THE GODFATHER (1972) | MOVIE REACTION | FIRST TIME WATCHING 

The cat was not in the script. It was a stray that lived on the studio lot. Coppola found it by his feet while they were setting up the shot and gave it to Marlon before they rolled and that lucky kitty was forever part of one of the most famous opening scenes in cinema history.

If you like Michael's character arc here, then you're going to love Part 2.

This reaction is an offer I can’t refuse.

Godfather 2 is a must-watch, so good. Godfather 3 isn't up to the level of the previous 2 movies, but it does gives closure for Michael's story and shouldn't be skipped. I also recommend watching Martin Scorsese's mob movies. Goodfellas is a must-watch, and I also like Casino very much.

The reaction we can't refuse, Addie.

15:45 Enzo is the baker that the Vito helped remain in America so he could marry his boss’s daughter. For such a mild mannered guy to stand with Michael in such a moment was a great honor. Enzo probably was set up for life.

Excellent reaction and analysis, Addie. The Godfather is a modern-day Greek tragedy, IMO. Michael was doomed from the start. Michael told Kay, "That's my family, Kay. It's not me." He couldn't even look her in the eye when he said it. He was a Corleone, and deep down, he knew it. His destiny was set in stone.

One of the things I love about this movie is that it's so streamlined and sleek, with almost no wasted time, scenes, or dialogue. For example: Sonny's temper. Nearly EVERY scene SHOWS you how emotional and PRIMAL Sonny is: spitting on FBI badges, sleeping around on his wife, pushing Clemenza (Your father is dead. Whatsamatter with you?!..PUSH), flying into a rage at Carlo, EVEN (1)his dinner plate is steak and scotch. The man eats burnt meat and firewater for dinner. and (2)his hairy back and arms....when other men are wearing suits, Sonny is such and animal he barely wears clothes and underneath, he's covered with hair. He's a fighting, f*cking, fuming, feral man who only smiles and laughs when they're at open war. You can contrast this with, say Captain Marvel, "Youre the strongest women and best friend a person can have." They have to TELL you about the character, yet....in the story, we never got to see what a good friend she is, or how she's so strong she overcomes NOTHING. No inner reserrve of strength. No perseverance. No struggle. No obstacle. The only obstacle is "herself." What a joke. It's not story telling, it' talking AT the audience. Fredo....you see him screwing up in EVERY scene. Cant hold a gun. Screws up Mike's business meeting (girls, band) Getting slapped around by Moe Greene (for being incompetent). Sides with Moe against the Family. There's no end to Fredo's incompetence and you can SEE it, you dont have to be told. Even Apollonia, we are shown that she's so CLEARLY traditional and Italian, that when she gets the gift from Micheal she has to look TO HER MOTHER for approval. She barely speaks English. She wears Italian clothes, not like Kay's bright RED American trench coat. EVERYTHING about Apollonia and every scene TELLS you that she's the Siicilian wife (and anchor) that Michael needs. Similarly, Don Corleone is SHOWN to have power: he can beat up local punks, influence Federal Immigration officers, judges and senators send gifts to his wedded daughter, drug smugglers ask for his influence and money, he strong-arms people on the other side of the country (Hollywood, CA from NY) , and when he calls a meeting with the heads of the Five Families, THEY SHOW UP. And when he speaks -- softly --everyone listens and when he gives his word, everyone TRUSTS HIM. All the scenes paint the picture of a powerful man --- we never have to be told....we are shown. To me, this is movie making as high art, assembled by a master storyteller.

DO NOT skip part II! It’s one of the few sequels that is even better than the first. It’s amazing!

In regards to the hospital scene with Enzo, he is the one that the baker at the wedding asked the Godfather to help keep in the US to marry his daughter. Enzo was over to thank the Godfather for his help in that.

John Cazale who played Fredo, was only in maybe 5 full length movies, all of which were nominated for academy awards. Stolen from us was too soon. His performance in the sequel is especially fantastic.

I'm reading the book right now and it was very satisfying to read about how those two punks were meted out justice for beating Bonasera's daughter. Clemenza had Paulie find two retired boxers, then they waited at night for the punks to exit the bar they were at. Paulie lured them over by yelling insults to them, and they came over to beat him up and the boxers emerged to beat the hell out of them, breaking bones, but they were instructed not to hit them on the top, back and sides of their heads because they were not to be killed. They ended up spending months in the hospital and were permanently disabled.

