My dad saw this film in cinema twice, first time in New York while working there during summer and second time when he was back home in Ireland. In Ireland he said the people in cinema gasped in horror, but in New York they all laughed.
According to Francis Coppola, he thought it was horrible and disgusting too. But because the scene in the novel was already famous, there was anticipation for it. So he had to do it in the film.
@@MiguelCruz-zo6yo He said that horse was to be studded, meaning it was going to be making a lot of veryyyyy expensive babies. So, losing it was very horrible.
@@JF-xq6fr Robert Duvall remains pretty calm after being called " A smooth talking Son of a Bitch" and the same when Woltz tells him to get the hell out of his house. Cold as Ice.
"Jack Woltz" is obviously based on Harry Cohn, chief executive of Columbia Pictures. And known for his abrasive character. "Johnny Fontaine" is almost certainly meant to be Frank Sinatra. Who was well-known for his connections to the Mob. At the start of his singing career, Sinatra had a contract with band leader Tommy Dorsey. When Frankie became famous, he wanted out of the contract, and Dorsey refused. It's said that Ol' Blue Eyes got some of his Mafia friends to pay Dorsey a "visit". Dorsey ended up letting Frank out for $1. (In the movie, Woltz tells Tom "I ain't no band leader". Which references a similar scene in the movie). The "movie that will make him a big star", that Woltz refers to, was From Here to Eternity, which was being produced by Columbia. (That's "the new war film" that Tom mentions when meeting Woltz in an earlier scene). Sinatra's singing career was coming to an end, and he wanted to go into movies. He very much wanted to star in From Here to Eternity, but Cohn refused. The starlet that Woltz mentions is probably Eva Gardner, who was Harry Cohn's mistress, until she ran off with Sinatra. (That's why Woltz refers to "the olive oil voice" [meaning Sinatra] that stole his girl from him.) I don't know if Cohn ever ended-up with having his favorite horse decapitated. But it is true that Sinatra eventually got the part in the movie, against all odds. Of course, as they say in the credits at the end of every motion picture: "Any resemblance to persons living or dead...is purely coincidental". [wink]
I just read about Dorsey and Cohn from Wikipedia. It says Dorsey died asleep in 1956 after choking because of having a heavy meal earlier in the evening. It's also said he was also addicted to sleeping pills which may have been the cause of his death. Cohn suffered a fatal heart attack after having a dinner in 1958. I'm not a conspiracy theorist etc. but it really sounds like mafia could have had something to do with these deaths :D
Fun fact: this soundtrack scene is popular song "Manhattan serenade", which Dorsey's version was a big hit back then. I bet movie producer decided to record an own version to avoid direct association with it and potentially legal issues.
Ironically, for the 1955 musical movie "Guys and Dolls," Sinatra wanted the lead role of Sky Masterson, but was ultimately passed over and given the backup role of Nathan Detroit. Sinatra strongly disliked the man who was given the lead in the movie: Marlon Brando.
Man, Tom is cold in this scene but Woltz’s acting during his monologue should be taught at all acting & film schools. You believe every word and he hits it perfectly. The anger during his rant, the horror after finding the horses head. The perfect juxtaposition from Tom’s calm, smooth delivery. Just an all around amazing scene with classic actors & unforgettable dialogue.
I keep overlooking that kind of stuff in movies. The supporting actors do such an amazing job of making the main ones shine that it’s easy to forget how well they did it. Dismissed this guy because he played the unlikeable scumbag so damn good that I forgot it was an act
In the novel, it's explained beautifully how they managed to get the horse head under the sheets. The producer's staff were bribed and they sedated him, putting him in a deep sleep. They then shot the horse in the head, cut its head off and stuffed it under the covers.
Yes, this is why Johnny got the role as well. I mean, if it was "just" killing the horse, then he could've ignored the "favor". But seeing as to how they killed the horse, got it on his bed without him knowing (cuz they sedated him), just goes to show how much control the Don can have on his life. It wasn't just about killing the horse, it was about sending a message. He'd do well knowing just how much power the Don has.
