Great Reaction - a few notes -- Luca Brasi rehearsing his lines, was the actual actor rehearsing because he was so nervous, and they filmed it. He was actually an enforcer for Columbo family. - Michael was in Sicily long enough to have reconstructive surgery on his cheek. Al Neri - the cop at the end, was a cop with a heavy hand who joined the family after they helped him out of jam.( much like how Luca joined the family ) -- Michael actually finds Fabrizio ( Apollonia's killer ) at a pizzeria in New York and kills him.
Also, while Luca was speaking to Don Vito, Marlon Brando had an index card taped to his forehead that said "Fuck you" just to throw the actor off even further.
the Moe Green character is a fictionalized version of Bugsy Seigal, one of the original mobsters who started Vegas....Bugsy Seigal was actually killed by the mob, see Meyer Lansky, in Los Angeles in the late 1940s over his failure to make Vegas a going thing....the singer character becoming a movie star is a take on the goings on with Frank Sinatra....the movie he was starred in after his band contract was broken and after the studio head was 'made an offer he couln't refuse, was FROM HERE TO ETERNITY.....it did make Frank Sinatra a movie star....
Thats why Sinatra wanted to sue the film, until either Coppola or Puzo was like "You really wanna say (in public) the horsehead scene is true and you are Johnny Fontane?" So Sinatra didnt say anything but was like "Thats not me!" lol
I think Diane Keaton not fitting in, was deliberate (Kay doesn't fit in with the Corleones). The book had flashbacks of Vito's childhood in Sicily which were utilized in The Godfather, Part II. The second movie is both sequel and prequel. I think Part II is even better. The great thing about Part II is that it enlarges the scope of the first film. And it's eerie how well Robert DeNiro's young Vito matches Brando's patriarch from the first film.
I’m jealous of you guys. The thrill of seeing these for the first time is something I can only experience vicariously through reactors, like you! Hopefully, you’ll decide to watch the other installments of this saga, before anyone gives you timelines for the series.
For DeNiro you must watch Godfather 2; the finest film and sequel done. DeNiro seems more Sicilian than a Sicilian; subtle and poignant, his work in this took him to another level of character work. John Cazale(Fredo) was a wonderful actor and very close friend of Pacino, and passed young. He and Meryl Streep were together and she took care of him when he was very ill; his last film was the incredible "The Deer Hunter", with DeNiro, Meryl Streep, and a young Christopher Walken who won the Oscar for best supporting actor. A wonderful, heart wrenching, film. Brando, in the Godfather, some say, had grapes in his mouth at times. Enjoy.
All 3 people that Vito helps on the day of Connie’s wedding end up returning the favor. The undertaker with the abused daughter ends up taking care of Sonny’s body. A baker asks Vito to pull strings with immigration to keep his assistant in the country. The baker’s employee is the young man who helps Michael bluff the killers at the hospital. And Johnny Fontaine gets the movie part and agrees to perform at the casino (and recruit show biz friends to perform also) that Michael took over.
Fun fact: The guy playing Luca Brasi was an actual mob enforcer. New York crime boss Joe Colombo got his mitts into the making of this picture. So much so that he had script approval. The actor who was to play Luca became ill the day of shooting so the producer, Albert Ruddy, asked Colombo if he could use his guy Lenny Montana. There is a miniseries called the offer which tells the story on how this movie was made. The mob was fully "interested" in this picture so much so that when the movie finished producer Albert Ruddy smuggled the only copy of the movie outta the vault in L.A. and flew with it to NYC for a special screening by the mob. The families called a temporary truce so they could all see the movie.
Side note: when Luca is sitting there rehearsing his speech to Don Corleone that's actually Lenny legit rehearsing his lines for the next scene. Also the reason his lines come off so awkward, that's him legit trying to act for the first time and being super nervous.
The Johnny Fontaine part of the story is a reference to Hollywood legends story of how Frank Sinatra got out of a contract with a bandleader to start his solo singing career because of his ties to the mob... and stories that his big break in "From Here to Eternity" movie was because of those connections. No violent stories were ever confirmed but they used that to show the power wielded by the mob at the time.
There was a series on Paramount Plus about how they made this movie called "the offer" its absolutely incredible! It's insane that this movie ever got made!
When Michael goes to see Kay he doesn't say I love you; he says I "care" for you. He wanted children, a family, and he knew she was a good woman. It was a mistake, however, for which they would both pay dearly. One of the tragedies of Michael's life was the death of Apollonia.
For any who havent seen it, Godfather one AND two are both power house movies full of top tier actors and still considered one of THE top movies of all time, part 2 is considered the best movie sequel ever made as well. They dont make movie of this caliber any more.
The horse head death scene had used props during rehearsals but when the actual scene was being filmed, a real horse’s head was gotten (from a factory that made older or euthanized animals into pet food) and placed in the bed - without informing the actor so his reaction of horror was authentic.
Let you know if you should watch Godfather 2? Let me put it this way. If you don't watch it, you should be garroted! Plus, you'll get Robert De Niro that you wished to see in this film.
I've watched at least a dozen reactions to this film and spoken to several people about it and it amazes me that no one seems to grasp that the title character isn't Vito, but Michael. So many reactors respond the same way you guys did when Vito gets shot. "How can he die? He's the main character! The movie isn't even halfway over!". Granted, I'm only watching the TH-cam version. Maybe they address that for the patreon feed. I could be wrong, but my interpretation is that the entire movie is the story of Michael becoming The Godfather.
While it is Michael’s story, if one hasn’t read the novel there is no way you’d know this at that point in the film the first time you see it. Michael has barely been in the film much at that point. It is almost more Sonny’s story at that point, as far the Corleone sons go. Certainly by the baptism scene, the audience knows the import of the title and whose story it really is. In some ways it is a good thing that that hasn’t been spoiled for a lot of contemporary viewers as it means they are experiencing the transformation of Michael unsullied by prior knowledge of the ending. Not unlike how it’s great to see people today watch Psycho for the first time and think they’re watching Marion’s story when it’s really Norman’s.
@@suebeawho6537 right but my point is it's not Vito's story really. He is at the end of his story. This is really the story of how Michael becomes The Godfather. By the end of the movie, that should be clear.
This is my favourite reaction so far... please, please do Part 2. You'll love it ! Part 3 is still good but 1 and 2 are faboulas . Love n hugs from England xx
John Cazale, the actor who played Fredo only appeared in 5 films, every single one was nominated for an Oscar with 3 of them winning. He also was in a relationship with Meryl Streep until his death in 1978
The book is so good. Lots of characters' inner thoughts. Also lots more background stories. I was lucky that I read the book before I watch the movies.
