A timeless masterpiece. Definitely should react to Part II- probably the best sequel ever and often considered the better film. Reactors always get confused about Michael seeing his dad was shot in the paper. He’s in Manhattan with Kaye on a date. They are all in the same city. The date was at a show / cinema whatever. No cells in late 1940s, obviously. What they see at the newsstand is the EVENING editions of the NY papers. Back in the day there were morning and evening editions. Leave the gun; take the cannoli is still one of the best lines ever - but so much of this film has seeped into everyday conversations. Offer he can’t refuse, sleeps with the fishes, it was strictly business - not personal etc etc. The five families in the book/films is a fictionalization of the 5 mafia families in NYC. The Bonnano, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchesi families.
Michael’s injury was very bad in the novel. His eye socket was shattered along with his septum, and a broken jaw. He had to constantly wipe his nose and always had a handkerchief in his left hand. This is why he was still bruised in Sicily.😎
"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli." Good call. 👍 Fun Fact: Theatrical debut of Morgana King, Sofia Coppola, Italia Coppola, and Joe Spinell (in the uncredited role of Willi Cicci). Location Location Fact: Because Corleone, Sicily, was too developed, even in the early 1970s, the Sicilian town of Savoca, outside Taormina, was used instead. Historical Fact: Most of the cars in the movie have wooden bumpers. Bumpers were removed by car owners during World War II, and replaced with wooden ones. The chrome ones were turned in to help with the war effort. After the war, it took several years for them to be replaced. What Script Fact: Lenny Montana (Luca Brasi) was so nervous about working with Marlon Brando that in the first take of their scene together, he flubbed some lines. Director Francis Ford Coppola liked the genuine nervousness and used it in the final cut. The scenes of Luca practicing his speech were added later. Dark Filmmaking Fact: Cinematographer Gordon Willis earned himself the nickname "The Prince Of Darkness" since his sets were so underlit. Paramount Pictures executives initially thought that the footage was too dark, until persuaded otherwise by Willis and Francis Ford Coppola that it was to emphasize the shadiness of the Corleone family's dealings.
Good reaction. I like how you talked about Michael's military career. He's referred to at least once in the movie as a "war hero." Some of the people around him underestimate him because he's not like them, but it's not like he's unfamiliar with violence.
Exactly. He enlisted in the Marines immediately after Pearl Harbor and fought through the Pacific Campaigns, rising from private to captain. He has not only been in combat, he has led other men in combat. He earned a Silver Star and a Navy Cross, two of the highest decorations for valor. The combat he would have experienced in the Pacific would have been brutal. Sonny’s crack about having to get up close to kill Salazzo shows how clueless everyone is about what Michael experienced.
7:18 "Johnny Fontaine" That is supposed to be Frank Sinatra. The story Michael tells about getting out of the contract is how Frank got out of his contract with the Tommy Dorsey Band. "That's a true story"
@@RamblersInc More like vague mob ties. The mob had influence in pretty much all forms of entertainment back then - including the making of this movie itself. It almost didn't get made because the mafia wouldn't agree to the script if it portrayed the them in too much of a negative light
@randywhite3947 That's true. But when Old Blue eyes got wind of the character and such, he quickly assumed it was based on his real life connection to "organized crime."
For Marlon´s Brando character in this movie, Don Vito Corleone, Francis Ford Coppola put a jaw prosthesis in his mouth and a gauze, to give him that particular face. Brando was relatively young in this film, and Coppola pretended to age him and look more threatening.
Yeah. For the rest of his life, Sinatra held a deep enmity for Mario Puzo and The Godfather. In the novel, the connection was even more pronounced; there was even a character that was clearly supposed to be Dean Martin.
@@RamblersInc he was more a fawning fan boy. Like gangster rappers today who know the main gangsters in their hoods but aren't necessarily working for them.
