If You Enjoyed this Video 💯 Watch Vito VS Michael Here 👇 "Who is a Better Godfather? | Don Vito Corleone VS Don Michael Corleone" th-cam.com/video/R7eVl8g2HRs/w-d-xo.html
What's funny of course is that even a butter knife can kill if you press it hard enough into the right spot. Which is exactly what he did when he betrayed Micheal.
Based on the fact Michael was a MARINE CAPTAIN during WW2 and according to his medals was involved in the action / front lines , he was trained in war strategy and maneuvers. That alone speaks volumes about his prowess in the Corleone war.
Thank you for being one of the few to catch this. I don't know if it's in the books, but he looks like 1st Marine Division; if Michael is, then he HAS shot people point blank (before Solanzo). It's just that they were Japanese Imperial soldiers.
@@McBoofus Nope! It’s grander (depending on the individual, it’s insidious or enlightening) than that. The original quote is this: “knowledge is power and power is knowledge” -Michel Foucault, Discipline and Punish: Birth of Prisons.
I doubt Fredo would have betrayed Sonny the way he did Michael. Fredo was upset he got passed over for his younger brother, that's why he started working with Roth and Ola. He expected Sonny to get the top job, so he would never have been passed over, thus there's no reason for him to betray the family.
I doubt it. I think fredo was involved in don vitos hit. In Gf2...when micheal said to fredo twice ....you believed that story...fredo was the prime traitor from the beginning..thats why vito planned the solozzo meeting..just to find out the traitor.
@@cityhunter557 I have no idea where you're getting the idea that Fredo betrayed his father. Nothing in the film points to that. Also, Vito didn't set up a meeting with Solozzo, he set up a meeting with Barzini and the heads of the Five Families, and he did that to figure out who was really backing Solozzo, because Tattalgia wasn't smart or cunning enough to make the power moves being made against the Corleones. And in the end, it's revealed that the two traitors were Carlo and Tessio, both working with Barzini against the Corleones for their own reasons
Sonny was a emotional Don who thought with his heart rather than his brains. Being a Don is like playing chess ♟. You have to anticipate your opponents next move rather than lashing out.
Michael was a pawn given King duties, he wouldn't have made it...and clearly didn't (in terms of being a "true Don") he always looked for a way out instead of embracing the role
@@maxwellhuey he looked for a way out only after years of serving as Don because he knew the old ways of doing things were gone. That if you are to survive one has to adapt to the system and be part of it . That’s why Michael said he wanted the family to be 100% legitimate.
"Tattaglia's a pimp. He never could've out-fought Santino. But I didn't know until this day that it was Barzini all along." I think this quote illustrates what Vito thought of his oldest son. In Vito's eye's Sony was "a bad Don" because he was not in the "Top league". Sony was most likely quite good in the job. It would be enough to win against people like Tattaglia's but the Don knew that there were also people like Barzini. People much closer to Vito's level. And that they would be to much for Sony to handle, which proved true.
Tattaglia is viewed as the weakest Don in terms of intellect, cunning and wisdom which Vito and Barzini had in spades. Sonny was a master tactician especially in open warfare. I agree with your assessment. Vito and Barzini are top dog level within the mafia. 10/10. Tattaglia I'd place at 7/10. Sonny being 8.5. Not enough to handle someone like Barzini but skilled enough to take on Tattaglia.
@@brandonmedina494 Sonny was more ferocious and instilled fear in his enemies which can be an advantage. Michael was more intelligent and therefore able to outsmart his enemies which is better than scaring them.
@@markcadieux3445 well they thought michael is a green boy because they didnt knew him and jumped right in the fire, if they knew he is intelligent maybe they woulve been more careful
Sonny Corleone as he was written in the novel was actually very smart. He and Tessio came up with the plan to execute all the heads of the family that Michael wound up using at the end of the story. Sonny was the better fighter and better suited to win a war. His wasn't able to control his temper which led to errors in judgment so ultimately Michael is the one best suited to be Don.
He was never don. Only for a short period and he managed to get himself killed. Most dons have attempts on their life all the time. A smart don doesn’t get killed.
While Santino had the street smarts, Michael was a Captain in the Marine Corps, had combat experience, and studied tactics. The pacific theater was especially brutal fighting the Japanese and island hopping tactics used by the Marines. This could be why he wasn't concerned with a brawling or all out war; he was calculating and swift by targeting the dons in order to make a quick victory.
@@maxwellhuey you're definitely right when it comes to Michael having to help from his father. However Michael's choice in humbly listening to his fathers wisdom still stands to support his strengths. Michael's idea to gun down Solozzo and the police captain also greatly gives him credit as that was solely his idea. As much as Michael didn't come up as a gangster, he was still very skilled in the art of war.
@@bravocharliedelta4 Remember though, Sonny came up with the plan and execution of it through his contacts (and the family)…Michael suggested it. That’s no disrespect to the man but the others were far more experienced in matters of war. The main issue wasn’t killing Sollozo, the fear was gunning down the Police captain… if they figured out how to do it there wouldn’t have been a war… Michael took it personally and that’s why he taunted McCluskey, he also didn’t have to shoot him once the Turk was dead… All I’m saying is that if a little more planning went into it, the police wouldn’t have had to crackdown on all the families…sure the war would have happened but adding the police into it probably took it overboard
I think Michael was ultimately more respected due to his tenure as Don. Sonny only covered a few weeks while Vito was recovering and got himself killed.
Did you watch anything past GF1?... There's barely any corleone family after that...Michael ruined it....People disrespected him to his face...When Santino died...the whole underworld was shaken to its core...Michael died as a miserable man with nothing...No one cared about him in the end
@Joel Johnson Respected by whom ? Could you imagine Moe Green disrespecting Sonny ? Could you imagine Frank Pentangelli disrespecting Sonny ? The answer is no, respect and fear go hand in hand in the mafia world
If only they showed Santino's deleted scenes and focused a bit more on him in the movies! People never really got to see Sonny calculating and how successful he was in the 5 family wars. Plus, he didn't go to the mattresses straight up and was fueled with rage after Sollozzo attempted to murder the defenseless Don in the hospital (an honorless dog move). I guess ultimately his passion and love for his family would be his undoing thanks to his temper.
Yeah, those scenes were great; maybe one day we'll get those extended cuts considering that Coppola seems to be doing that with all his older works, and this is one case where I wouldn't particularly mind at all.
Santino's great mistake was not seeing who he was really fighting (Barzini). Only Vito was able to figure that out. Santino's general strategy of fighting all-out was the right one. Any attempt at compromise with the other families would have ended in disaster. Michael was able to get away with playing a "long game" against the other families because they didn't take him seriously and underestimated him. Santino would not have been able to get away with that. And contrary to the film, Tom was a bad consigleaire. A worse consigleaire than Santino was a bad don. Santino's other mistake was in not pushing Tom to the side when the war broke out as Michael eventually did. Santino needed a consigleaire that he would respect and listen to. And a consigleaire who could balance out the more extreme aspects of Santino's personality. Rather than reasoning with him, Tom would just yell at him. And while he won in the short term, Michael in the long run was a terrible don. His great weakness was his obsession with trying to make himself and his organization into something other than what they were. He made his own mistake in being totally oblivious in not understanding that his move into casinos was a move against the interests of Roth and Roth's associates like Moe Green. He never figured out that his move into the nevada casinos amounted to a declaration of war against Roth.
@@Jim-Tuner Tom was a bad Don because should have figured out that Sollozzo wasnt a shoot caller, a shot caller needs influence not money, I kinda disagree on you with Michael, Roth had no problem with Moe being removed that was business, I believe Michael's downfall was not being able to hold on to his family
@@greatone275 He was a product of all the negative changes that happened so quickly around him. I firmly believe that had Sonny and Michael both served under Vito and spent some more time learning from him instead of being thrust into the action so suddenly, they BOTH would have been unstoppable in their own specialties.
Yeah Sonny benefited from having the empire being there for him to run. I don't think he could build one or expand it like Michael does. Although would Sonny make as many enemies as Michael does?
@@maxwellhuey This is something when you compare sonny and Michael that is interesting to me as I see people talk about this in the comments that's easy to say that Michael is better but his calculations made a lot of enemies and these enemies will constantly cause him more and more problems. The only reason that Hyman Roth made war against him is because he killed Moe Greene. Sonny did a good job as the temporary Don, but he was easily put into a box as the scene shows with him and Tom explaining that they can't do everything he wants to do. Michael breaks mob conventions but in doing so he creates a long list of enemies for life.