When you mention "all that's missing is Robert DeNiro..." - he's in The Godfather Part II playing the young Vito Corleone. Well worth a watch - the second film is considered by many to be the best of the trilogy!
The Godfather Part III from 1990 gets trashed a lot, but I think it's worth a watch just for completeness sake, and one highlight of all three films is how you will see Connie evolving into a different woman from film to film. If you miss Part III you would miss the summit of Connie's evolution.
Oranges are part of Vito's life and death. When watching part 1 and 2 notice how many times oranges come into play. In the foreground/background and pivotal scenes.
I watched this movie many times with my mom. whenever i visited her on christmas, easter or other big holydays we spend the evening chatting and having a good time and in the late evening watched some movie together. many times it was some old classic like the godfather. i miss those evenings.
Great analysis you two. Probably the best I've seen for seeing it the first time. It can be challenging to track all the events and characters. Well done.
Fix2Us, There was a strong rumour around Hollywood from the early 50's. A film had already started shooting and Frank Sinatra did'nt get a part he wanted. Sinatra flew to New York to see some people and he got the part. The tale was so good that Mario Puzo and Mr. Coppola put it in the film. In real life it did'nt involve a horse. The 50's film was " From Here to Eternity." Frank Sinatra won an Oscar for best supporting actor. Cheers, Chris Perry.
The fact that you recognized Robert Duvall right away......great sign! Hey, to really understand how great Brando is in this, check out clips of the other two films he made the same year: "The Nightcomers", "The Godfather" and "Last Tango In Paris" all came out in 1972. Three more different characters/performances you'd be hard pressed to look at. The scene at his wife's coffin in "Last Tango In Paris" is one of the greatest pieces of acting I've ever seen. When you see what Marlon really looked like in 1972 - which was long blond hair - his "Godfather" performance becomes even greater. ALSO: what's important about Brando is his early, groundbreaking work in the early 1950s: "A Streetcar Named Desire" changed the game in acting like only three other movies I can think of have: Bette Davis in "Of Human Bondage", and then later with Robert De Niro in "Raging Bull" and Meryl Streep in "Sophie's Choice". And those last two performances come out of the influence of Brando's "Streetcar Named Desire" and that early era ("On The Waterfront", "Viva Zapata", et al) When people talk about Brando as G.O.A.T., it's first and foremost because of his early work, not his 70s work in stuff like Superman or Apocalypse Now, which he just walked through.
Carlo beat up his wife the second time for business reasons. That phone call was part of the setup. They knew Sonny would come running, and they were waiting for him.
Not sure if you were aware, but that big guy (Luca) that was practicing his lines and messing them up, was an actual mobster who was given the part. He was so nervous about meeting Marlon Brando, which is why he flubbed his lines but Coppola liked the idea so well he kept it in.
Robert Duvall has been in quite a few other great films as well. 'Apocalypse Now', 'Network', and 'Falling Down' are all absolute classics (strong recommendation for any/all of those 3 movies - after Godfather 2, of course.)
Duvall masterpieces IMO were The Great Santini for such he was nominated for best actor and Tender Mercies for which he won an Oscar. He has played dozens of great roles. Amazingly, he played Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird, easy back in 1962.
Thanks for reviewing this masterpiece. I think it's the best mobster movie ever made. I suggest you watch the sequels, especially The Godfather II to know more about Michael's arc. In the book, Don Vito Corleone was described as an intimidating dog (bulldog or pitbull, I can't remember) so he stuffed his mouth with paper to make his jaws look bigger. Being an equestrian, I screamed to high heavens during the specific scene involving movie producer Jack Woltz and...someting. I don't want to spoil it for your viewers but you know what I'm hinting at. Just as Alien's actors didn't knew that a chestburster would come out of Kane's chest, the actor's screams and horror are genuine. Rehearsals were made with a prop, but the final scene was shot with...the real thing!
The baby in the Baptism scene was supposed to be a boy according to the story, but it was actually a girl: she was Sofia Coppola, the director's daughter and today an award-winning movie director herself.
At 2:01 . . . . . ( trivial pursuit ) That cat on Marlon Brando lap was not in the script , it was just hanging around the film studio that day , it liked Brando , so they kept it in the final cut .
Brando is magnificent as the Godfather, he created the whole physical persona on his own during his first read of the script, the producer watched him for only five minutes and knew he had the part nailed and even better than they ever thought, theres a back story behind that as well.
The book explains it more, but the way Vito realized Don Barzini was behind everything all along was his conduct at the Commission meeting. By placing himself at the head of a long table, Barzini was breaking Cosa Nostra rules. It all goes back to 20+ years earlier when the NY mafia was still operating like a dictatorship the same way they did in Sicily. Back then, you had one boss who held all the power who was in command of all the other bosses; a title known as Capo de Tutti Cappi ("Boss of Bosses"). Naturally, there was lots of war and killing between the families in order to become that Boss of Bosses controlling everyone else. Amidst this carnage, Vito Corleone had a wild, revolutionary idea one day. He proposed to all the other mob families the out-of-the-box idea to operate like a corporation with a board of directors, where everyone with a stake in it had an equal vote and say on matters. Everyone was receptive to this idea but one. Don Barzini. Barzini was the underboss of the largest and most profitable NY mafia family at the time. He considered Vito's "board of directors" idea an attack on his management since he was next in line to assume the title of Boss of Bosses once his current boss died. Unfortunately for Barzini, his boss agreed to Vito's proposal to set up a commission as he was tired of living in perpetual fear of assassination just to obtain an imaginary power balance. He agreed that their current structure would only continue resulting in more killings and arrests; thus rendering it an ineffective system. According to the Mafia Charter, commission meetings must take place at a round table to symbolize equality. Barzini revealed himself by holding this Commission meeting at a long table in which he placed himself at the head of it. That's a no no. That's what the old system with the Boss of Bosses did. Furthermore, Barzini invited the heads of all the other families from all across America to sit in on this commission meeting even though Vito didn't ask for them, nor did their war concern the families in different cities. But Barzini brought them all in anyway to send the message that he was now the top boss in NYC. Barzini didn't mastermind this war just to make more money through expanding operations out into the narcotics trade. No, Barzini did all of this to be able to argue to all the other families that Vito's board of directors/commission idea wasn't working, and now the only logical thing to do would be to return to the old ways where one boss had the power over all the other bosses. Barzini only wanted to become that Boss of Bosses in NY again. With Vito now being dead (or, at least, he was supposed to be after the assassination attempt at the beginning of the movie), Barzini calculated that the Corleone family would decline in power, and Vito's political protectors would turn away from them with Sonny as the new boss. Sonny was too volatile and irrational to be a good boss, and Vito's politicians would have no choice but to distance themselves from the Corleones. Thus making the Barzini family the most powerful of the Five Families now that Vito was dead and the Corleone family was in decline..