In the book it's made a little more clear that the whole larger story happens because of Sonny showing his emotions during the meeting with Sollozzo, revealing he was interested in getting involved with the drug trade. This made Sollozzo calculate that he could ultimately get Sonny to the table if he got rid of Vito, once Sonny got over his initial hotheaded reaction. The bit with the horse's head was brilliant because not only did they destroy the biggest symbol of Woltz's wealth and power, his prize possession, but the fact that it was slipped into his bed while he was sleeping meant that the servants or security in his home also betrayed him and he wasn't safe in his own home.
@@kimberlys8422this may be the first movie that is better than the book. The book is great but it had weird sub plots like Sonny’s mistress having a super wide vagina, and her struggle to be sexually satisfied after Sonny’s death (he had a famously huge penis, which his wife eludes to in the opening wedding scene). Also they expand on Johnny Fontaine’s story, which really didn’t affect the overall plot.
The greatest movie of all time 😊 No other movie not even Godfather II can match screen play, script, cinematography, cast, acting, score, and makeup! I saw a short with Tom Hanks talking about Marlon Brando from the beginning of the movie aging through the movie until he's an old man in his garden and you don't notice the changes until you watch again. Hanks said he didn't realize it until he became an actor working in movies.
As a Sicilian American from the Bronx, I can assure you that this film is on the money. I wasn't born yet in 1945, but things hadn't changed very much by the time I came along. Most of the NY scenes were filmed on locations, some of which I've been to. My grandfather's town is located close to Corleone , and that too is quite accurate--still looks much like that. Corleone is actually the well-established "base" of the Sicilian Mafia.
Newspapers in big cities like New York had several editions every day, and if there was “breaking news”, they could put out a “special edition.” So, Michael got the news fairly quickly after the shooting.
The only "Extra" I ever saw was when Reagan was shot. The way they did it was they added one sheet with all the coverage of the event. It was wrapped around the regular edition that had gone out that morning. So the first, second, next to last and last page had all the breaking news. When Michael opens up the paper to read that story, that's not how it would've been.
The most insightful and brilliant reaction and understanding of what was going on in The Godfather that I've seen to date. The both of you bouncing off each other and filling in the plot worked _very_ well for this movie. This is when watching a movie reaction is worth the time!
There are so many movies that are spoiled by their endings. But this one is perfect. The key moment for Michael is when Enzo the baker is shaking too much to light his cigarette, and Michael notces his own hand is completely steady. Fredo is important in Part II and you see what a brilliant actor John Cazale is.
So. Many. Thoughts. Michael finding out via the newspaper happens a few hours after the shooting. Evening edition newspapers back then were as much or more a source of breaking news as radio. If you are familiar with the term "Stop the presses!", it derives from the that age of print journalism. Oranges are a used repeatedly in the whole saga as a foreshadowing of death or tragedy. Michael genuinely loves Apollonia; he got stuck by the "thunderbolt". IMHO, he loves the *idea* of Kay. When he is telling her about the family going legitimate, he is unconsciously telling her that she is part of that, i.e. a WASP from New England to Americanize a Sicilian crime family. The Five Families all had different territories of the New York/ New Jersey area. Within each family, the capos (like Tessio and Clemenza) controlled a portion of that territory. Peace was maintained by not infringing on another family's territory, The Corleones main income at the start of the film was primarily from gambling, controlling the unions, and extortion. Besides understanding that narcotics were too dangerous, Vito had a personal distaste for prostitution and kept the family out of that. Tom's unflappable nature goes too far when it jeopardizes the future of the family. There are times to seek compromise or seek peace (as Vito shows), but Tom's path would have fatally weakened the family's position. He is obviously the counterpoint to Sonny, whose instinct is to lash out. Sonny's not dumb, he just struggles with controlling his nature. Remember that Tom was "adopted" by Vito at a young enough age that Michael would have always known him as an older brother. Above all, Michael studies people, as his father did. This is why his evolution owes as much to his older brothers as to his father. His calm and patience is terrifying, and his ruthlessness is laser focused. The juxtaposition of the baptism and the takedown of the Five Families is classic Coppola. He frequently juxtaposes religious imagery and violence in his films. Also, not seen in the film but in the book is that besides the Dons, the Corleones also eliminate a lot of the capos and "button men" of the rival Families so they are critically weakened without being destroyed.