@@maxwellhuey Michael understood that running the show without the title was a better move than being the lightning rod himself. He always ran things. His wealth didn’t come from nowhere.
@@aaronrowell6943 fighting everyone head on at once makes you more enemies a lot faster. The way Michael ran things, his enemies had to be good to him To gain his trust which they failed at.
He says as he fires him 🤦🏾♂️🤣🤣 if Tom was really good enough why was he given the Carlo treatment? Why the secret meetings behind his back? You don't have to be told outright that you're not good enough for that to be a fact Sonny and Luca Brasi handled worse situations even before Tom was Consiglierie
@@San-oe1xv Sonny was a "Don"... Michael was a business man pretending to be a don...which is why once he is left in charge, the Family collapses....No one feared or respected him which is why people could turn against him, or talk crap to his face...No one would have tried that with Vito or Sonny
@@maxwellhuey Much of Michael's success came from getting his enemies as well as members of his own family to underestimate him. He used their lack of fear and respect as a tactic.
Michael had basically lost any sense of family at that point. It started way back when he told his own brother "Never go against the Family" - meaning "never interfere with my business". As ruthless as Vito and Sonny were, they always kept the perspective of family coming first before "Family"
Sonny was a loving men, and Fredo wouldn’t betray him in the first place and thats the point. Michael was much smarter than Sonny, but you see that being a don changed him a lot, which even a WW2 couldn’t. He was a kind, loving guy at the beggining of the movie, later on he becomes way too cold, it seemed like he was always worried, under stress, 24/7 working. Unlike him, Vito and Sonny were more casual, more comfortable and relaxed, it seemed natural to them becouse they grew up on the streets. That’s why they managed to maintain a loving side when they spend time with their family. Mike was a genius who never wanted to be mafioso, he lived a normal life, mob life messed up his emotions and that escalated to Key leaving him and Fredo’s death. The whole point of the movies was a tragic story of Mike Corleone, a men who was pushed into something he never wanted, becoming most powerful men in the country but loosing his very own family. He reedemed himself in GF3 but his sins still followed him
I refuse the whole premise of Sonny vs. Michael; who would win? The 2 brothers were incredibly close, and loved each other. Michael would have been loyal to Sonny and not felt the resentment Fredo felt for being looked over.
To be fair, Sonny successfully fought an open street war against the four New York families, Michael slaughtered his enemies while their guard was down and fought a battle of subterfuge in Godfather 2.
Michael wins the question of Respect, Sonny was too easily manipulated because of his emotional volatility and others knew that. He was murdered because his love for his sister made him a predictable target. But, to this day, I still cannot watch Sonny being ambushed and shot to death. I'll always have a sentimental soft heart for Sonny, bad temper and decisions notwithstanding.
In a moment of weakness Sonny acted out but come on… in the books they tried to get him multiple times and he always managed to escape… they only showed one moment in the movie because that’s when he died…. Watching the movie, you’d think that the war only took a week or so yet it went on for about 3 years, or that it took one meeting for Luca Brasi to get killed, tbh it took a while before he could even get into the Tattaglia clubs without people being nervous about him… All I can say is that the screenplay had to cut out a lot to meet the time limits. Sonny wasn’t given a fair amount of time in the movies for people to understand him… But I do agree he died because of his temper lol 😂
Sonny was hot Tempered for sure however everyone seems to ignore the guilt he felt about Connie situation. He is the one who recruited Carlo, he’s the one whom introduced him to his family, and eventually Connie. In the book, it’s described that he felt remorseful and since Vito had taught him that nothing was more important than family, he felt that the burden to protect Connie was on him. Moreover it seems in the book that Michael just like his father became indifferent toward Connie after Sonny’s murder. She knew yet she stayed with her husband and even went mad after Carlo was whacked. She had become somewhat of a burden as Tom described her. For all his faults, he was only trying to do right by his sister but in war he was perfect, almost too comfortable.
I think Vito was right when he said Sonny was a bad don in the long run yes because he was too hot headed and impulsive I think he would've been a better consigleaire but he shouldn't be the one making final decisions he didn't have Vito's foresight to see the real threats or Michael's patience to carefully map out plans
Consigliere is actually a position for a strategist, and giving advice based on logic. Sonny was no pragmatist, and dealt with every issue by being violent, and being reactionary.
Michael has a much calmer temperament than Sony. Michael's decision-making period is longer ( slower ) than Sony's. Sony is like fireworks. Sony has a hasty temperament. Sony thinks briefly before making a decision.
Think about it, he may be rash with his decisions, but Sonny is better, he handled two assassination attempts on Don Vito's life without any impact to the Corleone empire... Michael had growing resentment towards him and he couldn't even tell...Even the murder of the police Captain wasnt fully thought out...all he did was shoot and run away... Don Vito would have died in the hospital if Ezio (the baker) hadn't shown up Michael would have died in Sicily if it wasnt for his wife (who wasn't even supposed to be there in the first place) ....Sure, he might be a bit smarter, but all of Michael's successes are due to mere luck.
One on one fight.. I would had to give that to Micheal but cause of his military training. Before Michael gone in the Military hand down Sonny all the Time . For the age for having a hotter temper
Let us not forget Connie. In Godfather 3, she proved herself to be as cunning and ruthless as her big brothers. Even Michael was a little bit afraid of her, "Maybe they should fear you!" Connie understood the family business more than anyone. And she wasn't afraid to defy Michael. Behind her brother's back she allowed Kay to come over and visit the children. Did Michael reprimand Connie for disobeying his "No Kay in my house" rule? Michael let it slide. Perhaps he secretly respected Connie for her defiant boldness. He wasn't like, "Connie, you're my baby sister and I love you, but don't ever defy me again, ever!"
He didn't punish Connie because she was a woman. Otherwise she'd be just as dead as Sonny and Fredo. I believe that, no matter what your argument may be....probably. You may come up with something I never thought of and if that's the case, I respect you and your forethought.
It certainly could be seen that Sonny was a bad Don based on the original film release but the deleted scenes & novel definitely showed that he was a very capable & cunning war time leader more than a hot head.
Michael clearly wasn’t well respected until he forced the issue and he was underestimated at every major turn. He deserved more respect than Sonny, but Sonny garnered more respect by being likable and by having his feet firmly planted in the underworld.
@@maxwellhuey Michael became a magnate the likes of which Vito could've only dreamed by cutting his way through Vegas, sewing up all the major competing hotels and casinos. Not to mention that pursuing the gaming industry also gave him access to the entertainment world. Roth saw what Michael was doing, which is why he decided that Michael had to go; he was becoming too big too fast. In Godfather 3 (although many people prefer not to acknowledge this installment as canon) Michael was depicted as being leagues above the other Dons in terms of wealth and status, however this was implied in part 2 as well, in the scene where Roth tried to incite jealousy during a meeting by giving Michael a majority share of his assets, which Michael later countered by mentioning the insurrection (the con-game Roth was attempting to perpetrate). Due to Michael's deft leadership and business choices, the Corleone family had perhaps the greatest chance of all the families of going completely legitimate.
It's interesting to note that in the immediate aftermath of the shooting of Vito, there was a lot of confusion and unanswered questions for Sonny before the Turk called. Who shot my father? Is he alive? Where's Tom? Where's Luca Brasi? Did Paulie act on his own when he left Pop unprotected or did Clemenza pull him? In the face of all this, Sonny didn't have anyone he could immediately lash out at, so he had to stay calm and think out his next move. When Sonny realized he didn't have the luxury of acting impulsively, he didn't regardless of how much he wanted to.
Sonny wasn’t meant to be a Don. Too hot-headed. Easy to figure out-whack somebody he cares about and he’s gonna come running, which is why they knew all they had to do was have Carlo beat on Connie and then wait…
I might sound stupid, also I haven’t read the book for over 40 years, but somewhere in my memory I thought that the Carlo admission was just through fear & not true , only maybe 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧
@@ualisigwe it wasn't only that. Fredo also felt disrespected because he was basically always at the side lines, never being TREATED with respect. Of course it's also that hte movies turned Fredo into a far more pathetic character than the novel, where he'd been a tough guy who happened to drop the ball during the attempt on Vito's life.
I just wanted to add this too...Sonny having to kill Fredo....Fredo had fear of Sonny and respected him as the elder brother, he knew he had to take a backseat to Sonny. So that what happened to Michael would have never happened to Sonny given the same circumstances. But let's say for argument's sake..Sonny would have beat the living shit out of Fredo and then exiled him to the North Pole.