There are various movies Marlon Brando did over the years. The first I recommend is Julius Caesar written by Shakespeare. Brando played Mark Antony. The second is a gritty movie: On the Waterfront. Brandon played a dockworker who is being harassed by a gang to join a union. The third is A Streetcar Named Desire which is based on a Tennessee Williams play. Brandon's wife's sister decided to move in with them which leads to chaos.
"You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contenda. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Charlie."
They actually couldn't find an actor to play the Luc Brazzi character so they gave the job to an actual mobster who was sort of overseeing the movie set and they gave him the lines to memorize to make it part of the character. Or something like that. FYI, DeNiro is in part 2.
Sonny Corleone is the only Corleone who cares about Connie and her situation. In the first scene, where Carlo tells her to "shut up" in front of everybody, Sonny reacts angrily - but he is then corrected by their mother, saying "Don't interfere." - in other words, Carlo has the family's full permission to abuse Connie, she is his wife, after all. In the book, this is touched upon a little more, but only briefly - the Don himself knows about the abuse, and mostly thinks that it will resolve itself, once Connie learns how to behave better, or something like that - he only barely cares. Notice even when Michael confronts Carlo, he reduces years of abuse to "that farse you played with my sister" and when Connie has a total meltdown, screaming "you never cared about me" he calls her hysterical, and shrugs her off entirely, sends her to a doctor. It's obviously a very deliberate detail to have in the story, but it is also subtle, and easy to miss, considering the setting of the beginning of the film.
It's not that the family gives Carlo permission to abuse Connie. They (the Corleone family) are following an old tradition that parents do not interfere in their children's marriages. Remember that Mother Corleone was born in Italy and like Vito had old-world ideas. The brothers, born in the USA, have more modern ideas.
@@gazoontight Oh, I know - I was just saying how it turns out in practical terms - Carlo has "permission" to do what he wants. But you are right, it is because of deep rooted tradition; it can be encountered even today, esp. on the countryside.
I think "that farse you played with my sister " is the specific fight where he knew it would cause Sonny to get in his car and be otw immediately, when he beat Connie.
Fobrizzio asked Michael if Apollonia was going with him when he drove to town and he said no. Fobrizzio was paid to set up Michael obviously but Apollonia wanted more driving lessons so boom. Remember Michael was warned it was dangerous there.
Well in Italian culture (at least back then) Sonny was the one not reacting the usual way. Once a woman was married it was up to the husband how she was being treated. At the dinner table you can hear the mother ask Sonny not to interfere and the Don would not have lifted a finger to make Carlo stop either. Michael did not have Carlo killed for mistreating his sister, but solely for baiting Sonny by doing it and consequently being responsible for his murder. If you want to see Robert de Niro you will just have to watch the Godfather II.... Some would consider it to be even better than the first Godfather
Although I’ve never had a problem with Diane Keaton in this film , she, perhaps intentionally, didn’t fit because her character wasn’t meant to fit in the ‘family’. Had Michael not been draw into a role in his family, he and she would have both fit into that different life.
Diane Keaton is incredible in this movie. An underwritten part, and far-fetched, 90% of her dialog is made up of questions for exposition purposes or just moving the plot along. If you want to see what that part COULD have been? Go watch the atrociously embarassingly lame love story in "Serpico". The fact that we remember Kay, the fact that her and Pacino have such great rapport that we totally buy their relationship, hook, line and sinker.......she is fantastic and completely underrated in it. She is holding her own 100%.....and, as you say, she completely does not fit in! But she represents US. Just as she goes to meet the family, so do we. But she's just there to basically ask questions, most of her lines in the first movie are questions, right? "Michael, who is that scary man over there?" "Well....what happened?" "Is it true?". By the time the second one came around, she was a big star because of the string of great, wild Woody Allen comedies she was doing at the same time. (Plus The Godfather). So they gave her more substantial material in that one. But the first movie, her part is really underwritten. That's why Coppolla cast her! He knew she had a quality that would make Kay memorable.....and boy was he right, like everything else regarding the casting of those two movies.
Suggest you see Part 2 before you consider checking out the book (or the many sequels and prequels, both written by Puzo and "authorised" others), as they cover most of a century. But the key of this that many first time watchers are blindsided by is Brando's star presence - "The Godfather" is a position, not a person, and as you now realise, this is Michael's arc as the title is passed from one generation to the next. Brando may be first billed, but Pacino is the star. "All that's missing is DeNiro" - ha - wait till Part 2 😉
Here's a fun fact about the Godfather when Marlon Brando is sitting at the desk with that cat in his hands that wasn't originally in the script when the crew and cast were taking a break that cat was a stray and took a liking to Marlon so Marlon and he told Francis he wanted the cat to be in the shot at first he told him no then he thought about it and decided to let him have the cat in that scene and they kept it in
This is your first Brando movie? You HAVE to see A Streetcar Named Desire. You will know why he became a legend and set the bar for actors from that day forward.
Diane Keaton's character in the movie was very much in line with the book. She was the outsider who was tolerated by the family because she was Michael's girl. The book is a very good read. It has several important characters like Rocco Lampone, Albert Neri and Paulie Gatto who are barely mentioned in the film and the back stories of others like Fabrizzio, Clemenza, Tessio and Vito Corleone.
Diane Keaton is the outsider who represents the legitimate world that the Corleone's what to eventually be a part of. She is supposed to stand out and not fit in.
The reason why there are no subtitles when Michael talks with Sollozzo is because Michael wasn't there to talk or make deals, so it doesn't really matter what Sollozzo had to say, even it if was the most well argumented and most satisfying solution he could muster, Michael was going to kill him no matter what.
Another fun fact was that the guy who portrayed Luca Brasi in real life was associated with the Colombo family, I believe as an enforcer. Also the scene during the wedding where he's outside rehearsing his lines before seeing Don was filmed after him meeting Don, but he kept fumbling his lines so that was him actually practicing . It wasn't a part of the script.