The two central metaphors of the climax were a one-two punch.The Baptism scene was a pure cinema gut punch...but the closing of the door in Kay's face was the knockout.
There's an amazing series on Paramount+ called The Offer that relives the crazy odyssey that was the making of The Godfather. The effort to bring Mario Puzo's book to film is as entertaining as The Godfather itself. If you loved The Godfather, it's a must see! Thanks for your excellent reactions!
That scene at the restaurant is my favorite, just watching Michael's eyes before his first kill, you can read everything that's going through his mind. Incredible acting without a word.
Yep, you can tell from Michael’s eyes that he isn’t paying one bit of attention to what Solozzo is saying to him because he’s so engulfed with what he’s about to do. Brilliant. 💎
You two did a good job, especially not knowing the history of Gangsters in USA which was kick started in 1920 by "Prohibition", a national law making alcoholic beverages illegal. This was the event that made crime a "Big business" and 5 NY Families, and other associates in Chicago, California, Philadelphia organized illegal booze distribution across the country. Congress then revoked Prohibition around 1933 and organized crime had to find and grow other businesses, such as unions, narcotics and gambling. Gambling was illegal in every state except Nevada and a gangster named Bugsy Siegel built the first casino in Las Vegas with mob money from NY. But he had cost overruns and never made money and the NY "commission" decided to take him out. He was shot by machine gun but one bullet went right through his eye. So the character and death of Moe Green was loosely based on him.
Great reaction. Yes, Vito knew of Michael's plans. He helped make them. This is shown a tiny bit more in the novel. There is also a deleted movie scene where Vito tells Michael , "I gave my word." and Michael responds "I never gave mine."
A great, classic movie and you both really got the nuances of it. Really liked how you got into it, and the GF 2 will really give you the background so know you’ll dig into it.
Luca Brasi the enforcer for the Corleone family in The Godfather was played by Lenny Montana a former pro wrestler and real life enforcer for the Colombo crime family. He was sent to oversee the shooting of the film because Francis Ford Coppola agreed he wouldn't put in a scene where they mentioned the Mafia or Cosa Nostra to film The Godfather. A little fun fact about Luca Brasi the scene where he's practising his speech before meeting the godfather was because Lenny Montana was very nervous because he was doing a scene with Marlon Brando so when Coppola saw him going over his lines because of his nerves Coppola decided to keep it in the film.
Excellent reaction gents, as people have said part 2 is so good, I watched it again recently and it’s almost perfect in every way, the story, the acting, cinematography, subbed for more!!!
This and The Godfather II make the greatest film ever. John Cazale (Fredo Corleone) only made 5 movies in his life. The first 2 Godfather movies, Dog Day Afternoon, The Conversation and The Deer Hunter. Then he died from lung cancer with his girlfriend Meryl Streep at his side.
A couple of points regarding differences in the original novel - in the story, Luca was a vile, psychopathic killer who was so feared he practically ran his own crew independent of any of the families but he was undyingly loyal to Vito because Vito had saved his life in the gang wars that had put the Corleone family on top. He did not immediately approach the Turk but instead spent some weeks grumbling and subtly dropping hints in neutral locations (brothels, clubs, etc.) that he was unhappy knowing that eventually word would reach the right ears and they'd ask to meet him. He originally wanted to kill everyone at the meeting and be done with it but in deference to Vito's wishes, he decided to hear them out before reporting back to Vito but they got the jump on him and even then, it took three men to subdue him. As for Tessio's betrayal - he did not beg for his life in the novel, he accepted his fate with stoic resignation. It was Tom who asked Michael to spare him since Michael and his father's master plan was to deliberately roll over in the name of peace and push Tessio and Clemenza into Barzini's arms by hanging them out to dry while they surrendered territory and operations to the other families in the hopes that either one of them would break and turn - as Michael says, because it was the the smart move. No one but Michael and his father knew of the this general retreat by the Corleone family was a ruse while secretly built up a powerful shadow regime under everyone's noses until the time was right to strike - Tom actually came closest to figuring out the gambit; he knew something was wrong but could not put the pieces together..
