To think that cat is actually a random stray that walked into the set. And you can see it just be chill and still in the don's lap. You can even hear it purring.
That "service" or favor Don Corleone spoke of ended up being to fix up Sonny's corpse to look presentable after being shot up later in that famous ambush scene. The irony is that during this conversation, Sonny is the one we see standing just out of focus, almost adjacent behind Bonasera, like foreshadowing his own demise.
The book does it amazingly, the whole time you feel for the undertaker knowing that his favor will come, then suddenly The Godfather visited him at night and he's going crazy imagining what sort of awful thing he'll have to do, only to have it be The Godfather grieving for his son and knowing that the undertaker would understand
3 movies. Runtime like 7+ hours. You play for half a movie. Pacino kills it for 2½ movies and STILL Vito is the first face you think of then you hear "Godfather - Don Corleone". Legend! 🎉
I remember the undercurrent of tension the first time I saw this opening scene. The actor playing Bonaserra is perfect. The accent so thick. The successful immigrant suddenly a victim of his foreignness. The dark room almost black, the closeup of the face. The gravity of that scene terrified me.
To me, this scene perfectly sets up the rest of the trilogy. In such a short amount of time, you know *EXACTLY* who Vito Corleone is. What kind of power and influence he has... and how he's gotten it. Michael may be the Don, but Vito Corleone is the only "Godfather".
you wanna know whats crazy? they said the cat just showed up on set one day. wasn't scripted. the cat was just obsessed with brando. no shit. thats what they say. crazy.
“The cat in Marlon’s hands was not planned for,” Coppola said in 2012 to Time Magazine. “I saw the cat running around the studio, and took it and put it in his hands without a word.”
Whenever anyone thinks of the great performances in the Godfather, they think of Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, and Diana Keaton . . . But I think one that shouldn't be overlooked is that of Salvatore Corsitto as Bonasera. Think about it, his speech starts the whole thing, sets the tone of the movie. He plays it excellently. Everyone remembers Marlon Brando in that scene, but if Salvatore Corsitto hadn't been great in his role, would the scene had been as great and remember-able as it is? I don't think so. Don't forget Salvatore Corsitto's contribution to this great movie.
@andrewnlarsen in his voice, you can hear him start to crack with upset and anger - he wants to cry tears of rage against the violence committed on his daughter.
I think it's a movie that's so well-acted by everyone involved that you forget you're watching a movie. No one stands out as bad. I think it's just a testament to the performances and filmmaking. It's also just kind of the curse of being a great supporting actor.
@@ThefamousMrcroissant It was great to include that line, to draw attention to the fact that what this father was asking for was not justice but revenge. I mean, he (Brando) could have just been given the line "Hurt them but don't kill them," for example. But instead this line served as a moral lesson, despite taking place outside the realm of "officially sanctioned law and justice".
No. Thats what was amazing about Vito, that he never acted in an unreqsonable way, this scene is the opening scene to establish this very fact. This was also the reason alk the other families respected him so much, because he was not a hothead, like his son Santiano, but someone who tries to soften problems in an elegant and calm fashion.
He portrayed a wise man. But, being the father to a daughter, he related to the feelings of humiliation dealt to the daughter and parents. But, he certainly did not kill them, but probably affected a punishment on them that lasted their entire lives, just as they did to that young lady. A great form of street justice to someone who certainly deserved it.
You're absolutely right. Pauli Gotto got 2 boxers to beat the crap out of the guys who messed up Bonasara's daughter. That was one of several stories in the book that were not in the movie. I was looking forward to that scene when the movie came out and was surprised it wasn't filmed. I guess everything from the book couldn't be filmed; the movie would have been 7 hours long! Great scene, though. Brando was solid througout the whole film.
@@howardrussell3919 Indeed that would've been gratifying to see, as those guys certainly deserved it. But it wasn't integral to the plot; we, the audience, knew that it was going to happen and that's all that was really necessary, particularly since the horse head scene made sure we knew that Corleone meant business.
What Bonasera never realized is that if he'd befriended Vito, had him and Carmela over for coffee or dinner every once in a great while, offered to have his daughter spend time with her godmother, etc......he would never have had to ask Vito for justice. Vito would've done it because he wanted to, just because those punks messed with the family, and never considered Bonasera in his debt for doing so.