Every time i watch one of your videos i want to rewatch all the godfather movies... You're amazing! Ps Sonny was more respected then Michel before the baptism of fire... In am alternative universe if a Corleone civil war broke out... Sonny would have one because most the family didn't respect Michael enough
Likely, Sonny was a better war-time Don initially. In the short run, he would have been formidable. He knew the organization, had respect, and was feared. He knew when to defend and when- not to mention how- to go to the mattresses. Michael was shrewder and more cerebral, but it took him time to gain respect. Michael plans and then kills Sollozzo and McCluskey, not because it consolidates power, but instead buys time for his father to recover and once again head the family. Sonny was prepared to lead from the start. Tessio defects because Michael didn't show all his cards. In fact, Michael may have been playing possum, anticipating it was better to lure out future threats as opposed to showing initial force and getting unexpectedly garroted. Michael was both a better wartime and peacetime Don (Sonny cannot touch Michael in peacetime), but over a protracted period of time. In order to succeed, Sonny would have had to have an overwhelming lethal strike early in any war. Sonny winds up exceeding expectations initially and Michael prompts moves against himself by looking weak, but ultimately proves competent with contingency plans.
Another fascinating video. It would have been interesting to see how Sonny would have gotten on as Don. Sonny would gain more respect solely due to his capabilities and temper.
The one thing in Sonny's favor was he garnered instant respect from the people around him. They knew his flaws but the were overlooked perhaps from his charisma. Michael on the other hand was not received as easily. Maybe his youth or not having the gift of gab prevented his instant acceptance but all along his timeline there were people who should have been unwaveringly loyal betray him. He was constantly on the lookout and plugging holes in his airtight dam from the people who should have been closest to him.
Watching this video again, I think too much emphasis is put on Michael's military training, because military training works well against enemies that also know military tactics, but if history has taught us anything, it's that the best military in the world can lose to a technically inferior one due to a number of factors.
@@JoeSmith-dl9ok The fact that the common public doesn’t even know who the head of the 5 families are shows that they move in silence.Especially since Gotti flaunting himself to the public was his downfall and a wound to the mob as a whole.
Well Sonny wasnt as smart a don as Michael was. I dont think mike would fall for carlo’s bait. I dont think he would have reacted the same way sonny did. Mike would have sent men to do carlo or bring carlo to him.he wouldnt have went off on his own in a rage like sonny did.sonny was a blunt instrument which does have its uses but not as valuable an asset as mike’s intellect
Michael wouldn't have done a thing... No one liked him or respected him... Besides think about it...heat of the moment...Sonny wasn't foolish for acting like that...stupid...yes but not foolish. He thought his sister was going to be beaten to death...All he heard was her terrified sceams fom the other end of the line.... No one else knew what was happening, which is why Tom sent bodyguards, as an afterthought (like just make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble because he was known for flying off the handle at times but nothing too serious) ... To imply that Santino didn't think, although true would be a bit unfair because I'm sure any of us would definitely do the same if we were in his shoes (God forbid)
@Joel Johnson Im not from the culture, but do you think Connie had a choice of leaving (considering the time period) also, I think Sonny also felt guilty about introducing Carlo to the family and Don Corleone explicitly telling him not to get involved...he wouldn’t have been able to help Connie other than beating Carlo, death was out of the question.... Michael was cleared to kill Carlo because at that point he was in charge and he was partly to blame for Sonny’s death so i guess its fair game.
@Joel Johnson I think of it in this way, if roles were reversed, Michael wouldn't have been able to do anything to Carlo as long as Don Vito was alive...Sonny was only in charge of the criminal part of the family, never on the personal (home) side... for him to kill Carlo wouldn’t have been tolerated. If he (Sonny) was left in charge like Michael was, theres no doubt Carlo would have been dead 😂😂...probably the same day the Don died
If he had Michael as the consigliere to keep his temper in check and to help strategise it could of worked. Hagen would of stayed on the legal side of the business.
The Fear definitely goes to Sonny. Remember when Moe Green lash out and said “The Corleone’s Doesn’t have that type of Muscle anymore “ that was after Sonny died so I felt his reputation had actual meant he was threat.
Before watching the video, I'm gonna make a few evaluations of Sonny Corleone's leadership just to see if these characteristics are mentioned. 1) He was instinctively correct about identifying future enemies. 2) He had a big problem taking advice from elders and peers. 3) He had a reputation for a temper which made him predictable...And thus vulnerable to anyone with a clever intellect. Prediction: *Michael would win hands down.* _Now on to the vid to see how well I did with my evaluations..._
I think that Michael, with his training in war strategy, would've realized that Carlo battering Connie was a bait to lure him out onto the streets so Barzini's folks could take him out, so he wouldn't have fallen for that. This is because baits are a strategy used in war. I give the example in World War II of Italy offering to arbitrate peace talks between the United Kingdom and Germany. This was done with the intent to give Germany time to slaughter British soldiers in Dunkirk.
Sonny could get too emotional and allowed those emotions to sometimes lead him astray. Michael on the other hand (Maybe because of his prior military history) always gave the impression of a cold analytical outlook. So out of the two it would be Michael each and every time.
Hyman Roth would have completely outclassed Sonny, it took a strategic long term thinker like Michael to take him out- Sonny was basically a jumped-up street brawler. He was someone who'd you'd certainly want on your side in a straight-up fight, but inside the murky machinations of The Mafia, he was too much of a linear thinker- he was the type who would win the battle, but lose the war.
Mike was a racketeer and Sonny was a gangster. I think it was mentioned already the only one left would be Mike against his father, if that scenario played out. As for respect, that’s a tricky one as Mike and Sonny moved in different circles. The people Sonny dealt with respected him, I wonder if all the pezzonovante Mike dealt with tolerated or respected him.
@@keithharper1470 I should not have made it absolute. Let’s say this 80% 20% Mike is 80% racketeer and Sonny is 80% gangster. Mike did put in the work but only enough to make his bones, Sonny was more hands on (Carlo 😆)
@@danielharnden516 No noe feared Mike, they feared the Corleone family (due to Sonny and Vito, and their hard work) once that wore off, no one even cared about him
Sonny's head was a hothead, and a hedonist, and when he either one of those he was a caring big brother to his brother, Mike, and his only sister, Connie. Mike was strictly business when he took over.
Sonny Corleone is to Micheal Corleone what Tony Montana is to Micheal Corleone. They both have great skill when it comes to killing, they both are violently protective of their sisters, they both have a nose for money when it comes to drug dealing. But both are also terrible leaders because they suffer from short term thinking. In Sonny's case it was to fight a war that he could not win, and in Tony's case it was not quitting whilst he was ahead.
I disagree because I really think Sonny had more brains than was led on, I agree what all the things you said bro but I do think Sonny was smarter than Tony Montana but a long mile. I really think if they work with each other Sonny and Michael they would’ve been so powerful that they was in touchable
So glad I found this channel... I love anything “Godfather, Casino, Goodfellas, Scarface, The Sopranos... any thing pertaining to The Mafia, new sub is here😃
Excellent video and analysis, that just makes me want to watch the film again this Labor Day. I'm pretty sure if Vito was alive, he would also conclude that Michael wasn't necessarily a good Don either, he was simply bad in other ways. Sonny may have been a bad Don, but the men under him would follow him to hell and back and it wouldn't be because they only feared him, but respected him as well, because he didn't send men out needlessly to their death, but would be there right along side them.
@@NelsonStJames To go a bit further: You'd want Tom to run the day to day business, Michael to plan major strikes, Sonny to lead them (and probably to also be abit of the face of the stuff. He's charismatic), and Fredo you'd actually want to keep some of the humanity of Vito. Each of hte (male, and even adopted) children has a bit of Vito, but without the rest to balance it out.
I think Sonny could have been a good Don. At the barest minimum he was a good field general. If Sonny had a weakness was that he was quick to anger & impulsive, the very things that ultimately got him killed. If Sonny had lived & been able to control those weaknesses, he could have been the Don instead of Michael.
They were completely different. Sonny was more old school in certain aspects, but he was not a good listener, had a bad temper, which is not always a bonus for that kind of lifestyle, and was more of a wartime Don. Michael, on the other hand, was a businessman. He surrounded himself with businessmen. He knocked off the heads of the other families plus Moe Greene because Don Vito helped him with the planning of it. Sonny had the strike first strike hard mentality.