The hit on Michael was by Pantangeli, but it was a double cross set up by Roth. He didn't want to kill Fredo, but he knew he had to. Pacino and DiNiro never did a scene together, until the great Michael Mann movie, Heat! Ironically, his first big feature, was a movie starring James Can( Santino) called, Thief! Michael Mann was ahead of the curve! He also did the first full movie featuring Hannibal Lector called, Manhunter!Directed by Coppola, all his immediate family are actors/directors. Sophia, Nicolas Cage, and Connie...is Rocky Balboa's wife! Coppola also did Apacalypse Now, and The Outsiders, chock packed full of future stars! Also in this series, Sonny's iligitimate son, with the woman he's screwing behind the door, plays a major role in 3! In part 2 the FBI agent is Harry Dean Stanton! He's been in every movie made since the silent era!😅😅😅. Outsiders, Red Dawn, Godfather 2, Dillinger, Green Mile, Alien, and others. RIP to him. The guy Carlo, is still alive and very well connected, and has avoided death, even in foreign countries, because of his Ties. He wrote 1 or 2 books, best sellers, about his businesses, casinos, mob ties, and various stories. He tells it point blank, who and why, killed JFK, RFK, and Monroe. And no one has tried to sue him from the Monroe estate or the Kennedys, because they know every word he said, is true! And they dont want him spilling his guts off, in open court! Type in here, carlo from godfather, tells mob stories! The hit on Sonny, they guy that designed the hit and all the exploding blood speefs, he said, he never put so many creepy ass blood spleefs on anyone ever before! A masterclass of comedy writing, movie was made in the 90s as a semi parody of this movie, well woth watching. Starring Vito, Clemenza from part 2, and Matthew Broderick called, The Freshman. Well worth watching! The movie guy's story is partially true. Frank Sinatra was a huge star in the 30s and 40s but wanted to break into acting, and in good parts but his star was fading. He and his crew started hanging out with huge mob people. They were known as The Rat Pack. Dean, Him, Peter, Sammy, and Joey. Suddenly frank gets parts in 2 of the biggest movies ever....From Here to Eternity and The Manchurian Candidate! Vito was better than Michael, because he was a family man first, before he was a boss. And this is one series, where part 2 is better than 1!!!fredo and Michael also in dog day afternoon, and fredo and Deniro in Deer hunter!
W reaction for this movie, I'm real glad to see people still reacting to this movie even after all these years after it's release. I call tell you guys were genuinely invested in the movie's story and characters
2:51 "I haven't seen Rocky..." - Nick "Yeah, I haven't seen it either." - Jen omg, you haven't seen Rocky either! i hope you correct that post haste. 🤨🙂
In America, whenever there was a new flood of immigrants, these became the group(s) most hated (and somewhat feared). The potato famine of the 1840's drove a mass migration of Irish - hence the familiar "No Irish Need Apply." In the early 20th century, it was Jewish people and Italians. It is hard to fathom that in 1960, John F. Kennedy had to fight against prejudice because he was Catholic (and claimed he would take orders from the Pope). And along with this was the shifting claim who was "white" in that Italians and other from southern Europe were deemed not at the time this movie takes place. At the same time, with so many people from one area needed jobs and at the same time, feeling a common connection with their fellow immigrants, there was the Irish mob, the Italian mob, the Russian mob, and so on.
Speaking of your cotton ball comment. In the book the Don is characterized as a man with a face of a bulldog. When ford Coppola went to talk to Brando about the part he said Brando put cotton balls in his mouth & changed his voice saying how he felt he should sound. Obviously it worked since Brando won his 2nd oscar
Other gangster films to watch include The Godfather Part 2, The Godfather Part 3, Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed and American Gangster. I also recommend watching the HBO crime drama series The Sopranos
OMG you guys both have to see Rocky! It's actually an amazing film. The first sequel is also really good. The other sequels up until Creed III are very hit or miss.
Great reaction. I have seen Godfather one and two at least once a year my adult life and I still would have new realizations that I didn’t get before. Looking forward to y’all reacting to Godfather two. 😊 and I agree. I like Diane Keaton but i always thought that she didn’t fit in this.
Luca Brasi they guy rehearsing his lines (Vito's enforcer) is acted by Lenny Montana. He was a professional wrestler and a enforcer for the Colombo crime family in real life before becoming an actor. He had trouble remembering his lines for the film so they just wrote him into the script using cue cards.
Fun fact: Clemenza was actually godfather to Santino, so his personally strangling Carlo had some extra karma to it.
You will enjoy/appreciate Part 2 for sure!
Robert DeNiro is in the 2nd movie
Great Reaction - a few notes -- Luca Brasi rehearsing his lines, was the actual actor rehearsing because he was so nervous, and they filmed it. He was actually an enforcer for Columbo family. - Michael was in Sicily long enough to have reconstructive surgery on his cheek. Al Neri - the cop at the end, was a cop with a heavy hand who joined the family after they helped him out of jam.( much like how Luca joined the family ) -- Michael actually finds Fabrizio ( Apollonia's killer ) at a pizzeria in New York and kills him.
Also, while Luca was speaking to Don Vito, Marlon Brando had an index card taped to his forehead that said "Fuck you" just to throw the actor off even further.
the Moe Green character is a fictionalized version of Bugsy Seigal, one of the original mobsters who started Vegas....Bugsy Seigal was actually killed by the mob, see Meyer Lansky, in Los Angeles in the late 1940s over his failure to make Vegas a going thing....the singer character becoming a movie star is a take on the goings on with Frank Sinatra....the movie he was starred in after his band contract was broken and after the studio head was 'made an offer he couln't refuse, was FROM HERE TO ETERNITY.....it did make Frank Sinatra a movie star....
Thats why Sinatra wanted to sue the film, until either Coppola or Puzo was like "You really wanna say (in public) the horsehead scene is true and you are Johnny Fontane?" So Sinatra didnt say anything but was like "Thats not me!" lol
Yes. Someone argued with me that it was Tony Bennett. I told them Tony wasn't an actor.
@@sassymess7111 Al Martino crooner from the 50s .
The novel takes place from 1901 to 1955, the movie takes place from 1945-1955. Yes, Part 2 is worth watching.
Yes the book gives lots more details of the main characters well worth reading ,yes part 2 well a look.
I think Diane Keaton not fitting in, was deliberate (Kay doesn't fit in with the Corleones). The book had flashbacks of Vito's childhood in Sicily which were utilized in The Godfather, Part II. The second movie is both sequel and prequel. I think Part II is even better. The great thing about Part II is that it enlarges the scope of the first film. And it's eerie how well Robert DeNiro's young Vito matches Brando's patriarch from the first film.
I’m jealous of you guys. The thrill of seeing these for the first time is something I can only experience vicariously through reactors, like you! Hopefully, you’ll decide to watch the other installments of this saga, before anyone gives you timelines for the series.
