a red carnation on his lapel. The room is dimly lit and the other men in the room wear tuxedos with white carnations in their lapels, creating a largely monochromatic color palate against which the red carnation stands out. The significance of the red carnation is its association with Sicilian Nationalism (Elio Vittorini’s 1948 novel, The Red Carnation, which criticized Italian fascism, was foundational to this association in Sicilian culture). With this little nod, Coppola suggests an association between the “Family Business” and the “National Family.” The Corleone family might be interpreted as a microcosmic representation of a nation; possibly even, to recall Pauline Kael’s review, America. Outside Don Vito’s dark office, his daughter’s sunlit wedding is in full swing. His youngest son, the film’s main character, Michael, arrives late, dressed in his military uniform. He is established as an outsider to his own immediate family. In his conversation with his non-Italian girlfriend Kay, he shows distaste for his family’s illicit and violent business dealings: “that’s my family, Kay, that’s not me” (00:20:50). Michael draws a clear line between himself (a military soldier in the service of the United States of America) and his family (criminals, assassins, who serve the interests of a criminal organization). For audiences in 1972, however, the moral distinction might have seemed less convincing. The Hospital With the celebrations over and a few of the wedding day requests fulfilled, the Corleone Family Business is back in full swing. One fateful day, Don Corleone meets with the heads of Long Island’s other crime families. He disappoints them by refusing to participate in the growing drug business. The tension escalates until Tom Hagen anticipates a “war” between the five families (00:53:54). Soon, the head of the Tattaglia crime family puts out a hit on Don Vito, who is subsequently shot and taken to hospital in critical condition. When Michael arrives at the hospital, it seems completely deserted. There are no patients, no nurses, no doctors (1:01:46). It is an ominous scene. Searching for his father’s room, Michel walks into an empty office in which an abandoned record player skips, repeatedly singing the word “tonight.” The opening of the scene suggests that time is at a standstill, and that Michael (now dressed in a simple civilian suit) occupies a liminal space of potentially great importance (1:02:26). Michael senses that something is wrong and fears for his father’s life. As the scene progresses, he asserts himself more and more, tellingly in contravention of established rules. It begins subtly when he refuses a nurse’s request that he leave. He then insists that the nurse help him disconnect Vito’s tubes so that he can be moved to a safer room away from potential hits, even as she declares it to be “out of the question” (01:03:53). The film depicts Michael’s willingness to flout institutional authority in defense of his father’s life. The 66
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