On the other hand, if I’ve learned anything from reading Mario Puzo novels, it’s that anyone who gets close to these people eventually dies a violent death or ends up in jail. It was probably the right call to stay away.
“The cat in Marlon’s hands was not planned for,” Coppola said according to Time Magazine. “I saw the cat running around the studio, and took it and put it in his hands without a word.”
3:08 to 4:40 This little kitty just had a great walk on in one of the most famous movies, and got to be on screen for a minute and thirty six seconds! And they were purring all the while, and got out two amazing meows. I love to think the stray cat ran off and was like "Mom! Mo! I was in a movie completely by accident!"
I love that don Corleone has such clear moral standards. He know what justice is and dont hesitate to bring it to someone that deserves it. A friend is a friend, an enemy is an enemy. No bullshit in between.
Why did you go to the police, why didn't you come to me first? Is an underrated line. The Godfather understands that he is a law far beyond the police.
I used to have a friend in junior high, Myron, who was quiet, yet forceful. He protected us from bullies. Boy could he fight and he was vicious. We called him "Godfather," which he didn't understand until he saw the movie. He moved away a couple of years later and legend has it he still protects people from bullies and thugs.
I like how the movie gives us what we wanted at the end. We never see the bastards who beat this man's daughter but we do see Carlo, who mercilessly cheated on and beat Connie, get killed by the new Don, so it all ends good.
@ldplays5663 the term nails reportedly has it has its origins in the blood libel allegation that Jews killed Jesus. People should from refrain from using it.
You don't offer friendship. You don't call me, Godfather. When was the last time you invited me to your home for a cup of coffee, or a bowl of sugar frosted flakes. And now, you come into my home lookin' like Tony the Tigar, asking for justice when you show no respect.
Such a sad line too when you think about it. Vito never wanted to kill anyone, he only wanted to protect and provide for his family and others in his community. Michael unfortunately had to deal with alot of things and had to kill (he could have shown mercy to Fredo though).But Vito was no idiot, he understood that some men aren’t as honorable as he is and knew that sometimes, some men must sleep with the fishes.
I haven't fully, seen this movie, but this has to be one of the greatest opening one shots I've ever seen, and it lasts for 3 minutes. I love movies with one shots like that. Sure, it really doesn't do that much, especially, when you compare it to other one shots like that shot at Eddy's desk from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but what carries the one shot in this scene is the dialogue. Starting out with being up close to the Italian's face and as he speaks to the Godfather and tells him what happened to his daughter. The camera starts to move out slowly until it stops when we see the silhouette of the Godfather himself. Occurring in the scene of him offering a drink and the man going behind the desk to whisper something in his ear. It's all done very well and it shows that the director has a lot of faith in the actors to carry out the task.
This scene, coupled with the scene when Vito comes to call on Bonasera's favor, makes for a masterful short film and story in and of itself. This movie is built of similar examples. Love it.
That cat tho...Godfather has all this power and fear and respect, but cat is like, I walk where I please, let me stretch my tail out in front of you, whatevs
I remember and saw it from the raw script done by Coppola, that it should be the end of the movie.. i think it would be a better ending too. Imagine, starting from Bonasera asking a favor to the Don and ending with Bonasera doing a favor from the Don.
"They beat her like an animal. When I went to the hospital her nose was broken. Her jaw shattered held together by wire. She couldn't even weep because of the pain. But I wept. Why did I weep? She was the love of my life!. Beautiful girl. Now she will never be beautiful again." Epic lines!
What a performance out of that cat. I know they say it was just a random cat that was found on the lot and was added without plan. I guess cats are hard to get to act well, I don't know that you could script and plan to get this kind of playful performance out of a trained cat. To see a cat in this kind of mood, so happy and playful and loving towards a character in a scene just isn't something you often see in movies or tv so it was great to see it captured and put on display in such a famous scene. The cat's performance totally sells that Don Corleone really has a cat that absolutely loves him and that he also enjoys playing with, even when doing business, always loved that part of it.
fun fact the cat was not supose to be in this scene it was a stray that happened to be on set and brando picked it up and started petting it during the filming and it was left in.
