Santino "Sonny" Corleone and Tom Hagen appear to be as a foil of Michael Corleone. Foil's can be emphasized by physical characteristics but they also highlight various features of another characteristics personality.
Tom Hagen—who was the adopted son of Vito Corleone and served as the family lawyer and consigliere—liked to think critically before acting and had more of a business intellectual. He like to play his cards safe but perhaps too safe.
Michaels biological brother, Santino, on the other hand, seemed to be a person who acted fast and wanted justice, revenge and vengeance now. He was hot headed and hot tempered and wants results and action to be taken as soon as possible.
Then there is Michael, who seems to be a little bit of both of them., a balance on the scale. He thinks before he acts but he takes the appropriate action and knows what and how to approach it. He demonstrates this throughout the movie and he is similar to his father as well. He is intellectual but also has ruthless characteristics. He is balanced which makes him an ideal person to take over the family business.
Yeah, I think Michael has a cooler head, and a more cooler approach to his actions.
ReplyDeleteDuring the baptism of Michael's godson and nefew, the entire scene was chaotic--with a baby getting blessed, the murders of Moe Greene and Barzini (I didn't quite catch the other one). He walked out of that church as if it was just another family get-together.
In one of the final scenes, when he was talking to his brother-in-law Carlo, he was discussing Carlo's exile with him because of why and how Santino died. Michael seemed extremely calm. I don't think that Vito Corleone and let alone Sonny could pull that lie off. He was so cool headed, that the audience could feel the tension inside the other people in the room--wanting to kill Carlo for what he had done.
Michael has the adrenalin and hot head of Sonny, but the reason and coolness of Tom Hagen.
I am a tad bit confused about what you mean when you described as "Michael has a cooler head". Also, define exactly what cooler is. Do you mean that he has a more ruthless or interesting way of applying his actions? Or perhaps that he has a more cautious but deadly approach that makes it more interesting and cool.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that it was very chaotic in the scene of the Baptism as well. I found that it made the scene more interesting in creating suspense and action. I also think it was ironic how they were at a church and most religions teach peace, kindness and usually consider the murdering of others as a sin and that was exactly what was happening. Michael Corleone requested the death of the others such as Barzini and this was very important relating to the particular scene.
I think you have a typo and forgot to add the e to the end of adrenaline and I agree with you. He does have the adrenalin and has the brains. He does demonstrate the intellect of Tom Hagen.
By a "cooler head" I mean that he thinks his decisions through (like Tom Hagen), and is the opposite to Sonny (hot-head).
ReplyDeleteBy cooler head, I mean that he doesn't have a quick temper and can control his emotions.
Soooorrrry: Adrenaline (You made the same mistake too)