The New Truth About the Godfather that I Didn’t Know | Michael Franzese 

Michael, I read a story about James Caan many years ago, 20-25 years or so, where he went to court to testify on behalf of some mob guy he knew. I don't recall who that was, maybe it was this Andy Russo guy. When Jimmy comes into the courtroom and goes up to be sworn in, the judge looks at him and says "I thought they got him at the toll booth", which made the court erupt in laughter. Had you ever heard that story?

My favorite quote from the movie and mantra I’ve applied to my life was when Don Vito Corleone said this, “Do you spend time with your family? If yes, then good. Because a man who doesn’t spend time with his family, can never be a real man.”

Thank you sir as always for your work. I've been down myself a little stay in hospital and a surgery last Wednesday. Be safe and God bless.

All of Lenny's scenes were gold. I like the scene with Al (Solozo) where he has to feign disloyalty towards Vito but subtly can't hide his true allegiance. Its's a shame that he wasn't in more films. He had talent.

So glad you are feeling better Michael. 🙏 The Godfather is one of the greatest movies of all time. It is timeless. Great video today as always.

The funny thing is, the second most famous line from the Godfather movie is "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes"... So Lenny's movie star legacy will live forever.

Missed you, delighted to see you back and feeling good.

This brings back memories of my early childhood. I can still remember some of the difficulties. 🙏

Great to see you back Michael.

Glad you're recovering from that bout of flu, Michael: you always look the picture of health - yet at our age, we have to stay on guard - and maybe it takes a little longer to recuperate. I read, "The Godfather," after my parents went to see it - the only, "night out," I recall them taking. Knowing that the book is usually better than Hollywood's interpretation, it was years before I saw it and realized that the first movie was only half the book. Wasn't taken with the movie: actually still like, "The Valachi Papers," better. However, after decades of hearing about how great the Trilogy was, and with respect to my youngest brother's opinion, I finally took in the series, Summer 2020. Beginning that journey ultimately led me to becoming acquainted with Michael Franzese. To me, that was the highlight. Am still fascinated with your story and your ministry. As Red Skelton used to end his programs, "And may God bless...."

Blessings Michael glad you are back and feeling better.🙏

Wonderful movie score too by the great Nino Rota.

Thank you Michael for another great video!

Learn something new every day.

View #3 here! Love your content Michael!

Hello Mr. Franzese. I have a question. As a Catholic, as most Italians are, how did the men of the 5 New York families resolve their religious upbringing with their work. Could you please touch on that topic in the future? Thanks Angelo Zollo

My role model thanks for your postivity and your teachings and i like your change from being mob to a motivtional speaker thats great may the lord be with you at all times

Aside from the other content, bless you and yours for sticking up for The Lord.

Hello Micheal , Awesome vid as usual

Godfather 1 and 2. Casino. Goodfellas. Heat. Great films. Always watch them every year. At least once per. Great work by all involved. Sopranos. More greatness. I met Jim Gandolfini once. Very nice guy. I would love to see a tv series about Lucky Luciano.

Hi Michael Great episode as usual I told you about the B.C. and A.D. Here is another that NEEDS to be out there Zechariah 12:10 Glad you are feeling better my brother in Christ

Love from England. Listened to a ton of your videos whilst painting some rooms in my house.

One of my favorite movies. Enjoyed learning the little nuggets of info.

A good friend of mine I grew up with, his grandfather was Dominic "Nick" Alaimo.

Let not forget the film could of never took place without Gianni Russo. He played a part in most 20th century historical moments. He’s some guy.

Love this! And The Godfather is a classic that every time I watch it I see something new! I also saw the Offer! Excellent!

Lenny Montana/Luca Brasi, was a guy in our Bronx neighborhood. My Uncle Anthony, Still kicking at 95, knew Lenny well.

Glad your doing better

Phenominal Content once again Michael- GOD bless you! very inspiring to hear about 4,500 people being baptized! Hopefully they will be discipled and many will be put on the mission field to bring some kind of much needed Revivial to America! GOD BLESS America! no more GOD-less America! JESUS help us!

