Enzo, you would make a good politician .

Something else that adds to the depth of GF2 is the parallel structure of some scenes with GF1. For instance, they both open with a lavish family celebration during which the Don receives visitors in his office, and they both close with the killing of the Family's enemies.

BUT where the complexity comes in is that, while on the surface the scenes appear very similar, there are subtle differences built in that may not be apparent until after repeated viewings. For example, I read somewhere (probably on these boards) that Connie's wedding was a genuine family celebration around which Don Vito built his day. Yes, he heard requests, but that was incidental to the wedding tradition. The petitioners approached Vito with an outward show of respect and humility.

Anthony's First Communion, on the other hand, is an event filled with strangers whom the young boy doesn't even know. It is more of an elaborate backdrop against which Michael can make a show of "legitimacy" while wheeling and dealing with politicians and gangsters alike. Business first, family celebration second, exactly the opposite of how Vito did it. And Michael's visitors don't even bother with the semblance of respect: Connie arrives with a caustic attitude carried over from Carlo's death; Geary openly insults Michael and his entire family; Pentangeli arrives drunk and tries to boss Michael around.

Similarly, the endings of GF1 and GF2 are not as alike as they may seem. Whereas in GF1, Michael took out powerful enemies who would clearly be a threat to him had they lived, in GF2 his enemies have been left so weak and powerless that killing them seems downright unnecessary. In fact, had they lived out their natural lives, I don't think any of them would have been a threat to Michael at all.

There are several more GF2 scenes that are analogous to those of GF1, but not totally so. Look more deeply and you see the differences .