I loved how Tom calmy says "I'm German, Irish" after Woltz names every Italian slur in the world at him. Later has the horse head cut off. What a contrast. Just business.
@@RidgeRunner-lz5ko Isn't it interesting how TH-cam allows those slurs to remain but if you use a couple of others directed towards non-Euros then all hell breaks loose and you get banned.
That slight head nod and direct eye contact from Tom right after he said " Mr Corleone insists on hearing bad news immediately" should've been a clear sign to Mr Woltz that he now had a target on his back.
My parents saw this film in the theaters when it was first released and nobody knew what was coming. Believe me, whenever someone mentioned "The Godfather" in the 1970's, the subject of the "horse head scene" was ALWAYS the first thing that was mentioned...it made quite an impact.
I read something even more shocking: the reaction was real. They rehearsed the scene with a plastic horse head, switched it with the real thing without telling the actor.
Ever think it might of been consensual ?!? Lots of women use their sexuality coming (getting movie parts) and going (crying rape after things turn sour).
@Sports Entertainment the world is far from perfect, especially these days. All I’m saying is that most of these women (and men) know what’s what, going in, and then complain about it later. I have a young daughter and I sympathize. I’m sure most of these aspiring actresses are motivated by fame, power and money as well. Well, Life is short, and all that stuff is fleeting anyway
@@justinherbert9146 Yes, great book. It's amazing how the movie got so much of the book right. The Sicilian (prequel (?)) was also good, yielding alot of backstory and filling in the cracks.
The transition from the scream of terror to Vito casually sitting like this is just another business transaction is phenomenal. “Did ya make the creepy old man an offer he can’t refuse?” “Yeah.” “What’d you do?” “We cut off his favorite horse’s head.” “Ah, classic, well done.”
@@ionicreek355 The Horse scene is the most shocking scene in the whole movie because it wasn’t acting it was a real reaction of the crew playing a prank on the Actor by putting a real Horse Head in his bed they got from a Dog Food Factory.
Just shows how u know f***** all about the families of Sicily. You should keep your mouth shut up if I was you. No business transaction. The man was made an offer that he 'couldn't' refuse. He refused so made let him understand that he did not have the option of dishonour, refusal & that it cost him.
Duvall is sublime in this scene with how he just calmly and professionally sits there while Woltz is ranting and doesn't let himself be fazed by his attempted bullying, and even rolls his eyes over the bragging. The Woltz character clearly hates how the hagen character doesn't kiss his arse and can't handle it.
Wow, Waltz called him about six racist Italian slurs. Then went Tom responded, I'm German/Irish Waltz called him a crowt/mic, a German/Irish slur. Great acting.
Yeah,Waltz didn't even miss a beat once Tom responded that he's German/Irish.Just right off the top of his head he fires off that slur. Like you said,great acting.
Yep. It's Tom showing Woltz that he doesn't give a shit what he's saying, no matter how loud he yells. Total disrespect. I'm gonna keep eating like he's not even there.
For those who didn’t read the book or see the deleted scenes, Vito asks Tom if “this Woltz (has) balls;” Tom meaning if he’s a Sicilian. The answer comes with Woltz’s statement: “A man in my position can’t afford to be made to look ridiculous!” And if that sentence didn’t do him in, that snide comment about the bandleader story did. When Tom says, “Mr. Corleone…insists on hearing bad news immediately,” it’s his way of saying “God have mercy on your soul.”
Woltz tipped off his own hand by saying he couldn't afford to be made to look ridiculous. If word got out about what Don Corleone did to his horse, he'd look really ridiculous, which is what made him give Johnny Fontane the part!
Also Puzo showed what a monster Woltz truly is with the whole 12-year-old girl. For all it's gruesome scenes the movie is actually very heavily tuned down in its gruesomeness and viciousness.