@@RamblersInc Absolutely. It's interesting, Vito's sons each reflect an aspect of their father - Sonny has Vito's passion, Fredo has his heart and Michael... Michael has his cunning.
Absolutely. Michael played the part of the incompetent outsider perfectly reassuring the other families that he was no threat. This allowed him to monitor everything they did without arousing suspicion. When it was time to make his move he knew exactly what they were doing and thinking and could get everyone at once. "If I determine the enemy's disposition of forces while I have no perceptible form, I can concentrate my forces while the enemy is fragmented."--Sun Tzu
Marlon Brando putting cotton balls in his cheeks was a nice effect; also the scene when he saw his son Santino's body and how they "massacred his boy" trying not to cry (like a woman) that deserved him the Oscar. It just takes one brilliant scene.
The actor who played Fredo is John Cazale, considered a great actor (he appeared in only 5 movies-all of which were nominated or won Best Picture). He passed away shortly after his last movie from lung cancer-he and Meryl Streep met while filming The Deer Hunter and were planning to marry). You should definitely react to The Deer Hunter with Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, John Cazale, and Meryl Streep. One of the greatest movies ever made and a great take on the time of the Vietnam War.
Anecdote for the wedding scene in Italy from Al Pacino: Francis Coppola: Ok Al, can you dance a bit? Pacino: I can't dance? Francis Coppola: OK, speak some Italian! Pacino: I don't speak Italian! Francis Coppola: OK, drive the car! Pacino: I can't drive?! Francis Coppola: ... 😆😆😆
Your connecting Michael's mother and his wife was covered in the book. Early in the story, his mother is praying for Vito's soul. At the end, Kaye is praying for Michael's.
Small technical point: when Michael answers yes to the renouncing Satan question, he could, in a hair-splitting way, claim he was not lying. In the Catholic ceremony the Godfather speaks for the child: the actual question was "Do you, Michael Francis Rizzi [not Michael Corleone], renounce Satan and al his works" Michael is saying the child will, with the implied promise that the godfather will help the child renounce Satan etc.
Ramblers. Lad's, In the early 1950's the film "From Here to Eternity" had already started filming. Frank Sinatra had been refused a part in the film. Rumour of the day had it that Sinatra flew to New York to see some people. He got the part. Not long after that he would perform in Las Vegas every year. The author of the book thought the rumour was to good not to use. When the Don promises not to break the peace he never does. But Michael was never asked. The Don kept his promise. Cheers, Chris Perry.
Two most famous opening lines in film history: "Rosebud" and "I believe in America." Also, one of the few movies that improves and surpasses the novel it was based on. Coppola dumped some really trashy stuff and made it Shakepearean.
The door closing on Kaye. Its a faits accomplis. Michael is fully moved on one side of morality & Kaye is out. He's fully on the dark side of the moral door and redemption is 'closed' for him. Chilling
The whole process starts when he gets the news that Vito has been shot. Notice the symbolism when he's in the phone booth and Kaye is on the outside of the booth, looking in while he talks to his family.
Luca Brasi was Vito Corleone's top enforcer/assassin. He would take out ANYONE. He had no conscience at all. Sollozzo knew that he had to take him out along with Vito to ensure his defeat of the Corleone Family.
