Marlon Brando’s absence looms over THE GODFATHER: PART II, one of those sequels that is often touted as being superior to the original. For my money it falls short of that lofty claim, but remains a compelling work of art: Exquisitely directed throughout and finely acted in many parts. The flashback segments in particular, featuring a young Robert De Niro as a young Vito Corleone, are as strong as the original film; the “present-day” storyline, however, suffers from a lack…