@@augie6479 Woltz wasn't concerned about what the murder of his horse might look like. He knew if he didn't give Johnny the part he would be killed. It was made clear in the book.
@@tuiskuroininen9196 I appreciated how, even though it's fantasy, the crime lord was explained to have immense moral superiority over the producer and that's in part how he was comfortable leveraging him when he wasn't that interested in burning resources and risk in foreign territory.
Tom Hagen was part of Corleone empire. He was in the position of power not Woltz, and blowhard Woltz was about to get a horrible comeupance. In the book it was said to Woltz "you are used to people who seem more important than they are, My Client is the opposite"
@@ericbond5276 That's actually why I left her, I had gotten deathly ill and I dealt with a myriad of health issues after getting out of the hospital. One of which was a blood clot in my arm, one day she got mad at me and struck me in that arm, didn't hurt but could've killed me. Figured if I didn't leave she was going to kill me... Much better relationship now, married 8 years to a good woman .
Funny thing is that when he says “my kraut mick friend” he doesn’t realize that his last name “WOLTZ” originates from Bavaria, he insulted his fellow kraut 😆
"A man in my position can't afford to be made to look ridiculous!" Then a man in your position can't afford to say no to Vito Corleone, especially in that fashion.
"He never asks a second favor when he's been refused the first." "Thank you for the dinner and a very pleasant evening." "Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately." Genius how smoothly he intimidates Woltz.
@@MrPatrickworthington You're probably right about that. Not so much what he said but continuing to eat and then replying the way he did might rankled Woltz
@@donarthiazi2443 That's the way I figured it. Woltz couldn't help but notice that nothing he said troubled Tom in the least. He wasn't even impressed by the opulent mansion.
In the Godfather video game you have to complete all the tasks that aren't shown on camera in the movie...like finding the location of the Michael meeting with Sollazo and planting the gun in time, but one of the scenes involves sneaking into the stable killing the horse and planting the head...(the actual decapitation was not shown in the game) but it allows you to deep dive into the movie and all the iconic scenes are shown after you complete the tasks...very very underrated game
@@lulzdragon7339 that's why I hate it, I'm bad at stealth gameplay since I got caught multiple times before finishing the mission. Though the horse scene really satisfying.
@@lulzdragon7339 Bribe the staff. Someone as abrasive as Woltz would have plenty of servants eager to pay him back. And lo, that's exactly how it happens in the book.
People always talk about how offensive Woltz's lines were but I always thought he was one of the funniest characters in the movie(but I guess he's unintentionally funny since The Godfather is obviously not a comedy).
My mother took me to see The Godfather when i was 4 YEARS OLD 😳🐴 in the theatre when it came out.. this scene obviously traumatized me but also shaped my love of all movies that were dark and disturbing lol as well as an appreciation for great movies 😊
The original The Godfather movie, reportedly was Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein 's favorite movie, which he watched over and over, because of the many lessons it offered.
Jack Woltz: I don't care how many dago guinea wop greaseball goombahs come out of the woodwork! Tom Hagen: I'm German-Irish. Jack Woltz: Well, let me tell you something, my kraut-mick friend, I'm gonna make so much trouble for you, you won t know what hit you! Brilliant hilarious writing!
@@WitchettyMan Most of us can do that, regrettably. I once compiled a Bigot's Thesaurus, just for my own amusement. Ran to well over a hundred entries for English-language examples alone (including ones for white folk), just off the top of my head.
I really like it when they show the godfather after the horse scene...the way he looks is a way of letting the audience know that he is somebody that will never let anything or anyone get in his way of getting what he wants.