He was always granting him his favour, there was no doubt. He just had to make sure he worked for it, really appreciated it and respected/feared him more than he did when he walked in. Top tactic.
After watching this movie dozens of times, it only occurred to me that the Undertaker (Amerigo Bonasera), who saw Sonny's body when he was shot to pieces - Sonny was in the background, silent/saying nothing in this scene (at 5:20) in this scene. Talk about foreboding. I don't knot if that was absolute genius by Coppola. In the Godfather Chronological Epic 1901-1980 (which is where the movie starts with Godfather Part 2 (part 1), then Godfather Part 1 and then Godfather Part 2 (part 2), there are 20 minutes of extra scenes and one of those scenes is where Bonasera was complaining to his wife that Don Vito called upon his services to cover up one of his murders and then he'd be complicit. But, when he saw Sonny's body riddled with bullets, he looked at Don Vito with so much shame. I don't know why they cut that part from the movie. It was fantastic.
This ties nicely into the later twist when the favor turns out to be *spolier* helping to make his son's corpse presentable following a driveby shooting. The Godfather clearly understands that of all people, the undertaker would understand his desire to see his child respected at all times even after death
Actors like this exists today, but writers can't write and directors can't coach. Main things is, too many producers, too many suits. Get corporation or the way and stop with the messaging. Let's get these actors a challenge.
100% correct. Unfortunately I think this corporate-ization of movies, etc. will only continue. Large companies seem to rule now. Facebook, Google, Netflix etc. and these companies are only getting bigger
Blame Micheal Cimino and his fail movie, Heaven Gate. The failure resulted demise of director-driven film production and studio take over all the control of films
I just finished reading the book. It’s amazing how this scene (and many others from the movie) play out exactly as they are written by Puzo. So often, movies diverge from their originating works…in this case, Coppola stayed very loyal to the source material.
"I want reliable people; people who won't get carried away. After all, we're not murderers despite what this undertaker says." Only a true Don could deliver this supremely ironic line without it sounding ironic.
This is cinematic perfection. It does not get better than this. From the lighting, the music, the dialouge and even the acting. We do not see Vito for a few minutes but even so we can feel how powerful his presence is through Bona Serras perspective.
And if by chance an honest man like yourself should make enemies than they would become my enemies. And then they would fear you. Damn. The power and calm with that line. The weight he holds in the room to issue a simple, undeniable fact.
Fun Fact: The cat the don has on his lap wasn't a part of the movie. It wondered on set and Brando, being a cat lover, picked it up and started playing with it. They filmed the scene with he still playing with the cat.
To think that cat is actually a random stray that walked into the set. And you can see it just be chill and still in the don's lap. You can even hear it purring.
"Dude, where's your hand going!?! Pet me, Brando!"
- Cat, probably
Strays can be the most friendly of cats. It's like they are seeking a home.
@@serverlan763 most instances of that are orphans looking for a parent or abandoned house cats.
and as soon as the don put the cat on the table, it didn't run or cause a ruckus. Just sat there and chilled.
That purring is edited in... Ny god do you have the slightest idea of how film making works
That "service" or favor Don Corleone spoke of ended up being to fix up Sonny's corpse to look presentable after being shot up later in that famous ambush scene. The irony is that during this conversation, Sonny is the one we see standing just out of focus, almost adjacent behind Bonasera, like foreshadowing his own demise.
I peeped that, just didn’t connect those dots 🫡
LOL. And if you recall Sonny had just finished banging a bridesmaid just before he walked in the door
The book does it amazingly, the whole time you feel for the undertaker knowing that his favor will come, then suddenly The Godfather visited him at night and he's going crazy imagining what sort of awful thing he'll have to do, only to have it be The Godfather grieving for his son and knowing that the undertaker would understand
Thank you. Happy New Year!
"Look how they massacred my boy"
3 movies.
Runtime like 7+ hours.
You play for half a movie.
Pacino kills it for 2½ movies and STILL Vito is the first face you think of then you hear "Godfather - Don Corleone".
Legend! 🎉
Indeed indeed!
Personally, I think Godfather two is a much better movie. And I definitely think of Al Pacino when I think of Don Corleone.
