The script potential of The Godfather estimated from its PLOT structure is 119 – 131MM (actual 136MM)
The script of The Godfather borrows from the universal quests of Family, Tranquillity & Power
The Plot structure will appeal to 28.8 – 32.0% of the population
Mario Puzo’s best-selling novel was made into a blockbuster crime film by Francis Ford Coppola. The Godfather’s Plot Structure is set into motion by Don Vito’s stance against drugs which threatens to destroy his family. Don Vito’s quest mirrors that of Demeter from Greek mythology. Don Vito’s refusal to Solozzo’s proposal is a mirror of Demeter’s refusal of Hades’ proposal and the trigger to separation, loss and recovery of a loved one.
Evaluation of The Godfather’s Plot Structure
A well-crafted Plot Structure can make or break a story's impact on its audience. The Godfather’s Plot Structure has been extracted using 3 universal quests. 94% of events in the script are borrowed from the quests of Demeter, Odysseus & Circe.
Since every story is the quest to fulfil a human desire, we have identified 32 universal quests. Each of these 32 quests is the pursuit of a basic human desire and represents our collective subconscious. We use these universal quests to extract the Plot Structure of any story. From the plot structure analysis of Blockbuster, Hit & Flop movies across decades we discovered the Code for creating Blockbuster Plot Structures. Examining a movie’s Plot Structure with the Mythosis Code uncovers the gaps in the script, if any.
Adherence to the Mythosis Code
All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. The Godfather borrows from 3 quests of Family, Tranquillity & Power.
In Blockbusters, each universal quest is mirrored by ONLY ONE character. In The Godfather, Don Vito mirrors the quest of Family. Barzini mirrors the quest of Power. Michael mirrors the quest of Tranquillity. Sonny & Tom mirror the quest of Vengeance & Honour but both these quests are underdeveloped.
Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of the universal quest. In The Godfather, the depth of all quests is below the threshold. Don Vito borrows 38% of the quest of Family. Barzini borrows 34% of the quest of Power. Michael borrows 38% of the quest of Tranquillity.
Blockbusters interweave different quests to create a tight plot structure. Interweaving occurs when events of 2 quests occur simultaneously in the story. Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. The Godfather has a perfect quest interweaving score of 1. Here is an example of interweaving the quests of Don Vito & Barzini:
Estimation of The Godfather’s audience appeal
The elements of the Mythosis Code reflect the strength of the plot structure on multiple levels. The number and depth of quests used measures a story’s relevance. Character consistency is measured by the number of quests they mirror. The depth of mirroring reflects character complexity. Lastly, the story cohesiveness by the extent of the quests interweaving with each other. We measure the strength of the plot structure to ascertain the script’s audience appeal and potential revenue.
The Godfather’s plot structure perfectly interweaves 3 universal quests. Furthermore, the high number of events borrowed from each quest adds depth and complexity to the characters.
The potency of the existing plot structure is 1.01 whereas Blockbusters has a score of at least 0.64. Based on the plot structure score, The Godfather will appeal to 28.8 – 32.0% of the population. Our estimate of the movie’s revenues from its audience appeal is 119-132MM against the actual revenue of 136MM.
Extraction of The Godfather’s plot structure with 3 mythological tales
Each mythological tale uniquely represents a human quest to fulfil a desire. These tales are the superset of thousands of stories across cultures that reflect our collective subconscious.
Every tale has 5 major arcs culminating in a mega event. Mapping a character’s quest to the relevant tale reveals the gaps in their quest. The ideal Plot Structure can be constructed by plugging these gaps with the missing events. These events strengthen each character’s journey and weaving of quests without altering the story.
Quest 1: Don Vito mirrors the universal quest for Family
Don Vito’s desire for Family stems from the need to nurture and protect loved ones. The tale of Demeter from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Family.
Quest 2: Michael mirrors the universal quest for Tranquillity
Michael’s desire for Tranquillity stems from the need to be in secure surroundings. The tale of Odysseus from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Tranquillity.
Quest 3: Barzini mirrors the universal quest for Power
Barzini’s desire for Power stems from the need to dominate others. The tale of Circe from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Power.
Tags:1972, Character Arcs, Circe, Demeter, Family, Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo, Mythology, Odysseus, Paramount Pictures, Plot Structure, Power, Screenwriting, storytelling, Tranquillity