I had heard that Vito Corleone was patterned after Russell, Joe Profaci, & Uncle Angelo Bruno

You MR. Franzese when ever you speak of members going a certain way because of their hero’s I think of you your charisma and intelligence is marveling your demeanor is so calming my friend you would’ve been such a blessing and huge part of the guidance in this country had you been able to fly from the beginning of your life not to say you are not that person now to me you are where you are supposed to be and we are all better humans for the engagement we receive from you this is my view of you not knowing you but the little I do know you just shine in my eyes as a man I’m very impressed with you your entire story keep up the great work for GOD just wanted to chime in because I always hear you mention what men would’ve been I just wanted you to know that you could’ve been president I would’ve voted for you every time you are an inspirational figure to me thank you for finding a way into my heart you are a great man

“Can you get me off the hook, for old times sake?” “No chance!”

Imagine if your father was a ex mob boss who is 70+ years imagine the level of wisdom

Love what you’re doing here, Michael. Thank you.

HI Michael, I wondered what you might think about doing a video on alcohol and addiction? It seems like everyone is drinking or doing drugs in every single mob movie. How many of the guys were alcoholics and what role did that addiction play in everyday life and what affect, if any, did it have on the behavior, decision making and aggression? Thoughts? Love your videos!! Please respond ~Lenny

Part 1&2 are my favorite movies and the offer was real good also!

Very interesting Michael, good content.

GOD BLESS you Brother Michael in JESUS name!!!

Awesome!

Michael we need to hear ur take on movie Sounds of Freedom, cause u can only hear crickets from hollywood. Please reapond, or do u only respond to ur "inner circle"?

"The Offer" is an amazing series. Some incredibly accurate portrayals of the charcters they played especially Matthew Goode as Bob Evans!

I wish I could figure out how to save this!

Was told by former Genovese associates that I created a series "My Town" about that Vito Corelone was based on Ruggiero "The Boot" Boiardo. What say you Michael?

If Joe Pistone acted all that, and he acted, can it be said that it was the best role ever played? Especially since it was played in real circumstances, for a long time, where life was literally at stake... No one was for him gave an Oscar, and he deserved it the most... At least out of competition...

I read that Coppola had no interest in directing "The Godfather." He only did it because he owed millions of dollars to Warner Brothers. 😮

Michael do u think carmin persaco had something to do with joe colombos death?

What's going on in LA now?

Michael you say you were inducted into the life on Halloween night 1975 & Johnny Irish was there in your book but he didn't get released from prison until the following year. He also wasn't made captain until years later. Can you explain this?

The Godfather is still a benchmark in movie making

Thank you Michael for another great sit down. God bless you and your family Thank God your feeling better 🙏

I was always really curious how Mario Puzo had so much information about the mob, especially back in the 60’s when he wrote the book. I assumed it came from a family member.

The godfather is definitely THE greatest not only mob movie but MOVIE ever I mean the reviews talk for themselves Marlon Brando and Al Pacino will forever be legends, great video as always.

Thank you for the best insight and knowledge in the genre. We also appreciate your testimony to God. I was at the Baptism in CDM too. Could you please review a most violent year thank you, Michael.

Great sit down Michael. Your honesty and knowledge is so awesome and I am a great fan!! God bless you and your family!!

Michael...i know how you feel about our kids if you havent seen it yet see the Sound of Freedom you wont be sorry

I love Pastor Greg. I'm thrilled to hear such a good report regarding salvation and baptism. Thanks for sharing that with us. It warms the heart for sure.

My dad took me to the drive in to see the first Godfather flick I really didn't get it ( but I really got the Exorcist that shock everyone who watched it) good times 🎉🎉

A fab film as always Michael, glad your over the flu,and I learned more on the great godfather film. God be with you and your loved ones

Just wanted to say, it’s truly inspirational, to see the way you turned your life around. Also, how you don’t glorify your past, but use it as a cautionary tale. Bless you, and your family. Your immediate family that is lol.

I was a young girl when I first watched the Godfather, and it is still one of my favorite movies. It is a little surreal to listen to someone who knew and was involved with the real families that ran New York, etc.

Wow...35,000 people. Phenomenal! Praise God.😊

Thank you, You have really tought me about the life of the Lord. Hope you and your family are doin great.