I have to disagree with most people here about GF2, I think this one the original is the best, the second one is good but it was boring in a lot of areas and to dramatic in others. You should watch both but this one is far better than the second. Very good reaction by you 2, you kept everyone separated and did not get confused.👍✌
I've watched 20 reactions to this movie. This is one of the better. Maybe because I'm a fan of an English accent and/ or smart people but good go Gents. On to part II quickly! Even better!
I'll be expecting part II tomorrow, please and thank you, LOL. But seriously, this is a great movie but II is one of the best sequels of all time, and regarded by many as better than I. Also, people are gonna tell you to skip III (much like people do with Rocky V). I personally don't believe in skipping movies in a franchise when watching for the first time. I would just say to lower your expectations.
@@RamblersInc It's not great, and has a super cringey storyline that I won't spoil, but still worth watching once just for the sake of completing the story. I highly recommend the Rocky movies, all the way through Creed III. It's my favorite movie franchise, and I have yet to find reactors who didn't thoroughly enjoy it.
In the book everyone underestimated him and thought Michael was effeminate and weak. That he wasn’t as smart as the Don, and wasn’t as strong as Sunny. Only the Don understood Michael and only Michael really understood the Don. The only one who saw through Michael’s plans was Tom, who also ended up being the most loyal.
"I've always thought of THE GODFATHER as the story of a king and his three sons. The first inherited his sweetness and childlike qualities [sic], the second his passion and aggressiveness, the third his cunning and coolness." -Francis Coppola
By the way, in the book, it's heavily implied that Woltz the studio guy is also a pedophile, which Tom witnesses hints at, which he passes the info on to Vito Corleone. He's not happy about that.
@@sirguys2469 I don't think it's inferred in the protege's case, then that would make Johnny a pedo too. But that's not to say that Wolz didn't prey on other young actors.
@@billross7245 In the beginning, when Tom is waiting to speak to Wolz, there is a young girl with her mother who Wolz kisses (the girl, not the mother). She doesn't even look 18.
DeNiro and Pacino never did a scene together in any movie, until Heat! They were also in the recent, The Irishman! The funniest comedy based on godfather ever, where Marlon and young Clemenza parodies himself, is the Matthew Broderick movie, the Freshman! A lot of people say, don't watch 3, it's no good. But that's a flaw because they are comparing 3, with two of the best movies ever made! Connie is the director's sister, and also related to Sophia Coppola and Nicolas Cage!!! Carlo from first movie is still alive, always mob associated, and tells in one of his books, who and why JFK RFK and Marilyn got whacked....and he's never been sued by the Kennedys!!! A mob movie DeNiro and Pesci did, that was a semiautobiographical tale by the main actor, who grew up in a small Italia neighborhood that's a MUST watch, A Bronx Tale! John Cazale is Fredo, who's been in maybe some of the top 10 all time movies, including Dog Day Afternoon and Deer Hunter. Roth is based on a real guy , Micky Cohen. Who lived a very plain middle class life! But like Roth, pulled all mob strings. Everything bad that happened in this movie, Roth engineered behind the scenes, by innuendo and whispers! In the first movie where Sonny is screwing the woman behind the door, she gets pregnant and has his illegitimate son, who shows up in 3! And he's definitely sonny's son, his temper! Tom has a son who becomes a priest, and Michael's son is a opera singer, who wants nothing to do with the business! Connie is also Adrian, rockys wife! The singer is the real life story about frank sinatra! Before 1966, to immigrate into America, wasn't easy. U had to pass physical and mental tests, prove u have relatives here, prove u had a job or useful skills, and other things...Connie is Rocky's wife! She is a Coppola/Cage! Her husband in the first, is still alive, has been mob ties all this time, and has written books covering who killed JFK RFK and Marilyn, and why! And has never been sued by the Kennedy family! We knowost sequels arent as good as the first, and a handful are as good. This proly one of about 10 or less, where the