The second one is even better but the third one... you dont have to watch it, its not a big loss theres tons of way better movies.
if you haven't seen this movie in a while you'd kinda forget it though, no? That way you could rewatch it
For DeNiro you must watch Godfather 2; the finest film and sequel done. DeNiro seems more Sicilian than a Sicilian; subtle and poignant, his work in this took him to another level of character work. John Cazale(Fredo) was a wonderful actor and very close friend of Pacino, and passed young. He and Meryl Streep were together and she took care of him when he was very ill; his last film was the incredible "The Deer Hunter", with DeNiro, Meryl Streep, and a young Christopher Walken who won the Oscar for best supporting actor. A wonderful, heart wrenching, film. Brando, in the Godfather, some say, had grapes in his mouth at times. Enjoy.
"I'm Your Older Brother Mike and I Was Stepped Over!" .... "That's the Way Pop Wanted It." ..... 'That's Not the Way I Wanted it!" ....
All 3 people that Vito helps on the day of Connie’s wedding end up returning the favor. The undertaker with the abused daughter ends up taking care of Sonny’s body. A baker asks Vito to pull strings with immigration to keep his assistant in the country. The baker’s employee is the young man who helps Michael bluff the killers at the hospital. And Johnny Fontaine gets the movie part and agrees to perform at the casino (and recruit show biz friends to perform also) that Michael took over.
While The Godfather is a Masterpiece, it is more fart-wrenching than hart-wrenching.
Fun fact: The guy playing Luca Brasi was an actual mob enforcer. New York crime boss Joe Colombo got his mitts into the making of this picture. So much so that he had script approval. The actor who was to play Luca became ill the day of shooting so the producer, Albert Ruddy, asked Colombo if he could use his guy Lenny Montana. There is a miniseries called the offer which tells the story on how this movie was made. The mob was fully "interested" in this picture so much so that when the movie finished producer Albert Ruddy smuggled the only copy of the movie outta the vault in L.A. and flew with it to NYC for a special screening by the mob. The families called a temporary truce so they could all see the movie.
Side note: when Luca is sitting there rehearsing his speech to Don Corleone that's actually Lenny legit rehearsing his lines for the next scene. Also the reason his lines come off so awkward, that's him legit trying to act for the first time and being super nervous.
The Johnny Fontaine part of the story is a reference to Hollywood legends story of how Frank Sinatra got out of a contract with a bandleader to start his solo singing career because of his ties to the mob... and stories that his big break in "From Here to Eternity" movie was because of those connections. No violent stories were ever confirmed but they used that to show the power wielded by the mob at the time.
It hit too close to home for Sinatra, who threw a fit when the book first came out.
Sinatra also hated working with Brando on Guys and Dolls
Winner of 3 Oscars including Best Picture!
There was a series on Paramount Plus about how they made this movie called "the offer" its absolutely incredible! It's insane that this movie ever got made!
The great thing about Don Vito. He treated everyone with respect...
Please watch "The Godfather" part 2...it's awesome!!!
You've never seen Rocky?! You should definitely get around to watching that series at some point.
Diane Keaton's circle of friends had a in side joke going where they would always shut the door on her face
When Michael goes to see Kay he doesn't say I love you; he says I "care" for you. He wanted children, a family, and he knew she was a good woman. It was a mistake, however, for which they would both pay dearly. One of the tragedies of Michael's life was the death of Apollonia.
Most people don't realize the title of the movie refers to Michael, not Vito. It's Michael's story.
For any who havent seen it, Godfather one AND two are both power house movies full of top tier actors and still considered one of THE top movies of all time, part 2 is considered the best movie sequel ever made as well. They dont make movie of this caliber any more.
The horse head death scene had used props during rehearsals but when the actual scene was being filmed, a real horse’s head was gotten (from a factory that made older or euthanized animals into pet food) and placed in the bed - without informing the actor so his reaction of horror was authentic.
😳
and Sony was shot with real bullets, so his reaction is also real
Let you know if you should watch Godfather 2? Let me put it this way. If you don't watch it, you should be garroted! Plus, you'll get Robert De Niro that you wished to see in this film.
Yes you MUST see Godfather part Il
I've watched at least a dozen reactions to this film and spoken to several people about it and it amazes me that no one seems to grasp that the title character isn't Vito, but Michael. So many reactors respond the same way you guys did when Vito gets shot. "How can he die? He's the main character! The movie isn't even halfway over!". Granted, I'm only watching the TH-cam version. Maybe they address that for the patreon feed. I could be wrong, but my interpretation is that the entire movie is the story of Michael becoming The Godfather.
While it is Michael’s story, if one hasn’t read the novel there is no way you’d know this at that point in the film the first time you see it. Michael has barely been in the film much at that point. It is almost more Sonny’s story at that point, as far the Corleone sons go. Certainly by the baptism scene, the audience knows the import of the title and whose story it really is. In some ways it is a good thing that that hasn’t been spoiled for a lot of contemporary viewers as it means they are experiencing the transformation of Michael unsullied by prior knowledge of the ending. Not unlike how it’s great to see people today watch Psycho for the first time and think they’re watching Marion’s story when it’s really Norman’s.
@@johnmoreland6089 very good point.
Actually Vito IS The Godfather. Michael BECOMES The Godfather. JS
@@suebeawho6537 right but my point is it's not Vito's story really. He is at the end of his story. This is really the story of how Michael becomes The Godfather. By the end of the movie, that should be clear.
True MrLove true
Vito Corleone never wanted Michael to enter the " family business" he wanted Michael to become a senatir, governor or maybe a president of the USA.
Yeah but Fredo was too weak and Sonny too hotheaded (which got him killed) so Michael was the only choice to take over the family.
They didn't kill the horse for the movie; they bought the head from a dog food factory.
This is my favourite reaction so far... please, please do Part 2. You'll love it ! Part 3 is still good but 1 and 2 are faboulas . Love n hugs from England xx
John Cazale, the actor who played Fredo only appeared in 5 films, every single one was nominated for an Oscar with 3 of them winning. He also was in a relationship with Meryl Streep until his death in 1978
The singer who went to ask for a part in the movie was Sinatra>
And the bandleader story was the true story of Sinatra wanting to break away from the Dorsey Band.
The book is so good. Lots of characters' inner thoughts. Also lots more background stories. I was lucky that I read the book before I watch the movies.
When you mention "all that's missing is Robert DeNiro..." - he's in The Godfather Part II playing the young Vito Corleone. Well worth a watch - the second film is considered by many to be the best of the trilogy!
The Godfather Part III from 1990 gets trashed a lot, but I think it's worth a watch just for completeness sake, and one highlight of all three films is how you will see Connie evolving into a different woman from film to film. If you miss Part III you would miss the summit of Connie's evolution.
Thanks for that perspective! 😊
Oranges are part of Vito's life and death. When watching part 1 and 2 notice how many times oranges come into play. In the foreground/background and pivotal scenes.