Pacino's portrayal of Michael's transformation over the course of the movie is masterful. The greatest American movie ever made.

I don't see "The Godfather" and "The Godfather II" as one being better than the other. They are quite different films, and they are both great. Together, they tell a powerful and profound story, a tragic story, about the rise and fall of a Sicilian-American crime family. It's an intimate look into one aspect of American history from 1900 through the 1960's. Brilliant story telling.

Michael said the family business was "my family, not me" but he knew he was made for it in the scene where he frightens off the hitmen at the hospital. Enzo's hands are shaking so bad that Michael has to light his cigarette but Michael's hands are rock-steady. He even takes a moment to look at them like he can't quite believe how calm he is.

I dearly love the horse head scene because it sends the message "we can get to anyone, anywhere, anytime."

17:20 Michael is a war hero and a combat veteran from the Marines. He has probably ended far more lives than Sonny ever has. Of all Vito’s sons Michael is the most like him. Paired with his combat experience running the family was easy. The other Dons were not prepared for someone as ruthless and strategic as Michael.

this is absolutely a classic, one of the greatest of all time without question

Yes, the horse's head was real! It was sent over from a slaughterhouse. During that time, horses were sometimes used to make dog food. John Marley, who played Jack Woltz, was apparently not informed that the head was going to be real. 😱

Its funny cause Enzo the Baker(The man who helps Michael protect his father at the hospital) is actually in the very first scenes, standing besides the baker as the baker makes his case for Enzo and his daughter to be married and asks Vito for help with the immigration... I think I must've watched this movie 10 times before I notice Enzo just standing there, he almost disappears in the background... LOL. These types of details is what makes this movie the greatest movie ever made. You could learn new things even after many watches.

The actor that played Luca Brasi was Lenny Montana, an enforcer and arsonist for the Colombo Crime Family. Appearing as Luca was his first acting job. He got it because members of the Colombo family were on set during filming (everything had to have their OK). Coppola saw Lenny and decided to cast him for the part, I believe after the original actor suffered a stroke. Lenny was so nervous appearing with Brando that he kept practicing his lines and fumbling them. Coppola filmed him practicing and that's what we saw in the movie.

About Luca's death, they didn't know he was a spy. The problem was they knew he was Corleone's main enforcer. When Sonny spoke up in the meeting, it showed that if Sollozzo could remove Vito Corleone, his son would be open to making the deal. They knew that any attempt on Vito Corleone's life was not a good idea until AFTER they manage to kill Luca. Killing him might have been very difficult except that Vito Corleone sent him on that spy mission. So Sonny speaking up led to Luca being killed and his father being shot.

You MUST watch part 2, it surpasses the first one and is one of the few sequels that improves on the original and won an oscar...

Fun fact. The cat was a stray Marlon found in the alley in the studio. He improvised and used it for the scene. Francis let Marlon do whatever he wanted bc you know, he was Marlon

context from the book.... 21:21 A gift of gold from a suiter was considered a formal proposal. So in Michael giving Apolonia the necklace, it was him saying "I'm serious". Her wearing it, meant she was in favor. Later, when they're walking together and she stumbles, the women walking behind the couple laugh because it was a ploy, a way for her to get past the rule that says couples can't touch or hold hands that early in a relationship. The book says something the woman laughing, remembering how she always had the balance of a mountain goat.

The Godfather II is a must watch in the near future.

Enzo is the guy that the wedding cake baker asked Don Corleone at the start of the movie to help keep in the country, so that he could marry his daughter. So he is loyal to the Corleones. That is why Michael trusted him.

8:52 I think they gave the horse a lethal dose of tranquilizers and cut off it's head post mortem. They wouldn't have let the horse suffer.

Btw, The Godfather 2 is considered the best sequel ever! Winning Best Director & Film, the film takes us back into the journey for Vito Corleones past (played by a young DeNiro) who won the Oscar for this role. Michael Corlene does have a story in this film. So it is 2 storied wrapped up into this movie... this film is 3 hours and 20 minutes, so you may want to consider breaking this up into 2 parts. Also, this film, in my opinion, is one of the top 10 best endings of all time.