@@arminxvs3372 so true
@lakoncers13 But you are the minority. Type "Don Corleone" in Google and see how long you need to scroll to see an image of Michael. :)
Wait, what? Three movies? There are only two
"How much shall I pay you?" How could he STILL not realize how insulting that was? He keeps treating things as transactional instead of relational.
He still didn't want to "get involved". I think he clearly realizes but is desperately trying to not get in debt
I think those lines demonstrate he’s still trying to solve things the American way, the don is expecting him to approach him as a Sicilian
I remember the undercurrent of tension the first time I saw this opening scene. The actor playing Bonaserra is perfect. The accent so thick. The successful immigrant suddenly a victim of his foreignness. The dark room almost black, the closeup of the face. The gravity of that scene terrified me.
This is antisemitic
@@Squadron_Bodron How?
@@SoFloCo-ne4rk suggests only Italian Americans are successful immigrants when in fact the most successful immigrants to America have been Jews.
@@SoFloCo-ne4rkEither a loon or commented in the wrong place.
The Italians killed Jesus...
Just saying....
To me, this scene perfectly sets up the rest of the trilogy.
In such a short amount of time, you know *EXACTLY* who Vito Corleone is. What kind of power and influence he has... and how he's gotten it.
Michael may be the Don, but Vito Corleone is the only "Godfather".
The kitty should have received an award for this scene.
you wanna know whats crazy? they said the cat just showed up on set one day. wasn't scripted. the cat was just obsessed with brando. no shit. thats what they say. crazy.
@@AlxndrXX yeah, I heard that as well. He was born for the spotlight.
“The cat in Marlon’s hands was not planned for,” Coppola said in 2012 to Time Magazine. “I saw the cat running around the studio, and took it and put it in his hands without a word.”
Marlon Brando's clothing coordinator in that morning:
Why are you applying catnip all over your clothes?
Absolutely as walk on extra 😻
Whenever anyone thinks of the great performances in the Godfather, they think of Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, and Diana Keaton . . . But I think one that shouldn't be overlooked is that of Salvatore Corsitto as Bonasera. Think about it, his speech starts the whole thing, sets the tone of the movie. He plays it excellently. Everyone remembers Marlon Brando in that scene, but if Salvatore Corsitto hadn't been great in his role, would the scene had been as great and remember-able as it is? I don't think so. Don't forget Salvatore Corsitto's contribution to this great movie.
Agreed...he had to say the opening line to the entire movie and do it in front of Marlon Brando...I wouldn't blame him for being nervous.
@andrewnlarsen in his voice, you can hear him start to crack with upset and anger - he wants to cry tears of rage against the violence committed on his daughter.
I think it's a movie that's so well-acted by everyone involved that you forget you're watching a movie. No one stands out as bad. I think it's just a testament to the performances and filmmaking. It's also just kind of the curse of being a great supporting actor.
And John Cazale who taught Al Pacino everything he knows about acting.
Of course, but he’s still beneath everyone you just mentioned. Lol
"That is not justice, your daughter is still alive" Great Line!
? How is that a "great line"? It's just drawing an obvious dissonance.
@@ThefamousMrcroissant It was great to include that line, to draw attention to the fact that what this father was asking for was not justice but revenge. I mean, he (Brando) could have just been given the line "Hurt them but don't kill them," for example. But instead this line served as a moral lesson, despite taking place outside the realm of "officially sanctioned law and justice".
His objection to murder isn't that it's wrong, but just not worth the effort.
relax
Would Godfather have told the same thing about Justice if it was his daughter Connie?
This is American cinema at its best Brando really is the best actor of all time.
When Hollywood made some great movies
I agree, Brando was in a league all his own. He really was the greatest actor of all time.
When the Don asked what have I ever done for you to treat me so disrespectfully you know he thought he was going for a ride.
Hell I did too 🤣
I don’t get it? Could you explain that comment for me please? 😊
@@Fakeplastictreesss Four people leave in a car and three come back. 😒
No. Thats what was amazing about Vito, that he never acted in an unreqsonable way, this scene is the opening scene to establish this very fact. This was also the reason alk the other families respected him so much, because he was not a hothead, like his son Santiano, but someone who tries to soften problems in an elegant and calm fashion.