I watched this movie many times with my mom. whenever i visited her on christmas, easter or other big holydays we spend the evening chatting and having a good time and in the late evening watched some movie together. many times it was some old classic like the godfather. i miss those evenings.
When Clemenza says, "Hello, Carlo," you know, you just know.
Great reaction! Can't wait for y'all to watch the part 2 & 3!
Robert de nero is in part 2 !!
G.F.II is well worth the time.... the continuation of the story is as good as G.F.
Interestingly,the baby in the Baptism scene is actually Sofia Coppola.
Kate is an insight into Michael's decision making. It is very interesting why he chose her.
Great analysis you two. Probably the best I've seen for seeing it the first time. It can be challenging to track all the events and characters. Well done.
Fix2Us, There was a strong rumour around Hollywood from the early 50's. A film had already started shooting and Frank Sinatra did'nt get a part he wanted. Sinatra flew to New York to see some people and he got the part. The tale was so good that Mario Puzo and Mr. Coppola put it in the film. In real life it did'nt involve a horse. The 50's film was " From Here to Eternity." Frank Sinatra won an Oscar for best supporting actor. Cheers, Chris Perry.
The fact that you recognized Robert Duvall right away......great sign! Hey, to really understand how great Brando is in this, check out clips of the other two films he made the same year: "The Nightcomers", "The Godfather" and "Last Tango In Paris" all came out in 1972. Three more different characters/performances you'd be hard pressed to look at. The scene at his wife's coffin in "Last Tango In Paris" is one of the greatest pieces of acting I've ever seen. When you see what Marlon really looked like in 1972 - which was long blond hair - his "Godfather" performance becomes even greater. ALSO: what's important about Brando is his early, groundbreaking work in the early 1950s: "A Streetcar Named Desire" changed the game in acting like only three other movies I can think of have: Bette Davis in "Of Human Bondage", and then later with Robert De Niro in "Raging Bull" and Meryl Streep in "Sophie's Choice". And those last two performances come out of the influence of Brando's "Streetcar Named Desire" and that early era ("On The Waterfront", "Viva Zapata", et al) When people talk about Brando as G.O.A.T., it's first and foremost because of his early work, not his 70s work in stuff like Superman or Apocalypse Now, which he just walked through.
Carlo beat up his wife the second time for business reasons. That phone call was part of the setup. They knew Sonny would come running, and they were waiting for him.
Not sure if you were aware, but that big guy (Luca) that was practicing his lines and messing them up, was an actual mobster who was given the part. He was so nervous about meeting Marlon Brando, which is why he flubbed his lines but Coppola liked the idea so well he kept it in.
Robert Duvall has been in quite a few other great films as well. 'Apocalypse Now', 'Network', and 'Falling Down' are all absolute classics (strong recommendation for any/all of those 3 movies - after Godfather 2, of course.)
Thanks for the suggestions!
My favourite ...no, my two favourite Duvall movies are a) Lonesome Dove, and b) he plays Ned Pepper in the original True Grit. Love Robert Duvall.
He was in a little seen film entited "The Outfit."
Duvall masterpieces IMO were The Great Santini for such he was nominated for best actor and Tender Mercies for which he won an Oscar.
He has played dozens of great roles. Amazingly, he played Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird, easy back in 1962.
Thanks for reviewing this masterpiece. I think it's the best mobster movie ever made. I suggest you watch the sequels, especially The Godfather II to know more about Michael's arc.
In the book, Don Vito Corleone was described as an intimidating dog (bulldog or pitbull, I can't remember) so he stuffed his mouth with paper to make his jaws look bigger.
Being an equestrian, I screamed to high heavens during the specific scene involving movie producer Jack Woltz and...someting. I don't want to spoil it for your viewers but you know what I'm hinting at. Just as Alien's actors didn't knew that a chestburster would come out of Kane's chest, the actor's screams and horror are genuine. Rehearsals were made with a prop, but the final scene was shot with...the real thing!
The baby in the Baptism scene was supposed to be a boy according to the story, but it was actually a girl: she was Sofia Coppola, the director's daughter and today an award-winning movie director herself.
So cool!! 😊
At 2:01 . . . . . ( trivial pursuit ) That cat on Marlon Brando lap was not in the script , it was just hanging around
the film studio that day , it liked Brando , so they kept it in the final cut .
Brando is magnificent as the Godfather, he created the whole physical persona on his own during his first read of the script, the producer watched him for only five minutes and knew he had the part nailed and even better than they ever thought, theres a back story behind that as well.
NEVER get into a car with Fat Clamenza sitting behind you. You only get to make that mistake,,, once.
The book explains it more, but the way Vito realized Don Barzini was behind everything all along was his conduct at the Commission meeting. By placing himself at the head of a long table, Barzini was breaking Cosa Nostra rules.
It all goes back to 20+ years earlier when the NY mafia was still operating like a dictatorship the same way they did in Sicily. Back then, you had one boss who held all the power who was in command of all the other bosses; a title known as Capo de Tutti Cappi ("Boss of Bosses"). Naturally, there was lots of war and killing between the families in order to become that Boss of Bosses controlling everyone else.
Amidst this carnage, Vito Corleone had a wild, revolutionary idea one day. He proposed to all the other mob families the out-of-the-box idea to operate like a corporation with a board of directors, where everyone with a stake in it had an equal vote and say on matters. Everyone was receptive to this idea but one.
Don Barzini.
Barzini was the underboss of the largest and most profitable NY mafia family at the time. He considered Vito's "board of directors" idea an attack on his management since he was next in line to assume the title of Boss of Bosses once his current boss died. Unfortunately for Barzini, his boss agreed to Vito's proposal to set up a commission as he was tired of living in perpetual fear of assassination just to obtain an imaginary power balance. He agreed that their current structure would only continue resulting in more killings and arrests; thus rendering it an ineffective system.
According to the Mafia Charter, commission meetings must take place at a round table to symbolize equality. Barzini revealed himself by holding this Commission meeting at a long table in which he placed himself at the head of it. That's a no no. That's what the old system with the Boss of Bosses did.
Furthermore, Barzini invited the heads of all the other families from all across America to sit in on this commission meeting even though Vito didn't ask for them, nor did their war concern the families in different cities. But Barzini brought them all in anyway to send the message that he was now the top boss in NYC.
Barzini didn't mastermind this war just to make more money through expanding operations out into the narcotics trade. No, Barzini did all of this to be able to argue to all the other families that Vito's board of directors/commission idea wasn't working, and now the only logical thing to do would be to return to the old ways where one boss had the power over all the other bosses. Barzini only wanted to become that Boss of Bosses in NY again.
