Al pachino once said in an interview that he never saw Michael as a gangster.

“I….I never wanted this for you Michael”-Vito

Michael Corleone can be seen as a tragic hero. People might say that he changed after the assassination attempt on his father, but in my perspective Michael was always this way. He just didn't realise it or know it, once his rivals attempted to assassinate his father, the side that Michael never knew he had came out. As with Vito Corleone, he was always a man of the people. Instead of being feared by everyone he was loved, too. But with Michael, he was feared, disliked by his family. In conclusion, Michael is an extremely tragic hero. He still has humanity in him, but it is very very little. Brilliantly written character and brilliant movies. My favourite of all time. Thank you for making this video Jay, I've been waiting for this one for a very long time.

There was something Vito said about his sons. He said that if he chewed them out about something they did, that Sonny would be angry. Fredo would sulk. And Michael would smile coldly and leave the room without saying a word, and not be seen or heard from for two weeks. 😐

Al Pacino was born to play Michael Corleone. No actor can play Michael Corleone the way Al did. Thank you so much, J. Wisdom, for creating a video topic, and analysis of Michael Corleone's dark psychology. By the way, do you think that you can do a video analysis, and topic of Frank Martin from The Transporter movies.

Michael was a wartime Don. He was what the Corleone family needed after Vito's attempted assassination.

Michael was the master of mind games he knew how to get people to do what he wanted. His way of thinking was somewhere else and it disappointed Vito that he had to put his talent towards crime instead of something else. He had to be more stern because he was the college boy leading hardcore killers it was all about his image. Great commentary 👍👍

I’ve always seen Michael as the journey of a man who changed because his circumstances change. He is thrown into the harsh reality of the world and he does everything necessary for survival. A man who only becomes a ruthless man because of ruthless men around him. Many men will not take responsibility and act but he did and he payed for everything with blood and sweat.

Michael's story is truly phenomenal. That's why I don't understand why the third movie was not as liked as the first one because the third film is basically answering the question of what type of stress, anxiety and misery does a man like Michael end up with.

They made a mistake trying to redeem Michael with a third installment. Part III isn't terrible but the ending to Part II is one of the greatest in all of cinema. Michael reigns in Hell. The penultimate scene is of his declaration to join the military rather than pursue a future determined by his father. Of all the brothers, only Fredo congratulates him. It's the stuff of Greek tragedy. Embracing evil to "protect my family," only to destroy your family.

I tend to hear a lot of people explain why Michael is evil, so it’s nice to hear you explain him, as an actual man. He’s not evil, he’s a man who is thrown into this. He is just doing what he needs to do, to protect his family.

Once he killed Solazzo and Mcculskey he was in that world. Apollonias death changed him and taught the lesson that in the new world nothing is off limits and you enemies will stop at nothing to win. It was his will that brought him victory. His will to do great and terrible things. In the end what called him to arms inevitably cost him. His family.

Michael Corleone was already a decorated Marine Corps hero before the movie. He had killed and ordered men to kill already. Michael meant what he said: "that's my family, Kay, not me". He didn't want to be a mafioso, but he recognized that the only way to save his father's life was to kill Solozzo and McCluskey. He volunteered to kill them because his training and experience as a Marine Corp officer had prepared him for such a mission. Many KZfaq content creators point to this as a complete turning point, but I see it as one point along the road to becoming a crime lord. Michael's time in Sicily taught him how these men think and operate, and he recognized that he is smarter, more cautious, and a better tactician than most. The death of his wife Apollonia turned him completely to leaqve his 'straight life' in America and embrace the role of Mafia Don.

This breakdown needs to be a movie

Very interesting video. I've always been a huge fan of the Godfather series, and this was a very interesting perspective on Michael and his psychology. Thank you for diving in.

The Godfather series is a tragedy - basically, Vito’s sons each inherited only one aspect of his personality. For example - Fredo had his innocence and love for family and big heart, Sonny had his bravery and masculinity, whereas Micheal had his cunning and intelligence… Michaels cunning and intelligence, (unbridled by Vito’s other features like love for family and sense of honour and bravery) is a tragic curse because although it allows him to totally outwit his enemies, it also means he ends up killing his own brother Fredo, and ends up alone with his wife abandoning him and his children distant from him. He becomes everything his father did not want him to be. It’s a complete tragedy. Vito has intelligence and cunning like Micheal but it was tempered by his deep love of family like Fredo and a sense of honour and bravery like Sonny.

Michael basically became what Darth Vader really wanted for Luke at first....an hier to the family business.