@@realbr1kooexactly my thought. He never used violence until it was absolutely necessary
Well behaved cat. Cats are notoriously difficult to act with as they generally don’t give a crap and are hard to train.
Mačka je slučajno ušla u kadar
Depends on the breed (and cat). Some are very doglike in how easy-going and amenable they are.
It was a stray cat they found
Yep, I tried to watch The View to no avail.
He portrayed a wise man. But, being the father to a daughter, he related to the feelings of humiliation dealt to the daughter and parents.
But, he certainly did not kill them, but probably affected a punishment on them that lasted their entire lives, just as they did to that young lady.
A great form of street justice to someone who certainly deserved it.
He certainly did. They spent a long time in the hospital.
You're absolutely right. Pauli Gotto got 2 boxers to beat the crap out of the guys who messed up Bonasara's daughter. That was one of several stories in the book that were not in the movie. I was looking forward to that scene when the movie came out and was surprised it wasn't filmed. I guess everything from the book couldn't be filmed; the movie would have been 7 hours long! Great scene, though. Brando was solid througout the whole film.
@@howardrussell3919 Indeed that would've been gratifying to see, as those guys certainly deserved it. But it wasn't integral to the plot; we, the audience, knew that it was going to happen and that's all that was really necessary, particularly since the horse head scene made sure we knew that Corleone meant business.
@@howardrussell3919 : Thanks, as I did not read the book.
It’s not justice though, what Don Corleone did to those men. It was vengeance. Did they deserve said vengeance? Probably, but never mistake the two.
That hand gesture at 1:30 to offer him a drink.
Power
I always repeat the scene each time I watch godfather
Up there with Carmella Soprano's hand gesture when beckoning Charmaine.
@@leechapman-ri9rb Completely different. Carmella was being condescending. The Godfather was being compassionate.
@@SoFloCo-ne4rk I was being silly.
Me (with cat)......when my kids want a loan. 😂😂
Give your kids what they ask for who knows how long we all have
Lolol.. I wonder if that was his cat in real life
@@sheppardecdThe cat actually walked on the set and Coppola grabbed it and put it in Brando's lap!
@@ErnestoGuaderrama-ny9bsyou know what, I remember hearing that before! Lol.. that's cool! Talk about serendipity.
This is acting most of the leaders of the countries...
Everything about this is just briliant. The lighting, the small gestures, the dialogues.
Miss such brilliance today
Yes. And my personal theory is that movies' decline started rapidly since the birth of the smartphone era in late 2000's and its been worse and worse.
“you pull up, on the day of my homeboy’s kickback,
and you lowkey ask me for a solid?”
Pretty much..😅
You don't even think to call me bro.
Such a sigma move.
@@god0fgames100😂
frfr no cap
What Bonasera never realized is that if he'd befriended Vito, had him and Carmela over for coffee or dinner every once in a great while, offered to have his daughter spend time with her godmother, etc......he would never have had to ask Vito for justice. Vito would've done it because he wanted to, just because those punks messed with the family, and never considered Bonasera in his debt for doing so.
I dont think "Bonasera" means his name... ;)
@@Pittip2his name is Amerigo Bonasera
Carmela Soprano?
@@grantchoitz1420 Don Vito's wife was called Carmela.
On the other hand, if I’ve learned anything from reading Mario Puzo novels, it’s that anyone who gets close to these people eventually dies a violent death or ends up in jail. It was probably the right call to stay away.
Note : inclusion of kitty in the scene was impromptu act by Marlon Brando
Everything Brando did was impromptu. He made or broke movies just by his moods on the days he was in front of the camera.
Note : inclusion of kitty in the scene was impromptu act by the kitty himself
@@Elo_Hell yepp 😂
“The cat in Marlon’s hands was not planned for,” Coppola said according to Time Magazine. “I saw the cat running around the studio, and took it and put it in his hands without a word.”
I've read that the cat's purring caused trouble for the crew as it was loud! I wonder whatever happened to the cat?
3:08 to 4:40
This little kitty just had a great walk on in one of the most famous movies, and got to be on screen for a minute and thirty six seconds!