Michael definitely. The fact he outlived everyone and his organization was always the strongest during his reign shows that he was definitely the best Don. Unfortunately for him, it came with a price, his family. Sonny would've lost a few battles if he was alive after Don Vito's passing. I don't think the organization would've been the strongest with him at the helm. The fact that Barzini outsmarted him is proof enough....Michael on the other hand fooled Barzini and the other families.
it's really like Julius Caesar vs Marc Antony. First was the brilliant, cunning politician and great strategist, the latter hot-tempered, but very talented general. Both had their fair share of mistakes, but ultimately, Antony wouldn't and couldn't make a move against Caesar. Too bad we did not have the chance to see more interactions and cooperation between Michael and Sonny though
Excellent commentary….. ……..Video Suggestion ,“Would Tom Hagen be a great Don”. Could he be ruthless enough to pull it off, because We know Michael, Sonny, and Vito was .
In regards to fear....you'll be afraid of Sonny because he'll come right at you. Michael however, will plan and stay quiet that you won't have a chance to be afraid.
@@swapsplat Its kind of based on real life... we see the same in real life (alot of people get by by being related to a rich/successful person ) eg. Jaden Smith or Chet Hanks or even Joe Biden's son....or the biggest example is The Royal Family... No one can really justify why they deserve to be put on a pedestal but they're all wealthy and famous over ordinary people It doesn’t make it right but its just facts of the world I guess...
In sunny vs Michael it would be mike. If they went head to head, sonny would never forget that mike was his brother and would try to forgive him. Mike would feel betrayed and never forgive. That would impact their actions.
Let me start with the fact that I love all your videos. However, I disagree that Sonny is more brutal than Michael. Michael’s brutality was never through physical intimidation or the threat of physicality, it was cerebral. It was the fear of not knowing what lengths he would scale to get to you. In that sense, Sonny was predictable which was proven by the machinations surrounding his eventual and inevitable murder. Of all the brothers Michael was the most Machiavellian, which is why he had longevity albeit at an insurmountable cost.
I think he wants to give Sonny some credits so the fight can look more even. Michael is the clear winner in terms of manipulating fear. Al Pacino said it in his interview, he find that the extreme form of fear is settle and slow and not fast and harsh. This is why before he killed Carlo, he was extremely calm and simply saying that it "insults his intelligence."
If Michael has no one who can truly compare to him except Vito, then we should compare Vito. An alternate universe where Michael and Vito go face to face while at their peak
Sonny would have been very good at playing the game as it was being played when he took over. However, Vito knew the game was changing, and that Michael could control what it changed into.
Given a chance Santino might have learnt some of his father’s dispassionate, analytical way of doing things. He was killed too soon. Michael was better, but had the time and chance to become so
Is this a list of who gets the most respect or who would be a better Don? Either way, I would replace Fredo with Connie. By G3, she was pretty power hungry. Heck, I'd even put Kay in there before Fredo.
@@LB-gz3ke It’s a list of possible Dons, and who would win in a “versus” situation. I left out Connie since this is a patriarchal hierarchy, but you’re 100% correct. She’d take out Fredo in a heartbeat if so inclined.
Sonny could not control his temper. Michael could, and would win. Sonny was crude and sloppy. As a former USMC officer, Michael knew tactics and strategy. Sonny let people know what he was thinking. Michael was inscrutable.
Sonny was more tactical… there’s a reason why all the other families feared going against him…the movies just highlighted his anger but the man was really smart… Michael suggested killing the Turk and the policeman… Sonny planned it all… tbh Michael was an overrated hit man… Anyone else would have done it if they had enough time to plan it out. If even Don Vito didn’t approve of the plan, that speaks volumes about Michael’s intelligence.
Hands down Michael. He was smarter, more cunning and more heartless. Sonny was emotional, wreckless and careless. He was easily lured into the deadly trap the ultimately killed him. Michael didn''t have affairs, so wouldn't be vulnerable and would have read through Barzini's plot. Sonny was a good and deadly soldier, but not fit to lead. Tessio and Clemenza should have lead the war, not Sonny. Tessio was the smarter one and Clemenza the more ruthless.
If You Enjoyed this Video 💯 Watch Vito VS Michael Here 👇
"Who is a Better Godfather? | Don Vito Corleone VS Don Michael Corleone"
th-cam.com/video/R7eVl8g2HRs/w-d-xo.html
Michael vs Jimmy from goodfellas
I would like to see Michael vs Don Luccesse from The Godfather 3.
Michael Corleone vs Alejandro Sosa (from Scarface)
Don Vito all the way.
@@xandercage8082 Al Neri vs Alejandro Sosa, Al vs Al, lol 😂
Michael is a scalpel.
Sonny is a chainsaw.
Fredo is a butter knife.
What's funny of course is that even a butter knife can kill if you press it hard enough into the right spot. Which is exactly what he did when he betrayed Micheal.
👏👏👏👏👏
@@clearspira more like a disposable plastic knife 🔪
That's a good analogy.
and Connie?
The Sonny character from the book, and seen in the deleted scenes, was complex and wasn't always the "hothead". Sonny was underrated.
Definitely my favorite character from the movie.
Agreed,
Book Sonny and movie Sonny were waaaaaay different!
@@donshipman8441 You know what I'm going to order the book because I've heard this before time I read it for myself
THANK YOU!
Yep-the book is usually better than the movie version. Although Coppola is the only guy who gets as close to book as possible
Based on the fact Michael was a MARINE CAPTAIN during WW2 and according to his medals was involved in the action / front lines , he was trained in war strategy and maneuvers. That alone speaks volumes about his prowess in the Corleone war.
Knowledge is power
Thank you for being one of the few to catch this. I don't know if it's in the books, but he looks like 1st Marine Division; if Michael is, then he HAS shot people point blank (before Solanzo). It's just that they were Japanese Imperial soldiers.
@@McBoofus
Nope! It’s grander (depending on the individual, it’s insidious or enlightening) than that.
The original quote is this:
“knowledge is power and power is knowledge”
-Michel Foucault, Discipline and Punish: Birth of Prisons.
@@mikhailiagacesa3406 He may have ended up as a captain in the Marines, but he started off as an enlisted man. So he definitely saw some action.
@@gawainethefirst Thumbs up! Was that in the book? (Yes, I know I should read it.)
I doubt Fredo would have betrayed Sonny the way he did Michael. Fredo was upset he got passed over for his younger brother, that's why he started working with Roth and Ola. He expected Sonny to get the top job, so he would never have been passed over, thus there's no reason for him to betray the family.
"IT'S NOT THE WAY I WANTED IT!!"
I doubt it. I think fredo was involved in don vitos hit. In Gf2...when micheal said to fredo twice ....you believed that story...fredo was the prime traitor from the beginning..thats why vito planned the solozzo meeting..just to find out the traitor.
Fredo was a herb regardless
@@cityhunter557 I have no idea where you're getting the idea that Fredo betrayed his father. Nothing in the film points to that. Also, Vito didn't set up a meeting with Solozzo, he set up a meeting with Barzini and the heads of the Five Families, and he did that to figure out who was really backing Solozzo, because Tattalgia wasn't smart or cunning enough to make the power moves being made against the Corleones. And in the end, it's revealed that the two traitors were Carlo and Tessio, both working with Barzini against the Corleones for their own reasons
👏👏👏
Sonny was a emotional Don who thought with his heart rather than his brains. Being a Don is like playing chess ♟. You have to anticipate your opponents next move rather than lashing out.
Shut up niles
@@orion000 see what I mean …you’d NEVER be a good Don…too emotional 😂😂😂
@@Niles-Guy well said. Also, an* my friend.
Michael was a pawn given King duties, he wouldn't have made it...and clearly didn't (in terms of being a "true Don") he always looked for a way out instead of embracing the role
@@maxwellhuey he looked for a way out only after years of serving as Don because he knew the old ways of doing things were gone. That if you are to survive one has to adapt to the system and be part of it . That’s why Michael said he wanted the family to be 100% legitimate.
"Tattaglia's a pimp. He never could've out-fought Santino. But I didn't know until this day that it was Barzini all along." I think this quote illustrates what Vito thought of his oldest son. In Vito's eye's Sony was "a bad Don" because he was not in the "Top league". Sony was most likely quite good in the job. It would be enough to win against people like Tattaglia's but the Don knew that there were also people like Barzini. People much closer to Vito's level. And that they would be to much for Sony to handle, which proved true.
Tattaglia is viewed as the weakest Don in terms of intellect, cunning and wisdom which Vito and Barzini had in spades. Sonny was a master tactician especially in open warfare. I agree with your assessment. Vito and Barzini are top dog level within the mafia. 10/10. Tattaglia I'd place at 7/10. Sonny being 8.5. Not enough to handle someone like Barzini but skilled enough to take on Tattaglia.