I was just thinking about Vito and Michael Corleone, and how their respective characters match up and differ, and how they might be classified. My analysis led me to select Vito as something of an "anti-villain", because while he's a crime boss, and has taken himself and his family into an unapologetic life of crime, his methods are "acceptable" when judged by inter-personal standards, and he is a man of the people, at once loved and respected. Michael, on the other hand, strikes me as more of an "anti-hero"; as his stated goals throughout the "Godfather" series are to make the Corleone family "legitimate" one day, his methods are more on the side of "unacceptable" as far as a civilized society would allow, and he was a truly cold, calculating and feared "Don" inasmuch as what he was prepared to do to get himself and his family to that end. One of my favorite visions of all of the films is where Michael sits in his yard in Lake Tahoe, peerless, undefeated, but utterly alone, perhaps pondering what was, what got him here, and what's next.

First time I have seen your channel and really enjoyed another take on this fantastic film. Looking forward to more content

EXQUISITE....short, concise, scientifically informed and constantly on point.....best analysis so far

Bro, you are damn good. I love the videos. Please keep going. You're changing many lives for better. I love you man

What an awesome vid Exceptional

This video was absolutely fantastic

Always top quality content bro!

10:30 I disagree about there being a choice for Michael at that point. With Sonny dead, Fredo being Fredo, and Vito's declining health Michael is the last member of the family that has any influence of leadership. Even if he steeped away to attempt a normal life, Barzini or any of the other families might get paranoid still or since Tesso was having issues with Barzini moving in on his turf still could've set him up. The car bomb was a rude awakening for Michael, this is the path he choose, and he can't run nor hide from it.

Michael was always that guy the circumstances brought it out of him not changed him. He still would have been a ruthless business man yet maybe not doing illegal things or we think. Money doesnt change you yet brings out things you never had a choice of. Michael had free will yet chose not family, the family business.

This amazing presentation well done man…

Probably my favorite movie character ever because he was forced into a life he never wanted to live and he was forced to adapt. If you see everything he had to deal with in the story and you still say he’s evil opposed to saying he did what he needed to do to survive then you should just go back to watching wreck it Ralph or the super Mario movie

Great video breakdown and message.

Amazing video! Superb content

A quote from Don Juan teaching what is the difference between a man and a warrior. A warrior take everything as a challenge ordinary men either take things as a curse or a blessing. Michael Corleone is the perfect Don for he was formlessness an adaptable

really cool analysis !

Bro this edit is on point

I remember my mom never seen The Godfather so I decided to watch all 3 movies with her and she was blown away. She kept saying how good looking Al Pacino was and how it was a great movie. Good times. ❤

Thanks for the video 📸📸

Need more of these. 🔥

Bro I love this! You got a new subscriber my g!

Michael's descent into the family business is tragic, but there comes a point where the element of choice comes into effect as the video described. He could've chosen a different path, but vengeance got the better of him, and a loss of faith in society's rules. What's more tragic is that although he is successful as a mafia don, he lacks the charm his father had. His father built the business on favors and relationships. Michael approaches this role from the model of a soldier. His methods are strict and militant, because he feels that is where he can draw the most strength from. And sadly that leads to further conflict and a long list of enemies.

Shoutout to J Wisdom 🔒 you broke it down and made me realize somethings about myself that I can change for the better.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 what a great video

Mate, please continue. You got a gem here with your channel. Godbless brother!!

his life changed around when apollonia was killed back in italy, sicily, thats why he became so cruel and ruthless.

That was a great look at the deeper complexities of the film.

great video brotha

Great analysis!

amazing video

Amazing video again

Great video

Great video bro.

Basically The Godfather is a story about a king of a dynasty that birthed 3 princes eventually needing one of them to one day take his thrown as his successor , each of Vito's sons had a different part of him inside of them but not all of him Santino had Vito's anger & violent side Fredo had Vito's kind & loving side & Michael had Vito's cunning & intelligent side

You gotta do a part 2

Excelent video!!!!! Love the godfather!

Excellent video 👌🏿

never fails to deliver!

Just keep on getting better!!!

J Wisdom, sometimes the editing on your videos is so Elite! That I find myself having to re-watch your videos to focus on what you're saying! XD

Michael shows that his transition to the “ Dark Side” is complete during the baptism juxtaposed with the assassination montage. With the penultimate words of the Sacrament of Baptism as the Godfather of Connie’s baby he becomes the Godfather and CEO of the Corleone crime family: “…Do you renounce Satan…” and he lies. And Satan, as we know, is the Father of lies. Great scene and thanks for your insightful video.