I always see this as a parallel story to my family. My grandfather joined the military, like Michael, the distance himself from the mafia. WWII ended, he came home, opened a pub, and they started to hang around, trying to get him back in. He quickly went back into the service and stayed in. He had a run in at his mother’s funeral with one of his uncles and asked for a transfer to Panama. Things eventually calmed down, but I remember my dad getting strange phone calls when I was little.

Back when writers still knew how to write a good story.... oh how I miss those days!

It's so refreshing to see someone react to a classic for the first time, with no preconceived expectations. Well done, Addie.

You rally can't beat these old classics.

Godfather 2 is a must. Not watching it is not an option. It completes everything. 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

Poor Enzo the Baker. Every first time reactor thinks he's a hitman when he turns up at the hospital. 😁

Enzo was the bakers assistant that the wedding cake guy in the beginning was asking help for. He's totally devoted to the Corleone family!

If you’re really interested in how the Godfather was made there’s a fantastic miniseries on Paramount called The Offer starring Miles Teller. Came out last year and was one of the best series of the year. Either way, I enjoyed your reaction and definitely look forward to seeing part 2.

Michael is Marine Corps Captain at the beginning of the movie, and a WW II combat Veteran, he's no stranger to violence and killing men.

Your classic film reactions are always a delight to watch. Long may they continue.

He is Enso the Baker from the wedding, hello 👋 😂 16:34

8:01 - The horse's head!

I'm so excited to see you react to this movie. While I haven't watched it yet, your reactions are always a treat to watch! After watching part of your reaction, Enzo the baker, who helped Michael in the hospital, was the son-in-law to be of the baker from the wedding. If you remember, he was the second person to ask The Don for a favor, because his daughter loved Enzo, but he was going to be deported back to Italy after the war. So The Don made arrangements for his to stay.

One thing worth remembering that casual viewers tend to forget- Michael is established early on as a decorated marine corp veteran of the WW2 Pacific theater and despite the laughter of Clemenza and Sonny when he proposed the killing of Solozzo and McClusky, he would be no stranger to close range mortal combat and targeted assassination. Think Guadalcanal or Iwo Jima. The kind of things seen in the film The Thin Red Line. Michael may have first intended to stay on the straight and narrow legal wise but make no mistake he was no sheltered babe in the woods. His enemy kill count would've likely been higher than any button man's in the Corleone organization and he was seriously wounded himself.

Fun fact. When Luca Brasi was rehearsing his lines, he was legit practicing them. Coppola filmed him while he was practicing without his knowledge. That’s why you keep hearing him mess up his lines.

Notice the remarkable makeup job they did on vito corleon .going from a younger version to a much older version at his death .subtle but effective

The baby in the baptism at the end is director Copolla’s daughter Sophia, now an Oscar winning writer and director.

I love Michael's character development. And Michael's and his father's relationship. I saw this at the drive in when it came out.. Thanx for reviewing it with us.. Xx

About Michael: The beginning of the film is just after the end of World War 2. At the wedding, Michael is wearing a WW2 US Marine Corps officer's uniform. The insignia on his shoulder epaulets show his rank is Captain, an officer commanding a Company of 160-200 men. The ribbons on the left front of his jacket are : top row left to right Silver Star (3rd highest award for combat valor with serious risk to own life), Navy and Marine Corps Medal (highest award for non-combat life saving valor with serious risk to own life), Purple Heart (for being wounded in combat), 2nd row left-most ribbon is WW2 Pacific Theater Campaign Medal with 2 Stars (indicates participating in a total of 3 Pacific Island battles). Prior to being promoted to Captain, as a 2nd Lieutenant and then 1st Lieutenant he would have commanded a platoon of 40-50 men. He is a combat veteran who has commanded a significant number of men (40-50, later 160-200), is trained and experienced in marksmanship and tactics (attacks, defense, ambushes, maneuvering for position, etc., as well as individual combat actions), taking decisive action and clear thinking in stressful situations, been promoted through 3 officer ranks (2nd Lieutenant -> 1st Lieutenant -> Captain), shown personal bravery in both combat and dangerous non-combat situations, been wounded in combat, and seen some of the bloodiest battlefields of WW2. Most of those battles had very intense hand-to-hand combat, no just shooting, as they almost always ended with desperate Japanese soldiers making massed banzai charges. At the wedding and throughout the movie, he is almost always the most experienced, hardened killer in the room. The older mafiosi laugh at him for proposing to shot Sollozzo and the police captain, but really have no idea what his experiences are or how coldly ruthless he will be to decisively defeat/eliminate his enemies.

