And, now, for a true classic. For this edition of critiquing TV and movie sets from a feng shui perspective, we’re going to dive into a personal favorite of mine, The Godfather.
Ah, Don Corleone. A commanding and powerful mob boss. How do we know this? Well, the situation in his office gives us a lot of clues!
The Don’s seat is located in the power position: he’s got his back to a solid wall, and he’s located at the furthest point in the room from the entrance, with the best view of who’s coming in. He will not be caught off guard by who’s entering. And all the seats in the room face his desk, particularly the two opposite him. This shows that he is the authority figure, and everyone looks to him for guidance and direction. He is commanding all the power in this room. And is it just me or does it seem like every other seat is pretty low? Sitting higher than everyone else in the room imposes a certain level of stature and importance. If nothing else, his chair seems to have the highest back, conveying the same message.
Look at how large, heavy, and stately-looking the desk is. The size and weight of it further portray his power and serve to keep people on the other side, imposing a real and metaphorical distance between him (the boss) and others (underlings). You can see how people want to get closer to him, but the desk serves as a sort of barrier. And this room is dark, shadowed, and decorated with heavy furnishings. It conveys that secretive, dangerous, and very important things are being discussed here.
The last thing to notice is that the ceiling is very low up until you get right over the Don’s desk, which helps to move people forward into the room towards him. It also adds a certain mystery to whoever is sitting behind that desk and under the higher ceiling – people will feel drawn to get closer so they can look up at that expansiveness.
After taking a closer look at this office, I think it’s fair to say that, as much as I love watching this movie from the safety of my couch, I would definitely not want to be summoned there!
Too intense for you? For lighter, funnier sets, check out the sitcom editions!