Great essay!

I'm new to your Videos as stumbled onto them through your snowfall analysis', and I absolutely love them. Noticing that your Godfather video is several months old. I would love to put in a request (that you have likely received countless amounts of) of Scarface to match the iconic work of Pacino gangster roles. Maybe a Goodfellas one, too.

Bro this the video I needed after watching the movies

The Godfather II is considered the greatest film ever made. There are not going to be films like The Godfather I & II. Mafia Don Michael Corleone is the most iconic and legendary protagonist ever developed. He was skillfully ruthless and stark full of dark psychology. Since I had The Godfather I'm curious about the character of Michael Corleone. This episode is a masterclass discussion on the psychology of Michael Corleone also called a tragic hero. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This video is 🔥

yep, told you from last vid that this is the best style for your vids. Why didnt you include part 3 of godfather though. I think there were some lessons there.

I think his personality is not a sociopath, nor a psychopath, but he is a Machiavellian. He is ruthless, and he sees relationship as just a means to his end.

Superb!

One of the BEST written characters in cinematic history. And YOU are the first youtuber to cover him. Well Done. You really understand the motivations and your commentary is EXCELLENT. Michael starts off as a true patriotic, all-american. And he really values the blessing of having a peaceful country to call home. A safe place. His world view is optimistic. But, after Hitler's war. Michael comes home with a new awareness, and I think it makes him see his family business and all of its bad deeds, is just a part of how the world is. WWII had to make him see that if you don't fight, and if you don't have strong leadership - EVERYTHING will be taken from you. Then his father and brother are killed. He knows that all the blood flowing in the streets and all the blood flowing in the war - Its all the same thing. And if he doesn't stand up and fight, his family will be just as dead as the soldiers in the war. Its clear to him. He has to be that man for the rest of his life. Not just for him... but for the existence of life itself. Its all very black and white for him. He becomes a general. WWII had to change him. The sight of innocent people slaughtered. Boys, sent to their deaths by the leaders of their nations. He sees no distinction between himself, his deeds and all the rest of the chaos in the world. He now knows, that there are only 2 types of men. The ones Making the Laws and the ones following them. He is not a psychopath. He is a product of his environment. Now add race. He is Italian, in White America. Fresh off a war that murdered simply because of race. In Europe, the currency wasn't money. It's the Purity of Blood. Once an Ethnic person realizes that no matter what they do, the purebred whites are never going to respect you or let you in the club. You have no option. You must make your own game, rules, terms and define victory in your own way. Because THEY will NEVER accept you. Michael understood that. And he wasn't wrong. Because Respect and Power are never given. Especially if you play nice and fair. Its TAKEN.

Nice editing

Thank you

Please do one on Vito Corleone. He's an equally fascinating character.

8:5 essendo italiano mi è piacuto molto sentire che hai lasciato il doppiaggio ita i adored ur video

The best character in movie history.

Great video make a video on frank underwood pls

Michael Corleone's eyes act themselves

mate, this is really great content but please do analysis at Robert McCall from Equalizer

In a way, throughout much of early human history, war and violence could come from just about anyone. There are still pockets throughout the world where an honor system demands you drop a person insulting your family. If humanity were to arrogantly embrace self-obsession, addiction to instant gratification and all were quicker to take offense from words, you could say the entire world could break into violence, especially if inflation, poverty and starvation are added into the mix. It's one way the world is predicted to end.

In part 1, they ALL had it comin'. ⚔️🍻🖤

"No love lost" means that there is dislike or animosity between two people. Not that they love each other.

That is the genius of Mario Puzo to create such a realistic character (s) and afterwords Mr. Coppola the director of the saga which is so close to the book.

I would love to see your thoughts on Cersei Lannister, from The Game Of Thrones.

Im gonna try to watch god father again tonight. I watched it 2 days ago for the first time and only got an hour in and for some reason dropped it. I genuinely found myself not that interested but its weird because ganged movies is my favorite genre so im gonna watch again because people said 2 gets even better so I’ll reerve all judgement i had and try again

Greatest villian ever , greatest acting performances of alltime! 😊😊

He had no choice but to become evil because he was swimming surrounded by sharks ,they were ready-made to eat him at anytime so in order to survive he had to eliminate all of them ( kill order before killed)

It’s possible Michael was a sociopath who was able to switch his empathy off when it is logically necessary. He holds composure like a sociopath, and is cold and calculating.