And they were purring all the while, and got out two amazing meows.
I love to think the stray cat ran off and was like "Mom! Mo! I was in a movie completely by accident!"
Marlon Brando is perfect as Don Corleone
He Was A Brilliant Actor!!
Frank Sinatra wanted to play the role. Threatened Puzo and Coppola for it, allegedly. Frank was only 42 at the time
ham actor, only second to mel gibson
What's sad he was gifted but hated it. He only done movies when he had debts to pay. He hated the fame also.
@@No.Handle31 marlon brando is a ham actor, one trick pony. a never was, has been. the rock eats marlon brando for breakfast
Hahahaha the cat is purring like an engine in the scene I never noticed
"How much shall I pay you?"
Kitty's massage stops instantly. 😂
@@josephsindoni2914 the cat was stealing the scene so he dumped it!
I love that don Corleone has such clear moral standards. He know what justice is and dont hesitate to bring it to someone that deserves it. A friend is a friend, an enemy is an enemy. No bullshit in between.
Why did you go to the police, why didn't you come to me first?
Is an underrated line. The Godfather understands that he is a law far beyond the police.
I used to have a friend in junior high, Myron, who was quiet, yet forceful. He protected us from bullies. Boy could he fight and he was vicious. We called him "Godfather," which he didn't understand until he saw the movie. He moved away a couple of years later and legend has it he still protects people from bullies and thugs.
Amazing.
I'd like to meet him. Offer a drink to him.
I like how the movie gives us what we wanted at the end. We never see the bastards who beat this man's daughter but we do see Carlo, who mercilessly cheated on and beat Connie, get killed by the new Don, so it all ends good.
wow this is such good analysis.. this never even crossed my mind.
What an absolutely magnificent scene.
Awed at the realization that all 4 of these men will be in another scene, but Sonny will be on a stretcher dead. This movie is such a masterpiece.
Just a masterpiece of dialog. Brando nails it.
This is antisemitic
I don't understand, why would it be?@@Squadron_Bodron
@ldplays5663 the term nails reportedly has it has its origins in the blood libel allegation that Jews killed Jesus. People should from refrain from using it.
@@Squadron_Bodronyeah I’ve read the novel 📕
@@ldplays5663watch One & Two & Scarface low key …
You don't offer friendship. You don't call me, Godfather. When was the
last time you invited me to your home for a cup of coffee, or a bowl of
sugar frosted flakes. And now, you come into my home lookin' like Tony
the Tigar, asking for justice when you show no respect.
Well done!
They're GRRRRREAT!!!
@@berniemadoff7837 I repeat what I wrote. cheers!
Was this supposed to be funny ? You goofy clown 🤡
“we’re not murderers despite what this undertaker says”
Such a sad line too when you think about it. Vito never wanted to kill anyone, he only wanted to protect and provide for his family and others in his community. Michael unfortunately had to deal with alot of things and had to kill (he could have shown mercy to Fredo though).But Vito was no idiot, he understood that some men aren’t as honorable as he is and knew that sometimes, some men must sleep with the fishes.
This scene, and Corleone's promise to the families after Sonny's murder are two of my favorite scenes of all movies. Brando at his absolute best!
I haven't fully, seen this movie, but this has to be one of the greatest opening one shots I've ever seen, and it lasts for 3 minutes. I love movies with one shots like that. Sure, it really doesn't do that much, especially, when you compare it to other one shots like that shot at Eddy's desk from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but what carries the one shot in this scene is the dialogue.
Starting out with being up close to the Italian's face and as he speaks to the Godfather and tells him what happened to his daughter. The camera starts to move out slowly until it stops when we see the silhouette of the Godfather himself. Occurring in the scene of him offering a drink and the man going behind the desk to whisper something in his ear. It's all done very well and it shows that the director has a lot of faith in the actors to carry out the task.
Take time out diring the holiday break, and watch Godfather Part #1 &2, whatever you do👈
usually an opening scene for a movie should be something exciting or action-based, but not with God Father movies, and it worked even better
Even the cat did a magnific acting.