The actress who played Apollonia, Simonetta Stefanelli, has a daughter, Violante Placido, who is in “THE AMERICAN,” with George Clooney. It’s an excellent film.

22:19 Such a beautiful "Aw shucks!"

Al Pacino was robbed of an Oscar. Twice.

Also get distracted by the cat in that first scene... it looks so comfortable and at ease with Marlon Brando

When Clemenza says, "Hello, Carlo," you know; you just know.

That little "u-turn" on the bridge is what prompted Jersey to put up thos barriers between lanes on the roads. After this movie people were re-creating that little trick.

“I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse”. “Leave the gun, take the canolli’s” the Two most famous quotes of the movie.

When (not if) you watch GF2, remember that ending, with the door closing on Kay. You might see it again. Also it would be helpful to read up at Wikipedia on the Cuban Revolution and the Valachi hearings, so you recognize what's happening in GF2.

Leave the gun, take the cannoli. Lol that's one of my favorite lines

"Nothing is going to happen to the cat. It's not that kind of movie, right?" No, not the cat. Just the horse. Lenny Montana, the actor who played Luca Brasi was an actual mob enforcer. He was so nervous to perform with Marlon Brando that he kept rehearsing his lines over and over. Francis Ford Coppola noticed this and filmed it to include in the movie. Montana's nervousness also carried over to the scene where he meets with Don Corleone at the wedding. Coppola left that in, too, rather than shoot a retake where Montana could deliver his lines without stumbling. "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli" was an ad lib by actor Richard S. Castellano. The Godfather Part II is considered by most to be as good as or better than the first movie. Part III isn't a bad movie, but it's not up to the level of the first two.

" so this is Future Addie talking and..." best part of this reaction 😄😁

The Godfather is absolutely a Christmas movie! Every Hallmark Christmas movie has someone return home to the family and discover hey i belong here after all!

The thing I love most about this movie is the realistic feel. No bullshit, no comic relief or other cinema cliché. Just a solid story that pulls you right in.

Very Dr Seuss of you. “Is he dead on a bed?” No, he’s not dead, he’s not dead on a bed, but under the covers you’ll find a horse’s head.” A horse’s head? You heard what I said, now go sit with Fred

Johnnie Fontaine is Frank Sinatra, the movie is Fred Zinneman's "From Here to Eternity" with the iconic beach scene with Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster. The baby at the christening is Sofia Coppola.

The Sonny Fist bite! 22:11

Ollie howled "NOOOO TESSIOOOOOO" Brilliant lololol🤣

Addie: " Will it be a slow burn or will I be captivated the whole time?" Everyone: "Yes"

Good one, Addie. Part 2 is really good too. Oh, and now you can enjoy You've Got Mail much more having seen The Godfather, so many quotes from the movie, LOL! Thanks for sharing this one. 🙂

You definitely don't want to miss part 2. You've seen the The Godfather, but you haven't REALLY seen it unless you watch part 2, which, like part 1, also won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Luca Brasi was played by Lenny Montana a former wrestler and possibly connected with the mob. The Godfather was his first movie and he was nervous about having a scene with Marlon Brando and actually spent time practicing his lines before each take. Director Copolla noticed this and wrote it into the script.

Hi Addie. Great reaction. Don't wait too long for part two. Best to watch while this one is reasonably fresh in your mind. One of the few instances where part 2 is arguably better than the 1st one. Also if you haven't seen them you might want to give a couple other classics a try. The Sting and maybe The Great Escape. Both great movies with exceptional casts. Enjoy!

Apparently the singer at the beginning was based on stories mario puzo (writer) heard about frank sinatra.....

RIP, John Cazale (Fredo Corleone), is the only actor that I've seen whose first 5 out of 6 movies were Oscar nominated and winners. Meryl Streep's First Husband as well.

I just googled it. Wow! That horse head was NOT a fake!!!

"Get outta here!" So cute 😂😂😂

At the beginning a man came to see Don Corleone at the wedding to ask if he could arrange for a young Italian man to stay in the US so his daughter could marry him. Then the man said the Don would love the wedding cake he made. The man was a baker, and the man he was asking about was Enzo, the baker, who is also a baker. You gotta pay attention to a movie like this.