sequel is better!And one of the funniest movies ever done is called, The Freshman! Marlon and the young partner of marlon in this, Clemenza, ( also in Good morning Vietnam, When Harry met Sally, City Slickers)basically mimic their roles, and the star is Matthew Broderick!!! And fredo was in some of the biggest movies of the 70s and early 80s with either Robert or Al. Dog Day Afternoon, the deer hunter, these two movies, and others. Everything that bad happens in this movie, is because of Roth. Simple rumor and innuendo, caused fredo, tessio, frankie, etc., to do what they did. The guy testifying in court, is Rocky's first boss! One of Frankie's asassin guys, was in Do the Right Thing, and The Professional and many other great movies. Danny Aiello. The FBI agent has been in every movie since the silent era 😅 dillinger, this, red dawn, green mile, Alien etc. Harry Dean Stanton! The difference between Vito and Michael is, vito did all decisions, and spent all his time, immediate blood family first. Michael put mob family first. Ues frankie did the hit, but based on roth telling him, Michael was going with the Rosatto brothers.When connie asked Michael to forgive Fredo and he hugged him, he was going to. But when Michael looked up and saw Neri, and Neri kind of lowered his head in disappointment, Michael knew he had to kill Fredo. Pro tip...the towel catching on fire, not planned!😮😮😮😮
Two years ago, Miles Teller starred in a 10-episode TV series depicting the making of The Godfather. It was pretty good (if you ever want to devote 10 hours to the making of a 3-hour movie). There was a lot of drama behind the scenes, including with the real-life mafia. It's based on the memories of The Godfather producer Al Ruddy (whom Teller plays). He won the Oscar for Best Picture and turns 94 next month. Here's the trailer: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iowLzO9-aew.html Also, Coppola's director's commentary is on RU-vid. He details how he was almost fired and how he overheard people talking shit behind his back while he was in the bathroom. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3afdrZflltY.html
Great reaction! You picked up on all the little details that most people miss. I thought for a second you were going to connect the dots with Carlo and Sonny's killing and that would kind of spoil big reveal at the end, so I'm glad you didn't make that connection right away. I'm not convinced that the vest that Luca was wearing was a "bullet proof vest." They didn't have Kevlar or other ballistic fibers back then. To the extent that they even had "bulletproof vests" they were big, bulky things with steel plates in them. The vest Luca wears is this flimsy padded thing made of some kind of cloth. I suspect that it was instead a knife-resistant vest, or possibly a surplus military "flak vest." I doubt it would stop even pistol bullets, but might have protected him from knife cuts. He probably wore that because he knew of Sollozzo's reputation as a knife man.
The first bulletproof vest was made around 1893 with an improved design in 1903. The vests became significantly lighter with the advent of Kevlar and other fabrics but they did indeed have vests back then. They were so heavy and cumbersome few opted for them.
@@sirguys2469 "heavy and cumbersome" In other words, everything I said. To wit: "To the extent that they even had 'bulletproof vests' they were big, bulky things with steel plates in them." Did you notice what Luka put on was neither heavy, nor cumbersome? No way was it bulletproof.
@@RamblersIncThe guy playing Luca, Lenny Montana, was not a professional actor. He was a bodyguard and former pro wrestler who Coppola discovered on the set and cast as Luca because of his size (6'6" and 320lbs) and the fact that he could speak Sicilian. Luca's rehearsing his speech came about because Lenny Montana was overwhelmed at performing in the presence of the great Marlon Brando and kept flubbing his lines. So they came up with the idea of Luca being nervous because he didn't expect to be invited (and probably a little drunk).
Don’t know if anyone mentioned this yet, but the reason Luca got clipped, was two fold: 1) there was *no way* he would ever turn his back on Vito Corleone to go work for the Tataglias of all people…and 2) of a more immediate nature…Luca gave himself away at the end by not shaking the Turk’s hand. You’d never do that to someone that you were actually going into business with.