The 4k remaster of this was done so well. Night and day difference
Brando and De Niro two outstanding actor's along with Pacino when he played Michael Corleone
And john cazale rip died too young
DeNiro is not in this film.(he's in GF2)
Except deniro thinks he’s the tough guy he plays in real life all 5”1 of em
@@Checkit12what he's like in real life absolutely doesn't matter, He's a Legendary Actor. That's it.
This scene, coupled with the scene when Vito comes to call on Bonasera's favor, makes for a masterful short film and story in and of itself. This movie is built of similar examples. Love it.
That cat tho...Godfather has all this power and fear and respect, but cat is like, I walk where I please, let me stretch my tail out in front of you, whatevs
Don Vito: Eh, bonasera, furry friend. *Gently strokes cat*
Bona Sera handled Don Corleone's body when he died.
Sonny’s massively shot-up body, IIRC.
@@jimdake6632 yep
That was the favor Vito called in for this act
I remember and saw it from the raw script done by Coppola, that it should be the end of the movie.. i think it would be a better ending too. Imagine, starting from Bonasera asking a favor to the Don and ending with Bonasera doing a favor from the Don.
He took care of Santino…
"They beat her like an animal. When I went to the hospital her nose was broken. Her jaw shattered held together by wire. She couldn't even weep because of the pain. But I wept. Why did I weep? She was the love of my life!. Beautiful girl. Now she will never be beautiful again."
Epic lines!
America has a made my fortune. One of the greatest opening lines in any film ever.
🙏🏽🇺🇸best ever as lil kids my family always used to say this haha
First line is actually "I believe in America." This cut clips the first sentence.
He was being fair, he wasn’t going to kill for someone being tortured.
you think that's unfair lmfao
He smiled asap when he said Godfather
This shit never gets old 😂
that cat needs an award.
it is 2024 and still can't find any similar actor t Marlon Brando!!!!!!
Daniel day Lewis
@@damianglenn2565 Fair enough.
@@damianglenn2565was gonna say
@@fredysanmiguel4488 you never will he's once a lifetime with few others now hollywood is just manufactured
Denzel ,will smith ,Jamie foxx are better
Instead of money the Don invokes a promise and an agreement of friendship. The nameless debt. Brilliant.
If Lord God was an actor, even he could not beat Brando as Godfather. NONE COULD, NONE CAN.
That is so sweet with the cat purring and meowing in don Vito’s lap.
"And then they will fear you.." such a chilling line
This opening scene made an entire franchise.
When the don calls upon you to return the favor. You better be ready to deliver!
This scene is so important because it reveals deeper character traits of the Godfather
That cat deserves an Oscar.
What a performance out of that cat. I know they say it was just a random cat that was found on the lot and was added without plan. I guess cats are hard to get to act well, I don't know that you could script and plan to get this kind of playful performance out of a trained cat. To see a cat in this kind of mood, so happy and playful and loving towards a character in a scene just isn't something you often see in movies or tv so it was great to see it captured and put on display in such a famous scene. The cat's performance totally sells that Don Corleone really has a cat that absolutely loves him and that he also enjoys playing with, even when doing business, always loved that part of it.
That cat was my favorite character. Wish they would have done more with it.
That cat deserves justice with an Oscar.
That is such a friendly looking cat. A cat that’s playful yet isn’t antsy.
that cat is a great actor
This scene showed two sides of the American dream and they both know it, every thing has a price and a penalty
Bonasera does have a point, if I ran a funeral home, I wouldn’t want to be indebted to a Mafia boss. That could get complicated real quick…😑
The cat purring made me sleepy.
He didn't kill his own daughter's husband when he beat her. He kept his values on justice
I fricken love it when he says.....we're not murderers despite what this undertaker says then smells his rose😅😅😅😅😅😅
The purrs were either added or so loud that God meant for us to hear them
IIRC they were even louder and they had to dub over it lol
This is a good example of someone who throws you into the dirt and only picks you back up when it's convenient for them.
....you were afraid to be in my debt...."
Your damn right he was afraid!! Can't blame him TBH!
fun fact the cat was not supose to be in this scene it was a stray that happened to be on set and brando picked it up and started petting it during the filming and it was left in.
"How much shall I pay you"... OMG, after what the GF just told him... And that look.