@@brandonmedina494 Sonny was more ferocious and instilled fear in his enemies which can be an advantage.
Michael was more intelligent and therefore able to outsmart his enemies which is better than scaring them.
@@markcadieux3445 well they thought michael is a green boy because they didnt knew him and jumped right in the fire, if they knew he is intelligent maybe they woulve been more careful
Very good analysis.
I thought Vito said "out-foxed" and not "out-fought". The former gives Sonny credit for being a good tactician which he was despite his temper
Sonny Corleone as he was written in the novel was actually very smart. He and Tessio came up with the plan to execute all the heads of the family that Michael wound up using at the end of the story. Sonny was the better fighter and better suited to win a war. His wasn't able to control his temper which led to errors in judgment so ultimately Michael is the one best suited to be Don.
true
@ dpw truck 🚒
Amen ... JUST looking at your post 🏣👉🎉
He was never don. Only for a short period and he managed to get himself killed. Most dons have attempts on their life all the time. A smart don doesn’t get killed.
And anyone can plan to take someone out execution of the plan makes you smart. We all have plans.
Only because barzini knew the right trigger, which is through Carlo.
While Santino had the street smarts, Michael was a Captain in the Marine Corps, had combat experience, and studied tactics. The pacific theater was especially brutal fighting the Japanese and island hopping tactics used by the Marines. This could be why he wasn't concerned with a brawling or all out war; he was calculating and swift by targeting the dons in order to make a quick victory.
The plan to take out the other 4 dons was Santino's though...VIto perfected it and Michael executed it...His role in the plan is exaggerated
@@maxwellhuey you're definitely right when it comes to Michael having to help from his father. However Michael's choice in humbly listening to his fathers wisdom still stands to support his strengths. Michael's idea to gun down Solozzo and the police captain also greatly gives him credit as that was solely his idea. As much as Michael didn't come up as a gangster, he was still very skilled in the art of war.
@@bravocharliedelta4 I like that train of thought 👍 Michael definitely earned the family respect for that one
@@bravocharliedelta4 Remember though, Sonny came up with the plan and execution of it through his contacts (and the family)…Michael suggested it.
That’s no disrespect to the man but the others were far more experienced in matters of war.
The main issue wasn’t killing Sollozo, the fear was gunning down the Police captain… if they figured out how to do it there wouldn’t have been a war…
Michael took it personally and that’s why he taunted McCluskey, he also didn’t have to shoot him once the Turk was dead…
All I’m saying is that if a little more planning went into it, the police wouldn’t have had to crackdown on all the families…sure the war would have happened but adding the police into it probably took it overboard
but im gonna wait, after the baptism
I think Michael was ultimately more respected due to his tenure as Don. Sonny only covered a few weeks while Vito was recovering and got himself killed.
It was much longer than a few weeks 😂
Did you watch anything past GF1?... There's barely any corleone family after that...Michael ruined it....People disrespected him to his face...When Santino died...the whole underworld was shaken to its core...Michael died as a miserable man with nothing...No one cared about him in the end
@@maxwellhuey exactly !!!!
It took about 3 years... They just can't show it in a movie, but it says so in the book
@Joel Johnson Respected by whom ? Could you imagine Moe Green disrespecting Sonny ? Could you imagine Frank Pentangelli disrespecting Sonny ? The answer is no, respect and fear go hand in hand in the mafia world
If only they showed Santino's deleted scenes and focused a bit more on him in the movies! People never really got to see Sonny calculating and how successful he was in the 5 family wars. Plus, he didn't go to the mattresses straight up and was fueled with rage after Sollozzo attempted to murder the defenseless Don in the hospital (an honorless dog move). I guess ultimately his passion and love for his family would be his undoing thanks to his temper.
Yeah, those scenes were great; maybe one day we'll get those extended cuts considering that Coppola seems to be doing that with all his older works, and this is one case where I wouldn't particularly mind at all.
You just stated why Michael was better than Sonny
The Sollozzo incident Sonny was blinded by rage and got emotional, where as Michael remained cool
Santino's great mistake was not seeing who he was really fighting (Barzini). Only Vito was able to figure that out.
Santino's general strategy of fighting all-out was the right one. Any attempt at compromise with the other families would have ended in disaster. Michael was able to get away with playing a "long game" against the other families because they didn't take him seriously and underestimated him. Santino would not have been able to get away with that.
And contrary to the film, Tom was a bad consigleaire. A worse consigleaire than Santino was a bad don. Santino's other mistake was in not pushing Tom to the side when the war broke out as Michael eventually did. Santino needed a consigleaire that he would respect and listen to. And a consigleaire who could balance out the more extreme aspects of Santino's personality. Rather than reasoning with him, Tom would just yell at him.
And while he won in the short term, Michael in the long run was a terrible don. His great weakness was his obsession with trying to make himself and his organization into something other than what they were. He made his own mistake in being totally oblivious in not understanding that his move into casinos was a move against the interests of Roth and Roth's associates like Moe Green. He never figured out that his move into the nevada casinos amounted to a declaration of war against Roth.
@@Jim-Tuner Tom was a bad Don because should have figured out that Sollozzo wasnt a shoot caller, a shot caller needs influence not money, I kinda disagree on you with Michael, Roth had no problem with Moe being removed that was business, I believe Michael's downfall was not being able to hold on to his family
@@greatone275 He was a product of all the negative changes that happened so quickly around him. I firmly believe that had Sonny and Michael both served under Vito and spent some more time learning from him instead of being thrust into the action so suddenly, they BOTH would have been unstoppable in their own specialties.
Sonny is a guy you want to take someone else’s empire over. Michael is the guy you want to keep it.
Yeah Sonny benefited from having the empire being there for him to run. I don't think he could build one or expand it like Michael does. Although would Sonny make as many enemies as Michael does?
He couldn't even maintain his own empire, Michael was weak
@@maxwellhuey This is something when you compare sonny and Michael that is interesting to me as I see people talk about this in the comments that's easy to say that Michael is better but his calculations made a lot of enemies and these enemies will constantly cause him more and more problems. The only reason that Hyman Roth made war against him is because he killed Moe Greene.
Sonny did a good job as the temporary Don, but he was easily put into a box as the scene shows with him and Tom explaining that they can't do everything he wants to do. Michael breaks mob conventions but in doing so he creates a long list of enemies for life.
@@maxwellhuey Michael understood that running the show without the title was a better move than being the lightning rod himself. He always ran things. His wealth didn’t come from nowhere.
@@aaronrowell6943 fighting everyone head on at once makes you more enemies a lot faster. The way Michael ran things, his enemies had to be good to him To gain his trust which they failed at.
DON CORLEONE: "Tom -- I advise Michael. I never thought you were a bad Consiglieri. I thought -- Santino
was a bad Don, rest in peace." Case closed.
Exactly
If he only got to see how Michael ruined the family afterwards 😂😂
Yeah, if your father says you suck as a Don, case close.
Sonny had Tom Hagen, Vito had Genco...
He says as he fires him 🤦🏾♂️🤣🤣 if Tom was really good enough why was he given the Carlo treatment? Why the secret meetings behind his back? You don't have to be told outright that you're not good enough for that to be a fact
Sonny and Luca Brasi handled worse situations even before Tom was Consiglierie
I think Sonny was more respected. Michael was more feared.
Right i agree.
So Sonny was better
@@San-oe1xv Sonny was a "Don"... Michael was a business man pretending to be a don...which is why once he is left in charge, the Family collapses....No one feared or respected him which is why people could turn against him, or talk crap to his face...No one would have tried that with Vito or Sonny
@@maxwellhuey Much of Michael's success came from getting his enemies as well as members of his own family to underestimate him. He used their lack of fear and respect as a tactic.
@@phoggknight6714 Thats definitely true...thats how he got the jump on Carlo and Tessio...
It's clearly said in the book that Sonny would never kill someone defenseless and prostrating before him. He wouln't have whacked Fredo
I think he would have killed Carlo.
Michael had basically lost any sense of family at that point. It started way back when he told his own brother "Never go against the Family" - meaning "never interfere with my business". As ruthless as Vito and Sonny were, they always kept the perspective of family coming first before "Family"
@@tmage23 end of day cosa nostra comes before family thats a fact
Sonny was a loving men, and Fredo wouldn’t betray him in the first place and thats the point. Michael was much smarter than Sonny, but you see that being a don changed him a lot, which even a WW2 couldn’t. He was a kind, loving guy at the beggining of the movie, later on he becomes way too cold, it seemed like he was always worried, under stress, 24/7 working. Unlike him, Vito and Sonny were more casual, more comfortable and relaxed, it seemed natural to them becouse they grew up on the streets. That’s why they managed to maintain a loving side when they spend time with their family. Mike was a genius who never wanted to be mafioso, he lived a normal life, mob life messed up his emotions and that escalated to Key leaving him and Fredo’s death. The whole point of the movies was a tragic story of Mike Corleone, a men who was pushed into something he never wanted, becoming most powerful men in the country but loosing his very own family. He reedemed himself in GF3 but his sins still followed him
Fredo probably wouldn’t have betrayed the family if Sonny had still be alive.