With Vito now being dead (or, at least, he was supposed to be after the assassination attempt at the beginning of the movie), Barzini calculated that the Corleone family would decline in power, and Vito's political protectors would turn away from them with Sonny as the new boss. Sonny was too volatile and irrational to be a good boss, and Vito's politicians would have no choice but to distance themselves from the Corleones. Thus making the Barzini family the most powerful of the Five Families now that Vito was dead and the Corleone family was in decline..
There are various movies Marlon Brando did over the years. The first I recommend is Julius Caesar written by Shakespeare. Brando played Mark Antony. The second is a gritty movie: On the Waterfront. Brandon played a dockworker who is being harassed by a gang to join a union. The third is A Streetcar Named Desire which is based on a Tennessee Williams play. Brandon's wife's sister decided to move in with them which leads to chaos.
Great suggestions, thanks!
@@Jen-Mom I strongly second the recommendation of A Streetcar Named Desire for a powerful, early career performance by Brando.
"You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contenda. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Charlie."
IIRC, in the book, Al Neri was a former policeman. That's how he had the uniform and badge.
They actually couldn't find an actor to play the Luc Brazzi character so they gave the job to an actual mobster who was sort of overseeing the movie set and they gave him the lines to memorize to make it part of the character. Or something like that. FYI, DeNiro is in part 2.
Sonny Corleone is the only Corleone who cares about Connie and her situation.
In the first scene, where Carlo tells her to "shut up" in front of everybody, Sonny reacts angrily - but he is then corrected by their mother, saying "Don't interfere." - in other words, Carlo has the family's full permission to abuse Connie, she is his wife, after all.
In the book, this is touched upon a little more, but only briefly - the Don himself knows about the abuse, and mostly thinks that it will resolve itself, once Connie learns how to behave better, or something like that - he only barely cares.
Notice even when Michael confronts Carlo, he reduces years of abuse to "that farse you played with my sister" and when Connie has a total meltdown, screaming "you never cared about me" he calls her hysterical, and shrugs her off entirely, sends her to a doctor.
It's obviously a very deliberate detail to have in the story, but it is also subtle, and easy to miss, considering the setting of the beginning of the film.
It's not that the family gives Carlo permission to abuse Connie. They (the Corleone family) are following an old tradition that parents do not interfere in their children's marriages. Remember that Mother Corleone was born in Italy and like Vito had old-world ideas. The brothers, born in the USA, have more modern ideas.
@@gazoontight Oh, I know - I was just saying how it turns out in practical terms - Carlo has "permission" to do what he wants. But you are right, it is because of deep rooted tradition; it can be encountered even today, esp. on the countryside.
I think "that farse you played with my sister " is the specific fight where he knew it would cause Sonny to get in his car and be otw immediately, when he beat Connie.
Fobrizzio asked Michael if Apollonia was going with him when he drove to town and he said no. Fobrizzio was paid to set up Michael obviously but Apollonia wanted more driving lessons so boom. Remember Michael was warned it was dangerous there.
Loved watching this with you guys! You must watch Godfather II. it's even better than this one, if you can imagine.
Well in Italian culture (at least back then) Sonny was the one not reacting the usual way. Once a woman was married it was up to the husband how she was being treated. At the dinner table you can hear the mother ask Sonny not to interfere and the Don would not have lifted a finger to make Carlo stop either.
Michael did not have Carlo killed for mistreating his sister, but solely for baiting Sonny by doing it and consequently being responsible for his murder.
If you want to see Robert de Niro you will just have to watch the Godfather II.... Some would consider it to be even better than the first Godfather
Although I’ve never had a problem with Diane Keaton in this film , she, perhaps intentionally, didn’t fit because her character wasn’t meant to fit in the ‘family’. Had Michael not been draw into a role in his family, he and she would have both fit into that different life.
Maybe that's what it is!
Diane Keaton is incredible in this movie. An underwritten part, and far-fetched, 90% of her dialog is made up of questions for exposition purposes or just moving the plot along. If you want to see what that part COULD have been? Go watch the atrociously embarassingly lame love story in "Serpico". The fact that we remember Kay, the fact that her and Pacino have such great rapport that we totally buy their relationship, hook, line and sinker.......she is fantastic and completely underrated in it. She is holding her own 100%.....and, as you say, she completely does not fit in! But she represents US. Just as she goes to meet the family, so do we. But she's just there to basically ask questions, most of her lines in the first movie are questions, right? "Michael, who is that scary man over there?" "Well....what happened?" "Is it true?". By the time the second one came around, she was a big star because of the string of great, wild Woody Allen comedies she was doing at the same time. (Plus The Godfather). So they gave her more substantial material in that one. But the first movie, her part is really underwritten. That's why Coppolla cast her! He knew she had a quality that would make Kay memorable.....and boy was he right, like everything else regarding the casting of those two movies.
That slow zoom out opening scene is maybe the best in cinema history...
Suggest you see Part 2 before you consider checking out the book (or the many sequels and prequels, both written by Puzo and "authorised" others), as they cover most of a century. But the key of this that many first time watchers are blindsided by is Brando's star presence - "The Godfather" is a position, not a person, and as you now realise, this is Michael's arc as the title is passed from one generation to the next. Brando may be first billed, but Pacino is the star.
"All that's missing is DeNiro" - ha - wait till Part 2 😉
Adding stuff from Monty Python and Brooklyn 99 is a disservice to this film.
Here's a fun fact about the Godfather when Marlon Brando is sitting at the desk with that cat in his hands that wasn't originally in the script when the crew and cast were taking a break that cat was a stray and took a liking to Marlon so Marlon and he told Francis he wanted the cat to be in the shot at first he told him no then he thought about it and decided to let him have the cat in that scene and they kept it in
"All they're missing is Robert DeNiro for a complete set..." Heh heh... ;0)
This is your first Brando movie? You HAVE to see A Streetcar Named Desire. You will know why he became a legend and set the bar for actors from that day forward.
Great suggestion, thanks! 😊
I think Diane Keaton's character was not suppose to fit in The Family.
i'm shocked, SHOCKED i tell you, that you've had your channel for over a year and you're just now watching. 😮
better late than never. 🙂
Diane Keaton's character in the movie was very much in line with the book. She was the outsider who was tolerated by the family because she was Michael's girl. The book is a very good read. It has several important characters like Rocco Lampone, Albert Neri and Paulie Gatto who are barely mentioned in the film and the back stories of others like Fabrizzio, Clemenza, Tessio and Vito Corleone.
Diane Keaton is the outsider who represents the legitimate world that the Corleone's what to eventually be a part of. She is supposed to stand out and not fit in.
The reason why there are no subtitles when Michael talks with Sollozzo is because Michael wasn't there to talk or make deals, so it doesn't really matter what Sollozzo had to say, even it if was the most well argumented and most satisfying solution he could muster, Michael was going to kill him no matter what.
