Michael Corleone takes over as Don, and the Corleone family reaches the height of its power.
The narrative arc from The Godfather to The Godfather Part III is a study in the physics of power: that an object in motion remains in motion unless acted upon by an equal and opposite force. In this universe, the opposing force is never the law; it is the inescapable gravity of the past. the godfather trilogy 1901 to 1980
By the end of The Godfather , Michael has "settled all family business," but he has severed his emotional ties. The door closing on Kay in the final shot of the first film signifies the closing of the family’s heart. In Part II , this trajectory accelerates. Michael does not just kill his enemies; he kills the family itself. The execution of his brother, Fredo, on the placid waters of Lake Tahoe, is the trilogy’s nadir. Michael has achieved total control, but he has murdered the very thing he sought to protect. Standing alone in the autumnal silence after Fredo’s death, Michael is no longer a man, but a hollow monument to power. Michael Corleone takes over as Don, and the