I refuse the whole premise of Sonny vs. Michael; who would win?
The 2 brothers were incredibly close, and loved each other. Michael would have been loyal to Sonny and not felt the resentment Fredo felt for being looked over.
True, but this is hypothetical
It's not asking "Who would win in a fight?" It's asking who would be more competent as a leader.
To be fair, Sonny successfully fought an open street war against the four New York families, Michael slaughtered his enemies while their guard was down and fought a battle of subterfuge in Godfather 2.
Michael wins the question of Respect, Sonny was too easily manipulated because of his emotional volatility and others knew that. He was murdered because his love for his sister made him a predictable target. But, to this day, I still cannot watch Sonny being ambushed and shot to death. I'll always have a sentimental soft heart for Sonny, bad temper and decisions notwithstanding.
Sonny was to predictable with his temper . I give the win to Michael 💯
Agreed!
@@DemeterTelphousia-Erinyes without a doubt!
No doubt
In a moment of weakness Sonny acted out but come on… in the books they tried to get him multiple times and he always managed to escape… they only showed one moment in the movie because that’s when he died….
Watching the movie, you’d think that the war only took a week or so yet it went on for about 3 years, or that it took one meeting for Luca Brasi to get killed, tbh it took a while before he could even get into the Tattaglia clubs without people being nervous about him…
All I can say is that the screenplay had to cut out a lot to meet the time limits.
Sonny wasn’t given a fair amount of time in the movies for people to understand him…
But I do agree he died because of his temper lol 😂
That's what got him killed.
Sonny was hot Tempered for sure however everyone seems to ignore the guilt he felt about Connie situation. He is the one who recruited Carlo, he’s the one whom introduced him to his family, and eventually Connie. In the book, it’s described that he felt remorseful and since Vito had taught him that nothing was more important than family, he felt that the burden to protect Connie was on him. Moreover it seems in the book that Michael just like his father became indifferent toward Connie after Sonny’s murder. She knew yet she stayed with her husband and even went mad after Carlo was whacked. She had become somewhat of a burden as Tom described her. For all his faults, he was only trying to do right by his sister but in war he was perfect, almost too comfortable.
I think Vito was right when he said Sonny was a bad don in the long run yes because he was too hot headed and impulsive I think he would've been a better consigleaire but he shouldn't be the one making final decisions he didn't have Vito's foresight to see the real threats or Michael's patience to carefully map out plans
Sonny consigliere? No. Underboss.
@@JGD714 that would work too i didn't say anybody had to take all of his advice though lol
Consigliere is actually a position for a strategist, and giving advice based on logic.
Sonny was no pragmatist, and dealt with every issue by being violent, and being reactionary.
A better capo I think
@@FreddyTams Nah. He'd be too effective a capo and other capos would look up to him, making him underboss in all but name only.
They both mean business. Two very good actors. They fit their parts perfectly.
Michael has a much calmer temperament than Sony. Michael's decision-making period is longer ( slower ) than Sony's. Sony is like fireworks. Sony has a hasty temperament. Sony thinks briefly before making a decision.
Think about it, he may be rash with his decisions, but Sonny is better, he handled two assassination attempts on Don Vito's life without any impact to the Corleone empire...
Michael had growing resentment towards him and he couldn't even tell...Even the murder of the police Captain wasnt fully thought out...all he did was shoot and run away...
Don Vito would have died in the hospital if Ezio (the baker) hadn't shown up
Michael would have died in Sicily if it wasnt for his wife (who wasn't even supposed to be there in the first place)
....Sure, he might be a bit smarter, but all of Michael's successes are due to mere luck.
@@maxwellhuey good point
In the mafia, most Dons were like Sonny, and not Michael...most were just street level thugs who worked their way to the top with brute force.
Exactly. I prefer sonny over michael
One vs one fight, Sonny would won.
But if its a non pyshical strategic fight, Michael 100% won.
idk, Michael has military experience.
@@splattt8088 that cqc!
@@splattt8088 sonny was raised in the streets. If its a fist fight, i put my money on sony
One on one fight.. I would had to give that to Micheal but cause of his military training. Before Michael gone in the Military hand down Sonny all the Time . For the age for having a hotter temper
wasn’t mike a war hero in the movie? not sure about the book. Michael fought and killed in Vietnam
I would love an analysis on how Michael’s reign would’ve been different if Apollonia would’ve lived and Kate wasn’t in the picture
Let us not forget Connie. In Godfather 3, she proved herself to be as cunning and ruthless as her big brothers. Even Michael was a little bit afraid of her, "Maybe they should fear you!" Connie understood the family business more than anyone. And she wasn't afraid to defy Michael. Behind her brother's back she allowed Kay to come over and visit the children. Did Michael reprimand Connie for disobeying his "No Kay in my house" rule? Michael let it slide. Perhaps he secretly respected Connie for her defiant boldness.
He wasn't like, "Connie, you're my baby sister and I love you, but don't ever defy me again, ever!"
He didn't punish Connie because she was a woman. Otherwise she'd be just as dead as Sonny and Fredo.
I believe that, no matter what your argument may be....probably.
You may come up with something I never thought of and if that's the case, I respect you and your forethought.
Just imagine them side by side. My goodness that be one powerful family.
LITERALLY UNSTOPPABLE 🔥
Absolutely.
Love the channel.
It certainly could be seen that Sonny was a bad Don based on the original film release but the deleted scenes & novel definitely showed that he was a very capable & cunning war time leader more than a hot head.
Michael clearly wasn’t well respected until he forced the issue and he was underestimated at every major turn. He deserved more respect than Sonny, but Sonny garnered more respect by being likable and by having his feet firmly planted in the underworld.
Michael never even wanted the job in the first place and definitely weakened the family once he got out of the underworld
@@maxwellhuey Michael became a magnate the likes of which Vito could've only dreamed by cutting his way through Vegas, sewing up all the major competing hotels and casinos. Not to mention that pursuing the gaming industry also gave him access to the entertainment world. Roth saw what Michael was doing, which is why he decided that Michael had to go; he was becoming too big too fast.
In Godfather 3 (although many people prefer not to acknowledge this installment as canon) Michael was depicted as being leagues above the other Dons in terms of wealth and status, however this was implied in part 2 as well, in the scene where Roth tried to incite jealousy during a meeting by giving Michael a majority share of his assets, which Michael later countered by mentioning the insurrection (the con-game Roth was attempting to perpetrate).
Due to Michael's deft leadership and business choices, the Corleone family had perhaps the greatest chance of all the families of going completely legitimate.
It's interesting to note that in the immediate aftermath of the shooting of Vito, there was a lot of confusion and unanswered questions for Sonny before the Turk called. Who shot my father? Is he alive? Where's Tom? Where's Luca Brasi? Did Paulie act on his own when he left Pop unprotected or did Clemenza pull him?
In the face of all this, Sonny didn't have anyone he could immediately lash out at, so he had to stay calm and think out his next move. When Sonny realized he didn't have the luxury of acting impulsively, he didn't regardless of how much he wanted to.
Thank you for making this videos, one day you will get a million followers (I hope)!
We'll get there 💯
Michael was a strategist
Sonny was a Tactician
@Arius BLK 1st: Precisely.
Difference is, sonny let his emotions dictate his actions. Michael (and Vito) were cold and calculating.
Sonny wasn’t meant to be a Don. Too hot-headed. Easy to figure out-whack somebody he cares about and he’s gonna come running, which is why they knew all they had to do was have Carlo beat on Connie and then wait…
I might sound stupid, also I haven’t read the book for over 40 years, but somewhere in my memory I thought that the Carlo admission was just through fear & not true , only maybe 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧
I doubt Fredo would have betrayed Sonny, so I don't think the situation would have arisen.
I agree with you totally....furthermore, fredo felt disrespected having micheal, his junior as the don, something he wouldn't have felt with sunny....