Johnny Fontaine was based from Sinatra, and the movie part was for , From Here to Eternity
Talia Shire (Connie) plays Yo Adrian in the Rocky movies. The guy who shoots the guy in the glass doorway plays a loan shark in Rocky.
Sonny was a hot head who often didnt think things through as his father would have and it got him killed.
31:00 the bomb was for Michael not Apollonia...
Another fun fact was that the guy who portrayed Luca Brasi in real life was associated with the Colombo family, I believe as an enforcer. Also the scene during the wedding where he's outside rehearsing his lines before seeing Don was filmed after him meeting Don, but he kept fumbling his lines so that was him actually practicing . It wasn't a part of the script.
4:54 haha, I swear you guys are the only Godfather reacters I've seen that caught that.
A major story line from the book that didn't make it into the movie was shown in Godfather: Part 2. That's all I'll say. 😉
They used a prostetic to make Brando's jaw like that. They wanted Vito Corleone to look like "a bulldog".
You'd love the book. So many more details. Btw, Michael does find Fabrizzio in New York and has him killed ... "Michael Corleone sends his regards".
The hit on Michael was by Pantangeli, but it was a double cross set up by Roth. He didn't want to kill Fredo, but he knew he had to. Pacino and DiNiro never did a scene together, until the great Michael Mann movie, Heat! Ironically, his first big feature, was a movie starring James Can( Santino) called, Thief! Michael Mann was ahead of the curve! He also did the first full movie featuring Hannibal Lector called, Manhunter!Directed by Coppola, all his immediate family are actors/directors. Sophia, Nicolas Cage, and Connie...is Rocky Balboa's wife! Coppola also did Apacalypse Now, and The Outsiders, chock packed full of future stars! Also in this series, Sonny's iligitimate son, with the woman he's screwing behind the door, plays a major role in 3! In part 2 the FBI agent is Harry Dean Stanton! He's been in every movie made since the silent era!😅😅😅. Outsiders, Red Dawn, Godfather 2, Dillinger, Green Mile, Alien, and others. RIP to him. The guy Carlo, is still alive and very well connected, and has avoided death, even in foreign countries, because of his Ties. He wrote 1 or 2 books, best sellers, about his businesses, casinos, mob ties, and various stories. He tells it point blank, who and why, killed JFK, RFK, and Monroe. And no one has tried to sue him from the Monroe estate or the Kennedys, because they know every word he said, is true! And they dont want him spilling his guts off, in open court! Type in here, carlo from godfather, tells mob stories! The hit on Sonny, they guy that designed the hit and all the exploding blood speefs, he said, he never put so many creepy ass blood spleefs on anyone ever before! A masterclass of comedy writing, movie was made in the 90s as a semi parody of this movie, well woth watching. Starring Vito, Clemenza from part 2, and Matthew Broderick called, The Freshman. Well worth watching! The movie guy's story is partially true. Frank Sinatra was a huge star in the 30s and 40s but wanted to break into acting, and in good parts but his star was fading. He and his crew started hanging out with huge mob people. They were known as The Rat Pack. Dean, Him, Peter, Sammy, and Joey. Suddenly frank gets parts in 2 of the biggest movies ever....From Here to Eternity and The Manchurian Candidate! Vito was better than Michael, because he was a family man first, before he was a boss. And this is one series, where part 2 is better than 1!!!fredo and Michael also in dog day afternoon, and fredo and Deniro in Deer hunter!
W reaction for this movie, I'm real glad to see people still reacting to this movie even after all these years after it's release. I call tell you guys were genuinely invested in the movie's story and characters
Over 20 years since I first saw this film... wow. I know how you felt right here.
"All we need is robert de niro!" Wonder if he has some inkling about part II
38:59 "looks like he could drop dead any second."
called it 👍🏼
2:51 "I haven't seen Rocky..." - Nick
"Yeah, I haven't seen it either." - Jen
omg, you haven't seen Rocky either! i hope you correct that post haste. 🤨🙂
On the list! 😊
Ever notice how there are oranges shown before an attempted murder or a murder scene, I just now realized this
In America, whenever there was a new flood of immigrants, these became the group(s) most hated (and somewhat feared). The potato famine of the 1840's drove a mass migration of Irish - hence the familiar "No Irish Need Apply." In the early 20th century, it was Jewish people and Italians. It is hard to fathom that in 1960, John F. Kennedy had to fight against prejudice because he was Catholic (and claimed he would take orders from the Pope). And along with this was the shifting claim who was "white" in that Italians and other from southern Europe were deemed not at the time this movie takes place.
At the same time, with so many people from one area needed jobs and at the same time, feeling a common connection with their fellow immigrants, there was the Irish mob, the Italian mob, the Russian mob, and so on.
Speaking of your cotton ball comment. In the book the Don is characterized as a man with a face of a bulldog. When ford Coppola went to talk to Brando about the part he said Brando put cotton balls in his mouth & changed his voice saying how he felt he should sound. Obviously it worked since Brando won his 2nd oscar
Godfather 2 must see...
We watched it today!! It'll be up in a week or so. 😊
Rip To All Those Who We're In This Godfather Movie, Still Miss you All
Other gangster films to watch include The Godfather Part 2, The Godfather Part 3, Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed and American Gangster. I also recommend watching the HBO crime drama series The Sopranos
OMG you guys both have to see Rocky! It's actually an amazing film. The first sequel is also really good. The other sequels up until Creed III are very hit or miss.
Talia Shire is Francis Coppola's sister and Nicolas Cage's aunt.
This is the godfather of all Mafia films.
Yes, one of the great movies of the 20th Century along with Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Gone With the Wind.
Great reaction. I have seen Godfather one and two at least once a year my adult life and I still would have new realizations that I didn’t get before. Looking forward to y’all reacting to Godfather two. 😊 and I agree. I like Diane Keaton but i always thought that she didn’t fit in this.
Coppola used a Horsehead fresh from a local Slaughterhouse to elicit some genuine screams of horror from the Actor and the Audience.
Luca Brasi they guy rehearsing his lines (Vito's enforcer) is acted by Lenny Montana. He was a professional wrestler and a enforcer for the Colombo crime family in real life before becoming an actor. He had trouble remembering his lines for the film so they just wrote him into the script using cue cards.
10:02 "Holy balls!"
i haven't heard that before. 😆
When you said "Awww I like this guy". That guy was a real hit man in NYC until he lost a lot of weight moved to California and become an actor.
Fabrizio got his in the book. Michael tracked him down, he owned a pizzeria upstate NY & had him killed.