Face vs. Father
By
Aaron Kopitz

In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women. According to Tony Montana, this is what college is all about. When people make money it can be used to make power and then eventually get women. True to some degree, college exists to better ones self and community through knowledge. 
We get money by spending money especially when its on an education; it is a long term investment on ones self. Afterwards one can gain power through their job, something that they really love to do and that makes them happy. Once more, when these two things are settled then they can get their women. Take it in stride that when referring to women it is something that makes a person happy, a personal goal one could say.
Clearly a motto to motivate any guy (and yes it is testosterone driven) from the movie Scarface, which debuted 1983, loved by many men. If you were to ask where this quote came from they would tell you, speaking with a horrible Cuban accent.
Lets take it another way and think of it as respect. College is a family. Im gonna make him an offer he can't refuse. Yes, the all time favorite of men: The Godfather. Written and directed by Mario Puzo in 1972, it is a shining example of reserved masculinity. College is family and you respect the family and yourself. Treat it nicely and it will respect you. Everyone makes nice and things go well. You do what you are told (by your professors) and then make a name for yourself on your own. How you make your name all depends on what you do and how you want to be remembered. Luckily no one gets whacked like they do in the movies.
Although which is better? The ragging Cuban who is trying to make a name for himself by taking chances or the reserved Italian who gets caught up in the family business. Taking away metaphors and looking at the movies, it is hard to decide which is better. Scarface symbolizes the American dream through a very hazardous yet true example of an immigrant coming to America and aspiring to do great things, only to fall due to his profession.
Through the Godfather we see another side of the spectrum of man. Not the testosterone driven, wild crazed power hungry beast you see in Scarface. We see a more formal, respectable representation of how to go about things with honor and dignity. Immigrants once again are coming to America and sticking together in their community, trying to live a better life. Eventually Michael Corleone comes into a position of power and does his best to keep tradition and unity in the family. The problem though, is that nothing lasts forever, things change and people grow.
So it comes down to which is better? It all depends on you, the viewer. Do you like fast action and the thrill of now, or do you enjoy a reserved and consistent flow of life. Either way these two classics of the American cinema are well worth watching at least once.