@@ualisigwe it wasn't only that. Fredo also felt disrespected because he was basically always at the side lines, never being TREATED with respect. Of course it's also that hte movies turned Fredo into a far more pathetic character than the novel, where he'd been a tough guy who happened to drop the ball during the attempt on Vito's life.
I just wanted to add this too...Sonny having to kill Fredo....Fredo had fear of Sonny and respected him as the elder brother, he knew he had to take a backseat to Sonny. So that what happened to Michael would have never happened to Sonny given the same circumstances. But let's say for argument's sake..Sonny would have beat the living shit out of Fredo and then exiled him to the North Pole.
Every time i watch one of your videos i want to rewatch all the godfather movies... You're amazing!
Ps Sonny was more respected then Michel before the baptism of fire... In am alternative universe if a Corleone civil war broke out... Sonny would have one because most the family didn't respect Michael enough
Yup , these videos are forcing me to do exactly that !!!! Thanks!!!!! 1 , 2 AND 3
Likely, Sonny was a better war-time Don initially. In the short run, he would have been formidable. He knew the organization, had respect, and was feared. He knew when to defend and when- not to mention how- to go to the mattresses. Michael was shrewder and more cerebral, but it took him time to gain respect. Michael plans and then kills Sollozzo and McCluskey, not because it consolidates power, but instead buys time for his father to recover and once again head the family. Sonny was prepared to lead from the start. Tessio defects because Michael didn't show all his cards. In fact, Michael may have been playing possum, anticipating it was better to lure out future threats as opposed to showing initial force and getting unexpectedly garroted. Michael was both a better wartime and peacetime Don (Sonny cannot touch Michael in peacetime), but over a protracted period of time. In order to succeed, Sonny would have had to have an overwhelming lethal strike early in any war. Sonny winds up exceeding expectations initially and Michael prompts moves against himself by looking weak, but ultimately proves competent with contingency plans.
Another fascinating video. It would have been interesting to see how Sonny would have gotten on as Don. Sonny would gain more respect solely due to his capabilities and temper.
The one thing in Sonny's favor was he garnered instant respect from the people around him. They knew his flaws but the were overlooked perhaps from his charisma. Michael on the other hand was not received as easily. Maybe his youth or not having the gift of gab prevented his instant acceptance but all along his timeline there were people who should have been unwaveringly loyal betray him. He was constantly on the lookout and plugging holes in his airtight dam from the people who should have been closest to him.
If Santino just had a wartime consigliiere, a Sicillian, this wouldn't be an issue. His father had Genco, look who he had
You're right
Kinda makes me feel bad for Tom, but it is what it is
This went over a lot of peoples heads lol
As always right on time. I love these video's 💯💯💯
Outstanding narrative, very intriguing and very thorough. I enjoy watching your Godfather videos. Very thought provoking.
Watching this video again, I think too much emphasis is put on Michael's military training, because military training works well against enemies that also know military tactics, but if history has taught us anything, it's that the best military in the world can lose to a technically inferior one due to a number of factors.
Yeah by use of tactics and terrain
People were scared of Sonny, People feared Michael
Sonny flaunted a vulnerable weakness of impulse rage. Such guys do not last long in that life.
Tell that to all the fucking psychopaths who are still running the five families
@@JoeSmith-dl9ok The fact that the common public doesn’t even know who the head of the 5 families are shows that they move in silence.Especially since Gotti flaunting himself to the public was his downfall and a wound to the mob as a whole.
@@rouskeycarpel1436 half of the 5 families bosses are psychos nowadays
Save it for the library
Well Sonny wasnt as smart a don as Michael was. I dont think mike would fall for carlo’s bait. I dont think he would have reacted the same way sonny did. Mike would have sent men to do carlo or bring carlo to him.he wouldnt have went off on his own in a rage like sonny did.sonny was a blunt instrument which does have its uses but not as valuable an asset as mike’s intellect
Michael wouldn't have done a thing... No one liked him or respected him...
Besides think about it...heat of the moment...Sonny wasn't foolish for acting like that...stupid...yes but not foolish.
He thought his sister was going to be beaten to death...All he heard was her terrified sceams fom the other end of the line....
No one else knew what was happening, which is why Tom sent bodyguards, as an afterthought (like just make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble because he was known for flying off the handle at times but nothing too serious) ...
To imply that Santino didn't think, although true would be a bit unfair because I'm sure any of us would definitely do the same if we were in his shoes (God forbid)
@Joel Johnson Thats definitely true...
@Joel Johnson Im not from the culture, but do you think Connie had a choice of leaving (considering the time period) also, I think Sonny also felt guilty about introducing Carlo to the family and Don Corleone explicitly telling him not to get involved...he wouldn’t have been able to help Connie other than beating Carlo, death was out of the question....
Michael was cleared to kill Carlo because at that point he was in charge and he was partly to blame for Sonny’s death so i guess its fair game.
@Joel Johnson I think of it in this way, if roles were reversed, Michael wouldn't have been able to do anything to Carlo as long as Don Vito was alive...Sonny was only in charge of the criminal part of the family, never on the personal (home) side... for him to kill Carlo wouldn’t have been tolerated.
If he (Sonny) was left in charge like Michael was, theres no doubt Carlo would have been dead 😂😂...probably the same day the Don died
@@maxwellhuey partly to blame for Sonny's death LOL
If Sonny was still alive, Fredo wouldn't even dare to associate himself with Hyman Roth.
If he had Michael as the consigliere to keep his temper in check and to help strategise it could of worked. Hagen would of stayed on the legal side of the business.
Sonny is reactionary. You can't lead when you're always dictated by the situation.
If you saw the movie you already know Micheal won
The Fear definitely goes to Sonny. Remember when Moe Green lash out and said “The Corleone’s Doesn’t have that type of Muscle anymore “ that was after Sonny died so I felt his reputation had actual meant he was threat.
Before watching the video, I'm gonna make a few evaluations of Sonny Corleone's leadership just to see if these characteristics are mentioned. 1) He was instinctively correct about identifying future enemies. 2) He had a big problem taking advice from elders and peers. 3) He had a reputation for a temper which made him predictable...And thus vulnerable to anyone with a clever intellect. Prediction: *Michael would win hands down.* _Now on to the vid to see how well I did with my evaluations..._
You did fine. The video never mentions how Sonny deals with his core advisors; he’s very rough with them, especially Tom.
I think that Michael, with his training in war strategy, would've realized that Carlo battering Connie was a bait to lure him out onto the streets so Barzini's folks could take him out, so he wouldn't have fallen for that.
This is because baits are a strategy used in war. I give the example in World War II of Italy offering to arbitrate peace talks between the United Kingdom and Germany. This was done with the intent to give Germany time to slaughter British soldiers in Dunkirk.
@2:43 lol that sped up scene of Sonny beating on Carlo made it look like a Benny hill sketch XD
Sonny could get too emotional and allowed those emotions to sometimes lead him astray. Michael on the other hand (Maybe because of his prior military history) always gave the impression of a cold analytical outlook. So out of the two it would be Michael each and every time.
Hyman Roth would have completely outclassed Sonny, it took a strategic long term thinker like Michael to take him out- Sonny was basically a jumped-up street brawler. He was someone who'd you'd certainly want on your side in a straight-up fight, but inside the murky machinations of The Mafia, he was too much of a linear thinker- he was the type who would win the battle, but lose the war.
Mike was a racketeer and Sonny was a gangster. I think it was mentioned already the only one left would be Mike against his father, if that scenario played out. As for respect, that’s a tricky one as Mike and Sonny moved in different circles. The people Sonny dealt with respected him, I wonder if all the pezzonovante Mike dealt with tolerated or respected him.
They may not have like Mike but they feared him.
Michael was actually both he got his hands dirty when his own family thought it was impossible,he ordered hits, he made money and believed in omerta.
@@keithharper1470 I should not have made it absolute. Let’s say this 80% 20% Mike is 80% racketeer and Sonny is 80% gangster. Mike did put in the work but only enough to make his bones, Sonny was more hands on (Carlo 😆)
@@danielharnden516 No noe feared Mike, they feared the Corleone family (due to Sonny and Vito, and their hard work) once that wore off, no one even cared about him
@@maxwellhuey some of your comments are wise others I wonder if you have watched the same films as the rest of us!!!
Sonny's head was a hothead, and a hedonist, and when he either one of those he was a caring big brother to his brother, Mike, and his only sister, Connie. Mike was strictly business when he took over.
Sonny Corleone is to Micheal Corleone what Tony Montana is to Micheal Corleone. They both have great skill when it comes to killing, they both are violently protective of their sisters, they both have a nose for money when it comes to drug dealing. But both are also terrible leaders because they suffer from short term thinking. In Sonny's case it was to fight a war that he could not win, and in Tony's case it was not quitting whilst he was ahead.
