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| Author | Tom Santopietro |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Thomas Dunne Books |
Publication date | February 2012 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| ISBN | 978-1-250-00513-7 |
The Godfather Effect is a 2012 critically acclaimed study ofThe Godfather films – as well asMario Puzo's1969 novel – and their impact onAmerican culture.[1][2] Written by biographerTom Santopietro, the book demonstrates howThe Godfather was a turning point in American cultural consciousness. With its emphasis on proud ethnicity,The Godfather changed not just the wayItalian-Americans saw themselves, but how Americans of all backgrounds viewed their individual and national self-identities, their possibilities, and attendant disappointments.[3]: 83
"The Godfather Effect" also had a broader philosophical dimension. As noted by Santopietro, "what Puzo delivered – brilliantly – was nothing less than a disquisition on the madness, glory, and failure of theAmerican dream."[3]: 7 Early in the novel,Amerigo Bonasera declares "I believe in America." The novel then depicts a nation where the Mafia andbig business are two sides of the same coin: both are corrupt, tell the truth selectively, and do exactly as they wish.[3]: 81
The Godfather Effect was widely reviewed and well received by the press.The Hollywood Reporter called it "a beautiful narrative of the way pop culture shapes our self-image."[1]
The Wall Street Journal declared that "part memoir, part devotional film essay and part reflection on the meaning of ethnicity in American life,The Godfather Effect defines how theGodfather movies, along with the 1969 Mario Puzo novel from which they were adapted, reflected the madness, glory and failure of the American dream. By exploring that dream in distinctly Italian-American terms, the movies succeeded in delivering nothing less than the Italianization of American culture. In other words, they were so cool that everyone wanted to seem a little Italian."[2]
Newsday appreciated the personal dimension in Santopietro's book, noting, "In the end, it's the personal moments, such as Santopietro taking his aging dad to revisit the field where he played baseball as a child, that are most rewarding. The films make up the shell ofThe Godfather Effect, but it's the connections with family that give it a center as sweet as cannoli cream."[4]
TheNew York Journal of Books found that Santopietro "capably weaves together the memoirist elements, the history, and the analyses of the formal and thematic aspects of the films."[5]
The book was recognized for its historical value bySmithsonian Magazine, the official publication of theSmithsonian Institution.[6]
| External videos | |
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 You can watch a video of Santopietro discussingThe Godfather Effecthere |
An acclaimed biographer,[7]Santopietro wrote in-depth studies of several Hollywood icons, each of whom reflected and defined the American cultural landscape. These includedDoris Day (Considering Doris Day),[8]Barbra Streisand (The Importance of Being Barbra),[7] and the definitive account ofFrank Sinatra's Hollywood film career (Sinatra in Hollywood).[9]
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