Enjoyed your reaction. Saw this in the cinema in a small farming community when it was first released. The movie hypnotized the audience since it was so outlandish & artistic, unlike any crime film before it. Michael's military experience in the US Marines fighting the Japanese in the Pacific did serve him well. 26:12 The director said he moved the gun from where Al Pacino thought it would be just to add a little more tension.
There are a number of scenes that were cut out. There was a scene in a hospital, just after the wedding where Don Corleone, his sons and Johnny Fontaine visit Genco, who was the former consigliere and is about to die. In another scene you discover that Woltz, the movie producer is also a child molester. When Don Corleone finds out he asks for Luca Brasi and it's suggested that Luca is the one that killed the horse and placed it in Woltz bed. There is also a scene that confirms that Paulie did sellout the Don.
Another movie you may want to see is "The Freshman," with Mathew Broaderick (Ferris Buhler's Day Off) and featuring Marlon Brando, in a role modeled very much like his role in "The Godfather." It's a really great movie!
The horse head was a real horse head. Purchased from a dog food company. The actor supposedly didn’t know it was a real head. And the reason they got married on the steps of the church is because they were not allowed to film inside. Godfather II is a different movie but still brilliant. And the chilling performance of Al Pacino.
@@RamblersInc I'm pretty sure even if you can still buy a dead animal carcass that would never be allowed on any production set for health and safety reasons.
@@RamblersInc…. Back then, horses were often used to make dog food. In this case, the film producers knew a guy who worked at a slaughterhouse, and he sent over a fresh horse’s head.
Yes, this is a great film. But I suggest you read the novel which is five times better (e.g. it explains why Michael doesn't shoot Solozzo and McCluskey right away when he returns from the toilet, how they knew that Pauli betrayed the Godfather, Vito Corleone's death is much more profound, even the police captain McCluskey is a three-dimensional character in it, etc). It's available in the Internet Archive.
@@RamblersInc No, there's no train in the novel. There are, however, two Solozzo men in the restaurant. That's why "Michael sat down again. He remembered Clemenza had told him not to do this, to come out of the toilet and blaze away. But either out of some warning instinct or sheer funk he had not done so. He had felt that if he had made one swift move he would have been cut down. Now he felt safe and he must have been scared because he was glad he was no longer standing on his legs. They had gone weak with trembling." This is my problem with the film: it barely scratches the surface.
I realized there were two times in my life that I pulled a Michael Corleone. 1: In a bad “Out of Towner” situation I acted like I had a cannon in the car with me. Like Michael outside the hospital protecting his father. 2: I calmly got a cheating “almost” fiancé to admit it after she had swore on everything and everyone she cared about that she was innocent. Like Michael got Carlo to admit his involvement in betrayal. 🤷🏾♂️🤜🏾🫷🏾
The Five Families: Corleone, Tattaglia, Barzini, Cuneo, Stracci During the Big Meeting of the Five Families, Vito watched Barzini and Tattaglia very closely. Vito spoke directly to Tattaglia, but Tattaglia constantly spoke to Barzini at the head of the table. He never spoke to Vito directly. Vito knew then that Barzini was behind everything, that Tattaglia was reporting to him.
Fontane was played by big sixties singer Al Martino. "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli" was an ad lib, as was the chase scene where The Don dies. Look out for Michael's bodyguard Neri (the fake cop in the 5 families shooting). Along with Al Pacino & Talia Shire (Connie), they are the only actors in all 3 films.
The photographer that Sonny roughed up was working for the FBI recording license plates on cars. Lenny Montana, who played Luca Brazzi, was not an actor. Rather, he was a leg-breaker who worked for mafia don Joe Colombo. Colombo originally wasn't sure he wanted the movie made. He quite ironically feared that it would be an insult to all Italian-Americans by making them look like mobsters. So his price for cooperating with Al Ruddy, the producer, and Francis Ford Copolla, the director -- and they needed Colombo's approval to get certain things done at their shooting locations in New York -- was to have Lenny Montana on set keeping an eye on things. And the moment Montana saw anything he thought Joe Colombo wouldn't like, he's call it in to get the okay to wreck the production. But he never made that call, and ended up acting in the movie.