Johnny fontaine's characters based on Frank Sinatra in the movie he wanted to be in is "From Here to Eternity." The actress the director's talking about is supposed to be Ava Gardner

Not what you strictly said about the movie at the end, but the way you did, made me emotional. Glad you appreciate this cinematic masterpiece.

I don't think they ever say "we're not murderers" I think the Don said "we're not doing murder" referring to that particular case.

I can't refuse Addie's journey as she watches more great movies.

The fact that Al Pacino was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category along with his costars, James Caan and Robert Duvall, and not the Best Actor category was utterly ridiculous considering that Pacino had even more screen time than Best Actor winner Marlon Brando and deserved to be nominated in that category alongside him. The story of The Godfather is as much Michael's as it is Vito's.

The cat wandered onto the set. Marlon Brando just started petting the cat when it jumped into his lap. Lucca Bratzi was portrayed by a member of the NY mafia.

Now, you will be able to understand what mention of "the baptism" means in discussion of film, American film in particular. I recommend you watch this film at least once a year. There are so many deep facets to the film that you can watch it a dozen times and still have questions and see things, understand things you never understood before. There's a very good reason this film is widely considered one of the greatest ever made.

Don Corleone did not say they are not murderers. He said they were not going to do murder in the case of the mortician who asked for vengeance on the men who beat his daughter. That's why he wanted "reliable people" who would not get carried away.

I just watched the three movies myself as well for the first time. they were GREAT. Please watch the other two. The third is the weakest, but the scene with him and the priest (you’ll recognize it when you see it), really encapsulates his entire arc and where he ends up at the end. And it’s definitely worth the time to watch!! The second movie is great and lots of twists too!

Addie, that was one of your best reactions! You have to read the novel, it explains everything in so much more depth. And watch Godfather part 2. Btw, Johnny Fontaine was played by famous crooner Al Martino ("Spanish Eyes" was one of his #1 hits).

"Analyze this" is also an excellent movie, taking a lighter approach to this theme.

I'm glad the first thing you mentioned was Michael's journey. That's the answer to why the movie is called The Godfather. It's Michael's story.

The house of the movie producer (horse head house) is a very famous house, known as the Beverly Estate. Was built by William Randolph Hearst for his mistress back in the 1920's...Hearst was richer then rich and powerful media baron...lets just say at his peak he was spending in today's money like 200 million+ a year just on his own lifestyle....so yeah he should have nice house for just his mistress (yeah that house was pretty much built for his mistress). That's how much money he had

Carlo turned because he wanted a more important position in the Family, for more money. He started slapping Connie around as he grew more resentful, culminating in his participation in luring Sonny into the Barzini trap at the toll gate.

Great movie and love the reaction. Funniest backstory I think about Godfather is that Luca Brasi actor was real gangster and his acting was so bad at 4:36. He wasn't supposed to stutter. Brando's facial expression here is his real reaction to the bad acting. Coppola didn't know what to do with him and then he shot the practice scene at 4:03 later. Making it look like he stuttered because he was nervous around Godfather. Most directors would just scrap the scene but this was brilliant directing.

Enzo the baker is the one who's father-in-law asked for the favor at the beginning of the movie. That's why he was visiting the Godfather in the hospital.

15:43 he is just a baker! he’s a good guy! his name is enzo. if you remember from the beginning, a guy (also a baker) asked Vito for help because one of his employees (Enzo) was set to be deported back to italy, but the baker’s daughter and Enzo wanted to get married, and the baker wanted Enzo to stay on as an employee. Vito helped them out, so Enzo was genuinely going to hospital to thank Vito and wish him well. Enzo is a good guy!

I do think this is one of the greatest movies ever made

4:05 He is actually rehearsing his lines. This is his first time acting because he is gonna act in front of Marlon Brando. Fun fact, the dude playing him is a real life bodyguard for the mafia.

I've always thought of this movie as an oil painting come to life.

I'll never not be jealous of someone who is seeing The Godfather for the very first time. Same goes for 2, Jaws, Rocky Horror & Goodfellas.

When the story and acting is sooo good, time means nothing.

I have watched the series 100 x’s and find new information each time. It has amazing story and background.

Addie is Gangsta now. Don't deny it. You practically guessed the plot before it all unraveled.

My favourite movie of all time