He was always granting him his favour, there was no doubt. He just had to make sure he worked for it, really appreciated it and respected/feared him more than he did when he walked in. Top tactic.
this whole sequence is a masterpiece.
Just like how Brando plays with the cat throughout the monologue.
When all you have to say is “Brando”, that’s BIG.
After watching this movie dozens of times, it only occurred to me that the Undertaker (Amerigo Bonasera), who saw Sonny's body when he was shot to pieces - Sonny was in the background, silent/saying nothing in this scene (at 5:20) in this scene. Talk about foreboding. I don't knot if that was absolute genius by Coppola.
In the Godfather Chronological Epic 1901-1980 (which is where the movie starts with Godfather Part 2 (part 1), then Godfather Part 1 and then Godfather Part 2 (part 2), there are 20 minutes of extra scenes and one of those scenes is where Bonasera was complaining to his wife that Don Vito called upon his services to cover up one of his murders and then he'd be complicit. But, when he saw Sonny's body riddled with bullets, he looked at Don Vito with so much shame. I don't know why they cut that part from the movie. It was fantastic.
This ties nicely into the later twist when the favor turns out to be *spolier* helping to make his son's corpse presentable following a driveby shooting.
The Godfather clearly understands that of all people, the undertaker would understand his desire to see his child respected at all times even after death
6 months in the hospital for the 2 punks and never able to walk again without crutches
Great beginning to the best movie ever made.
Every single actor in this movie , should deserve an Oscar
This and part 2 are top 3 of all time hands down. Being down bad these movies playing in the background was everything to me
Can you elaborate on your story more? Sounds interesting
Long live the greatest actor in cinematic history, KITTY!
You don’t even think to call me godfather
How he smells the rose after saying 'we are not murderers'
Actors like this exists today, but writers can't write and directors can't coach. Main things is, too many producers, too many suits. Get corporation or the way and stop with the messaging. Let's get these actors a challenge.
100% correct. Unfortunately I think this corporate-ization of movies, etc. will only continue. Large companies seem to rule now. Facebook, Google, Netflix etc. and these companies are only getting bigger
Blame Micheal Cimino and his fail movie, Heaven Gate. The failure resulted demise of director-driven film production and studio take over all the control of films
@@abealih92here I am wondering how some random movie I’ve never heard of has caused the fall of civilisation as we know it
@@Ultima2876 better go watch it.
That's life in general. Too many money men, not enough creatives
How much shall I pay you?
Kitty's free massage stops 😂
The Don was so nice to this Undertaker.
friendship is magic
They say a year later The CAT A Loon called Vito Corleone and asked to return the favour for being so nice to him on his daughter's wedding Day 😂😂
I just finished reading the book. It’s amazing how this scene (and many others from the movie) play out exactly as they are written by Puzo. So often, movies diverge from their originating works…in this case, Coppola stayed very loyal to the source material.
those hand gestures were chilling
all that is happening and all i want to see is that beautiful baby cat chilling on his lap haha
In beautiful parallelism, Corleone will utter the famous line "Look how they massacred my boy" to Bonasera.
"I want reliable people; people who won't get carried away. After all, we're not murderers despite what this undertaker says." Only a true Don could deliver this supremely ironic line without it sounding ironic.
Marlon Brando was The Godfather in this film he owned it absolute Quality Acting
This is cinematic perfection. It does not get better than this. From the lighting, the music, the dialouge and even the acting.
We do not see Vito for a few minutes but even so we can feel how powerful his presence is through Bona Serras perspective.
He has his dialogue written on the cat.
He gave him three chances to be respectful. It shouldn't have taken that many after the first telling.
I cant remember the last time you invited me to your house for a cup of coffee,,,my favorite line
Could of been the best coffee ad ever, bu they got Margaret Hamilton instead
And if by chance an honest man like yourself should make enemies than they would become my enemies.
And then they would fear you.
Damn. The power and calm with that line. The weight he holds in the room to issue a simple, undeniable fact.
"We're not murderers". Yeah, right.
Fun Fact: The cat the don has on his lap wasn't a part of the movie. It wondered on set and Brando, being a cat lover, picked it up and started playing with it. They filmed the scene with he still playing with the cat.