@@RamblersInc Oh yeah. In order to get the movie made without interference from the mob, Al Ruddy played ball. He gave Colombo script approval, and effectively made a deal in which, had the final film not been acceptable, Colombo could outright shoot Ruddy.
My favorite Abstract Inversion of this film... Yin) Kay arrives by cab unannounced to the estate and is met by Tom who won't confirm or deny knowing Michaels whereabouts for legal reasons. Kay asks about a burned vehicle. Vehicle shown by the (American) driver side on the left with door blown loose. Tom says no one was hurt then allows Kay in to call a cab. Yang) Fabrizio betrays Michael after enemies learn his location. He places a bomb on vehicle unaware Michael won't start the car but Appolonia instead, who dies in explosion. Fabrizio runs away on foot as Michael is blown back into bushes while European driver side is shown with deceased wife inside. Future wife Kay seeks Michael to no avail, surprising Tom with appearance. Current newlywed wife perishes after wanting to surprise Michael by driving. A.I. at its darkest.
A few things to show how smart Sonny was cause a a lot of people think he was just a hot head 1. Sonny had it down to either Celemenza or Pauly as the ones who sold the don out he determined it was Pauly, there is a deleted scene where he tells the guys that he had their connections at the operators switchboard check phone records and they found out that pauly was sending phone calls to Solottzo and the Taigtalleas 2. The reason Sonny chose Bruno Tataitghallea as the first target for their response, was because he was the only son of Don Tatagella which means by taking him out, sonny wiped out the families heir and the only male name of the family line, which is a big deal, essentially he ended the entire family line along male lines by doing that 3. While the Corleone and black hand were not the most numerous, and had the other families against them Sonny was winning the war, or at least holding his own brutal and targeted attacks against key members of the other families and against specific businesses of theirs under his leadership literally had crippled the Tatalleas and it was the Branzini’s and other families holding on so Branzinni had to use Carlo to lure Sonny into a trap.
@@RamblersIncNo, the problem with Sonny was while he was good at War He wasn't as good as politics and peacetime He never would have maintained the families political or legal connections as easily Michael it seems understood the importance of both brutality and diplomacy in a way that Sonny didn't. Michael would never have gotten angry enough to fall into Barzinni's trap Whereas Sonny only was thinking of his sister.
This is sort of true. They filmed his scene with Marlon Brando and he stumbled on the line, and, rather than reshoot it, Francis Ford Coppola decided to use that take and film Lenny Montana rehearsing his lines during the "who's that scary man?" sequence.
There are a lot of catchphrases from this movie that are still used today in America although not as much as in the 1970's. Sleep with the fishes; leave the gun, take the cannoli; Make him an offer he can't refuse, etc. Even the word Fredo is still used today to describe someone who is inept but you keep them around cuz you love them or they are kind hearted
"Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes" originated with The Godfather". Micheal is what he's always been. He's the only son to have killed someone because he was a war hero. Sonny, Fredo & Tom never killed anyone.
Marlon Brando and Al Pacino are best actors of all time,Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) close 3rd. immense masterpiece,immense presence,you feel honored to watch it,its timeless,Mona Lisa of cinema about what you said that Al Pacino has 0 expresions on his face (up until that point in the movie) thats symbolism for Michaels born in coldness and like his calm nature and calculated mind,its all likeforeshadowing his "boss" characteritics
It's more then a comparison between Sonny and Micheal, it's the difference between Michael and Vito. You'll see it more in the next movie. People fear Micheal, I don't think many actually like him. Especially by the end. On the other hand, People respected and often loved him.