Can You do a different vídeo about Michael during the godfather II and CODA pleaaaaaseeee

Glad you're putting a light on these people. When all is said and done they are just all psychopaths

Good video but one important aspect omitted. Michael was a decorated officer and saw combat in WW2. Besides college, that was his training and experience. His rise to power didnt have anything to do with being a psycho or sociopath. He executed a military operation. These are goal based and devoid of emotion. Famiky ties/alliance mean nothing. You are either on my side or an enemy. You eliminate weakness. You eliminate traitors/spies. You draw strength to you and exploit assets. His natural leadership and training helped him achieve his goals without his judgement being clouded by emotion.

This video is sick

When u first see Micheal he is in uniform. He has seen real war, he is already a killer and has seen a hell most never will.

Michael Corleone is a similar character to Macbeth, and poses the same exact question to the audience - was he evil from the beginning or were the events that happened in his life what caused him to become evil subsequently? The answer to that question, in both cases, is equally ambiguous.

Can you do Ivar the boneless?

Excellent analysis though I would like to point out some things I slightly disagree on, just to share my views: - Michael is not a sociopath, at least, not yet in Part 1. Empathy is not a "1 or 0" thing, empathy could be for specific people or gained/lost at specific times. There's 1 person he definitely still had empathy for, and 1 who he arguably had empathy for. Vito and Kay. - I would think it's a little negative to say that Michael married Kay for his desires for manipulation. Kay is the metaphorical angel and Vito is the devil for Michael (not that he's evil, but because of his importance to Michael, Vito would inevitably draw Michael to the darker side). Michael's relation with Kay is symbolic of his wish to step back to the light, to be "clean" again. He wanted Kay to be his salvation, but their failed relationship became a further tipping point for him. - But Michael definitely had little to no empathy for Connie and Fredo (possibly even Tom). Hence he was able to kill Carlo and Fredo; this is something I believe Vito would not done, maybe expose and outcast but never kill someone in the family. Michael was also in the darkest period of his life, after Kay had left him he probably had no more empathy for anyone. - Tragically, Michael did regain empathy for Kay, their children, then later even for Fredo, hence his confession. But the death of his daughter shattered him again, and it was ultimately just to show him that despite there still being good in him, he doesn't get to have a happy ending for the actions he's done.

I don't think he had any choice after his father was severely shot and was lying in a hospital which coincidentally, he just happened to stop by to see his father. He recognized, despite Sonny's sending his men to protect his father that those men were removed from the hospital making Michael upset and called Sonny right away. Luckily Michael stayed to do whatever he could to make sure no one would kill his father. He even used the wonderful Enzio, the baker, who stopped by to see Don Corleone and wish him well since the Don did him a favor to keep him in the USA since he wasn't supposed to be in this country. Enzio was grateful for Don's help and luckily Michael realized he wasn't anyone other than he claimed to be. Michael recognized Enzio was legitimate and glad he was there to offset those killers that were watching to see if the coast was cleared at the hospital. Michael made sure to be there until Sonny's men got there to guard his father. Michael, I don't think he wanted to be part his father's business but recognized that Sonny, his older brother, had a tendency not to think despite Tom's help with Sonny. No one could control Sonny and so the father knew Sonny would surrender to his fate. Leaving the family without any Don to follow in his father's footsteps so Michael was the only one capable since Fredo was useless even in protecting his father. Michael had the intelligence and strength of a powerful man to oversee his father's business and so he had no choice but to step into his father's shoes. I believe it was Michael's fate to be part of the business, despite his own concerns about his own wife and family. He had no choice but to take care of the entire business and his family too.

You got to have it in you and bring it out when its needed#Havoc

Great psychology! You must be a psychology major.

Michael is like a CEO. Ruthles. So calculating

I don't think he was a sociopath..I think he developed into what he had to.

Michael has been sucked into his family situation. Keep in mind that a man without a father/family with money, power and power could not have made these kinds of decisions, but Michael had these resources at his disposal and expanded his father's kingdom into an empire. Seeing injustice has turned him into a monster. A monster with enough capabilities to eliminate his enemies who like to play dirty games.

The Phrase "No Love Lost" mean 2 people hate each other not actually love them.

Quite honestly, the two first murders Michael commits aren’t worth remorse or guilt. If he killed two innocent men, sure, but since those men made an attempt on his father and attacked him as well, it’s really easy to understand why he was so casual about murdering them, especially since he’s killed far less deserving people in the war.

Sometimes we have to take care of FAMILY at all cost... I have a feeling I'm being desensitized... Same things over and over throughout my entire life and it's getting easier and easier to deal with,emotional intelligence