In addition to James Cagney playing a psychopathic gangster ,Richard Witmark played a pyscohpath in the movie "Kiss of Death. He threw a woman in a wheelchair downstairs to her death. Thanks again for the video. The godfather is truly a classic.

Hyman Roth is based on Meyer Lansky and Michael Corleone is based on Lucky Luciano not based on Carlo Gambino

This will probably be a shock to alot of people I'm 50 and still haven't seen the Godfather but I plan on watching it soon 🙏God Bless

Awesome that many baptisms, my niece just got baptized this year as well

Another great video Michael. Glad to see you and your channel getting more and more recognition by the day. I found out about you and your channel/video podcasts last summer when I was cooped up in the hospital from a near fatal car accident. Your vids and youtube clips of scenes from “THE GODFATHER” and “SOPRANOS” kept me entertained. Lol Crazy how as a kid, who grew up on the backroad behind “Satin Dolls” aka “The Bada-Bing,” I would walk past filming constantly all over town and never paid any mind to the show until I got older!! If I didn’t encounter the cast and crew at “The Bing,” then it would be as I walked home from school, past Lodi pizza (my buddies dad’s/ family joint) or Feech LaManna’s house!!

It’s one of the few movies that I can watch many times over. Godfather 1 and 2 Our young people need Jesus in their life. Good to hear Your videos are so so interesting My favorite quote: “. For me, there's only my wife and son.”

This is all documented in the book, The Kid Stays In The Picture. Robert Evans (The producer of the film) autobiography.

How come they dont make movies about the owners of the federal reserve?,, or who controls hollywood? or who was behind the slave trade? etc....

Dear Michael, I grew up in Westbury, Long Island in the 70's...my father was working in Westbury as a shoe maker. I don't want to be contradictory with your presentation....but for my father the film was quite "traumatizing". This is because we were the only Italians in that area. We are from the province of Palermo, Sicily (We all went back to Palermo in 1981. All my father's customers were making negative comments about Sicily and Sicilians from the day after the film was broadcasted on TV . Back in Sicily, all the foreign tourists coming to Palermo were mainly interested in "seeing" the Mafia and in going to visit Corleone. It may have been a great film but it created a negative image of Sicily and of Italy in general.

The movie brought the value of the family in the italian community ! The music ,the food, when whole family sitting around the table . I was invited few times in New Jersey by italien family, and i saw the unique unity of the real value of hard working family ! Thx for posting !

Christ made Peter the leader of the apostles and of the church (Matthew 16:18-19). In giving Peter the “keys of the kingdom,” Christ not only made him leader, but also made him infallible when he acted or spoke as Christ’s representative on earth. Does it make sense to you that Jesus would go to the cross to leave behind 10,000 different churches or a book? What about the guy who can't read or speaks a different language. King Henry started his own church, took Christ off the cross, and reworded the bible and the lords prayer, Michael if you leave the church that he founded and fail to acknowledge his mother as a saint. It's not good, maybe convenient but not good. Jesus is the boss not king henry, the Douay-Rheims Bible is the real bible not the condensed protestant one, you may not want to hear that, but you are smarter than all of this, He kicked those guys out of the temple and flipped the tables for a reason! No one gets a pass for betrayal no one. Particle board and real wood are different, leather and vinyl are different. Think about that first commandment!!!! Do the hard thing the right thing and don't be mad at me for telling you how it is or no one will ever tell you how it is, and that's not good. Removing Leviticus 20-13 from the bible is wrong, come on you know this!!!!!!!!!

"The Godfather" was the first R-rated film I ever saw.Aged 14 then,my Mom assured theatre manager I could see the film.Still,I read both Anthony Quinn and Ernest Borgnine were considered for the role of Vito.Could see both those guys playing him.Take Care,Mr.Franzese.

Micheal loved this!!! Can you talk about the movie the sound of freedom??? Would love to know your opinion!! Maybe together with Chaz? Because he knows the movie world.

That was fantastic. I love tid bits like this.

That movie i saw 100 times, am 56 now and i must say we lived by certain rules in our village where u had to be careful about what u said but were u were told to listen and think.

My mom read the book The God Father back in 1970 before the movie came out. Then we saw the movie at the theater in 1972. My mom liked the movie so much we went back to see it 2 more times. If it wasnt for my mom I wouldn't of been able to get into the theater because it was rated R and I was only 12 years old at the time. I thought it was one of the greatest movies I'd ever seen.