I disagree because I really think Sonny had more brains than was led on, I agree what all the things you said bro but I do think Sonny was smarter than Tony Montana but a long mile. I really think if they work with each other Sonny and Michael they would’ve been so powerful that they was in touchable
So glad I found this channel... I love anything “Godfather, Casino, Goodfellas, Scarface, The Sopranos... any thing pertaining to The Mafia, new sub is here😃
Excellent video and analysis, that just makes me want to watch the film again this Labor Day.
I'm pretty sure if Vito was alive, he would also conclude that Michael wasn't necessarily a good Don either, he was simply bad in other ways. Sonny may have been a bad Don, but the men under him would follow him to hell and back and it wouldn't be because they only feared him, but respected him as well, because he didn't send men out needlessly to their death, but would be there right along side them.
basically, you'd want Michael to plan the ruthlessely efficient actions, and you'd want Sonny to lead them.
@@undertakernumberone1 That would be the perfect scenario.
@@NelsonStJames To go a bit further: You'd want Tom to run the day to day business, Michael to plan major strikes, Sonny to lead them (and probably to also be abit of the face of the stuff. He's charismatic), and Fredo you'd actually want to keep some of the humanity of Vito.
Each of hte (male, and even adopted) children has a bit of Vito, but without the rest to balance it out.
Michael is a well respected mob boss through out the movie .He knew how to run an empire and expand it logically
I think Sonny could have been a good Don. At the barest minimum he was a good field general. If Sonny had a weakness was that he was quick to anger & impulsive, the very things that ultimately got him killed. If Sonny had lived & been able to control those weaknesses, he could have been the Don instead of Michael.
Sonny actually was able to see the long big picture of getting in on the drug game and was a very capable war lord and could connect with others
Fredo's "I'm smart" sound bite cracks me up every time 😂
They were completely different. Sonny was more old school in certain aspects, but he was not a good listener, had a bad temper, which is not always a bonus for that kind of lifestyle, and was more of a wartime Don. Michael, on the other hand, was a businessman. He surrounded himself with businessmen. He knocked off the heads of the other families plus Moe Greene because Don Vito helped him with the planning of it. Sonny had the strike first strike hard mentality.
Sonny was too impulsive, too quick to use his fists instead of his mind. You could always see what Sonny was thinking by the look on his face.
great video
Michael definitely. The fact he outlived everyone and his organization was always the strongest during his reign shows that he was definitely the best Don. Unfortunately for him, it came with a price, his family. Sonny would've lost a few battles if he was alive after Don Vito's passing. I don't think the organization would've been the strongest with him at the helm. The fact that Barzini outsmarted him is proof enough....Michael on the other hand fooled Barzini and the other families.
Man, I do like when you explain all the trifle thing in this very movie series. Showing what stands behind every moment is the very kind act of you...
Michael was more respected his dad would have been proud of him had he lived to see the good job his son did for the family
it's really like Julius Caesar vs Marc Antony. First was the brilliant, cunning politician and great strategist, the latter hot-tempered, but very talented general. Both had their fair share of mistakes, but ultimately, Antony wouldn't and couldn't make a move against Caesar. Too bad we did not have the chance to see more interactions and cooperation between Michael and Sonny though
Hey, when it comes to the action kid, theres no one better.
Excellent commentary….. ……..Video Suggestion ,“Would Tom Hagen be a great Don”. Could he be ruthless enough to pull it off, because We know Michael, Sonny, and Vito was .
In regards to fear....you'll be afraid of Sonny because he'll come right at you.
Michael however, will plan and stay quiet that you won't have a chance to be afraid.
Can you do a video about what Michael did in the war? He's called a "war hero" several times. What did he do to distinguish himself?
He got shot in battle and his dad (Don Vito) paid for him to be discharged…it wasn’t that deep…
@@maxwellhuey seems pretty low key for other people to know that he was a 'war hero."
@@swapsplat Its kind of based on real life... we see the same in real life (alot of people get by by being related to a rich/successful person ) eg. Jaden Smith or Chet Hanks or even Joe Biden's son....or the biggest example is The Royal Family...
No one can really justify why they deserve to be put on a pedestal but they're all wealthy and famous over ordinary people
It doesn’t make it right but its just facts of the world I guess...
In sunny vs Michael it would be mike. If they went head to head, sonny would never forget that mike was his brother and would try to forgive him. Mike would feel betrayed and never forgive. That would impact their actions.
Discipline/impulse control is the biggest difference between them, in my opinion. That said, I agree with all of your awesome points.
Let me start with the fact that I love all your videos. However, I disagree that Sonny is more brutal than Michael. Michael’s brutality was never through physical intimidation or the threat of physicality, it was cerebral. It was the fear of not knowing what lengths he would scale to get to you. In that sense, Sonny was predictable which was proven by the machinations surrounding his eventual and inevitable murder. Of all the brothers Michael was the most Machiavellian, which is why he had longevity albeit at an insurmountable cost.
I think he wants to give Sonny some credits so the fight can look more even. Michael is the clear winner in terms of manipulating fear. Al Pacino said it in his interview, he find that the extreme form of fear is settle and slow and not fast and harsh. This is why before he killed Carlo, he was extremely calm and simply saying that it "insults his intelligence."
If he was calmer and aware of traps like Michael was he would have been a good don. His temper cost him his life
Who was more respected? I'd give this one to Sonny.
If Michael has no one who can truly compare to him except Vito, then we should compare Vito. An alternate universe where Michael and Vito go face to face while at their peak
The best comment you would make a good Don
@@eclark3849 i feel weirdly honored by this comment 😁
Sonny would have been very good at playing the game as it was being played when he took over. However, Vito knew the game was changing, and that Michael could control what it changed into.
Given a chance Santino might have learnt some of his father’s dispassionate, analytical way of doing things. He was killed too soon. Michael was better, but had the time and chance to become so
Easy, most probably in a short war Sonny would win, in long war Michael would win!
Excellent as always 👏🏻👏🏻
!!!! awesome study in leadership under conditions of radical uncertainty & chaos. A mix of machiavelli's prince & the 48 laws of power.
#5 Fredo
#4 Santino
#3 Tom
#2 Vito
#1 Michael, who was capable of killing his own brother, whereas Vito could never kill his own flesh and blood.
Is this a list of who gets the most respect or who would be a better Don? Either way, I would replace Fredo with Connie. By G3, she was pretty power hungry. Heck, I'd even put Kay in there before Fredo.
@@LB-gz3ke It’s a list of possible Dons, and who would win in a “versus” situation. I left out Connie since this is a patriarchal hierarchy, but you’re 100% correct. She’d take out Fredo in a heartbeat if so inclined.
Don Corleone VS Don Clericuzzio. MAKE IT HAPPEN
Sonny could not control his temper. Michael could, and would win. Sonny was crude and sloppy. As a former USMC officer, Michael knew tactics and strategy. Sonny let people know what he was thinking. Michael was inscrutable.
It was Sonny death that made micheal so cunning , calculative and diplomatic.
Sonny vs Micheal in a intellectual fight would be a mismatch Micheal would win and Sonny would would end up dead
Sonny was more tactical… there’s a reason why all the other families feared going against him…the movies just highlighted his anger but the man was really smart…
Michael suggested killing the Turk and the policeman… Sonny planned it all… tbh Michael was an overrated hit man… Anyone else would have done it if they had enough time to plan it out.
If even Don Vito didn’t approve of the plan, that speaks volumes about Michael’s intelligence.
Michael was smart enough to work together with Sonny if he (Sonny) were Don, and Sonny was a good enough person to recognize Michael's good judgement.
i agree with you that Santino was "not incompetent," but i also believe him to be a hothead who sometimes allowed his temper to affect his judgement.
👍 Loving all things Godfather! 💌💕
Actually, the best outcome would have been Sonny as the Don with Michael as his Consigliere.
Hands down Michael. He was smarter, more cunning and more heartless.
Sonny was emotional, wreckless and careless. He was easily lured into the deadly trap the ultimately killed him.
Michael didn''t have affairs, so wouldn't be vulnerable and would have read through Barzini's plot.
Sonny was a good and deadly soldier, but not fit to lead. Tessio and Clemenza should have lead the war, not Sonny. Tessio was the smarter one and Clemenza the more ruthless.
Great video 👍👍💯💯You should do a video about
(sonny Corleone vs Tony sopranos)
That's a No brainer🙂 Michael of course ❤