Families. However, Don’s life cannot be guaranteed unless Sollozzo is eliminated. The battle with the Tattaglias becomes increasingly fierce, and Sonny, due to his impulsive nature, falls into a trap set by the enemy. Amid the chaos, Don recovers from his injuries and peace is finally negotiated. Two years later, Michael returns to the U.S. and succeeds his father. One morning, while playing with his grandson, Don suddenly collapses. The great Godfather passes away peacefully, mourned by many.

The Godfather might be seen as a rare beast that emerged in the United States after the Great Depression. Why did fascism, which swept through Japan, Germany, and Italy, never take hold as the mainstream in America? The secret maneuvers of the Rockefeller dynasty—far more powerful than the mafia, which controlled just 3% of the economy—remain surprisingly little known. Some hold a cynical view that even Obama, who campaigned under the slogan of "Change," was merely a puppet of the Rockefellers.