Cool beans.

Back in 2009 my Mother's friend gave me a book to read, it was Sam Giancana's Brother, Chuck who wrote it, that was a terrific read, covering everything from his Brother Sam, Marilyn, jfk, political stories, I couldn't put it down, real page turner.

PLEASE Comment on Jon Roberts (Riccobono) he was a Cocaine cowboy, but prior to that spent his time in NYC running night clubs for the Gambino's. His book American Desperado is fantastic. Please comment on his New York days and if you knew him ect.

I love all your new content, Michael. What about doing a review on The Chosen? Me and Jimmy Calandra will see you in Miami! Looking forward to seeing another great Duo aside from you and Chazz! 🥰

Michael, I'm in northern Ca and every day I shake my head at the state of affairs of this once great state. Makes me think that I need to pack a gun just to go to the store. Imagine that, it certainly isn't how I envisioned retirement.

What a good video! Looking like he is 55 now..

What a bizarre coincidence, and the kids today might call it "meta" - Johnny Fontaine is a singer and actor who lands a cushy comeback role in a movie thanks to a mafia don, and so is Al Martino, the man who played him, and the role of Johnny Fontaine was that cushy comeback role for Al Martino.

My relative is Morgana King aka Maria Messina, who plays Mamma Corleone. She was my grandmother's cousin.

I loved Talia Shire playing Connie Corleone. and offcourse as Adrian in Rocky.

20:12 WHERE FICTION PORTRAYS FACT. "MUCH LOVE, RESPECT AND GOD BLESS. THE DEMON WE FACE IS NOT IMMORTAL."

Michael please watch and cover Fargo season 4 about the Kansas city mob. cover the real KC mafia also.

I'm a fan of Godfather 1 & 2 but I love part 2 the best. Never really cared for part 3 much.

Thank you Michael I have really learn a lot from you . A question I have is how did the Maranzano, Profaci, Mangano, Luciano, and Gagliano families become The Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese families and why

Russ Bufalino was the Detroit Partnership’s to NY… His Boss before him Joe Barbara (Host of Appalachian) was prior.. his son actually married into the Detroit Partnership as well. Russ of course was related to William Bufalino mob/teamster attorney and Detroit Partnership Asscociate. He of course was Brorher in laws to Boss Jack Tocco. Tocco’s brother Anthony ‘Tawn’ Tocco was married to Joe Profaci’s daughter. So Russ had a ‘pass’ from the FBI to visit openly with The Borgatas Administration quite openly, as Barbara Jr was present as well. Pittston basically was a satellite for Detroit the the Genovese 💯 Pittston LCN wasn’t on the same level as the Chicago Outfit, Genovese or Detroit Partnership not as dangerous as Philadelphia or the other 4-NY Borgatas.

hey mike i do know the life i choose. work. 5 days a week. partie on the colorado river. jet boats always have one sober boat driver. then the next week you take turns. if theres 5 on the boat each take turns.

I’m have a question regarding being made. One of the sopranos episodes titled fortunate son, as Christopher and Eugene were about to made, they were asked if wanted to back out in being made and were told there was no Shame in it. Is that an actual offer that is allowed and made in real life or was that just on tv only?

Michal have you seen the new season of Godfather of Harlem? Please make a review on it .

My favorite line: Michael : My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator. Kay Adams : Do you know how naive you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators don't have men killed. Michael : Oh. Who's being naive, Kay?

My dad was an extra in all 3 movies. During the wedding party the director told him and others to stage a fight scene. Apparently, this was filmed but not in the final version. My dad has wonderful pictures during the filming. Great memories.

Hello Sir,,, I hope you remember me,l have been away from u-tube i had a uncle Jonny that did arcade games in the 80s,,I fell off my roof last November 6 just started to get back to normal,, thank you for your time Sir miss chatting with you

When everybody thinks of *“THE GODFATHER,”* they think of the old school, NYC families or *an NYC family.* However, those that do their research and know their “true” American history will know that the inspiration for many of the main characters came from Southern mobsters primarily!!

How interesting! Thank you!