Too bad we don't have someone like that on our side when job interviewers refuse to hire people for no apparent reason. Especially when some people worked real hard just to apply for a job and they are constantly passed over, never even called for an interview let alone given the jobs they deserved. I could certainly use some backup of that kind just to get me the dream job I always wanted. Too bad that all only works in the movies and in the books that inspired them
@@vanessarodriguez6590 I dunno then, I read in a few places that it was real but I'm not really sure cuz honestly what's to really believe on the internet? lol
From what I've heard, everything Woltz said to Hagen about Fontaine never getting that role, that was what Paramount were saying about Pacino, "Al Pacino never gets that movie". Same with Brando.
Excellent actor who nails ever role he’s in. This one, The Apostle, Tender Mercies, Crazy Heart, Falling Down, Colors, Open Range, Apocalypse Now, True Grit, The Natural.
I like how calm and cool Tom Hagen was. The only time he exploded was the time when he argued with Sonny and said "This is almost 1946! No one wants a war".
The African American maid in the background never changes facial expression. But you get the feeling she knows Mr. Waltz has made an extremely grave mistake 😎
That's kind of doubtful. This is nothing new for her and she's seen far worse. She is completely used to seeing her boss reign supreme and get anything he wants. And quickly
For years I had always heard people talk about this scene. I rented the movie when I was a teenager and laughed till I hurt when he realized what happened.
The book gives a lot of detail about Tom's thoughts, basically how his crime lord boss was way better than this iddler who equated women's worth to their coital talent. The syndicate of loan sharks and murderers was way more upstanding to Tom than this pervert.
When I first heard about this movie from friends who had seen it, all they talked about was the horse head scene. It was all done so perfectly including the soundtrack music to build the mood. Poor horse though.
He wasn't a wartime Consigliere. He completely failed to sniff out the trap that Sonny fell into... Tom admitted it to himself in the book. _"Genco would have seen it from a mile away"_
Tom is easily my favorite character in The Godfather series next to Michael. Sucks that Duvall wasn't in the third one. Would've loved to see what he and Coppola would do with the character
Tom was so great to watch. His calm, but direct conversation with all was and still is great to watch. It never gets old. He loses it with Sonny, one time only. He also recognizes the differences in Sonny and Michael. Sonny got angry and fought. Michael did not get angry, he got even. Chilling.
Johnny? This is Tom Hagen. Mr. Wolfz has kindly passed on to me to congratulate you on getting the part you auditioned for. No problem at all he was very reasonable. No monkey business. No horsing around.
I love the subtle dialogue in this scene, especially at the dinner. Woltz goes from aggressive racist insults, to respectful dialogue and finally to his sob story about how Johnny stole his pure and innocent actress to gain sympathy, "just to show I'm not a hard hearted man". Not even 5 lines later, he calls the actress "the greatest piece of ass I've ever had". Based on his information, he must've been grooming her from as early as 11 years young. A very nice hidden in plain sight critique of real practices and a great motivation for the Don to really give it to this fucker.
I've read the book and Woltz does in fact rapes underage girls. When Tom was waiting to meet with him, there was a young girl with her mom waiting to see Woltz too for an auditioning role. The mother allowed Woltz to rape her daughter for the part, because after they departed she walked with a triumphant smug air while her daughter visibly limped and had bruises.
I didn't like Jack Woltz in the Movie but reading the Godfather I abhored Mr Woltz with a passion even more. He was nothing but a Rich Arrogant Bully who thinks of people as property and doesn't value friendship, only want Money and Power.
After the meeting is over, I love how the music (The Theme from the Godfather) slowly drifts in as the camera pans towards Woltz's house. It's the sound of the "old country" (the mafia, the family) reaching out it's long arms to pay Mr Woltz a visit. Even in sunny Hollywood, far away from Italy, there is no place to hide...
Fun fact, the horse head used in the rehearsal takes was fake, but there was a horse scheduled for slaughter anyway and without telling the actor, they exchanged it for a real horse head so that panic was real
@@oscarkong3200 From what I can looked up on google it wasn't made illegal in the United States until 2007, though the numbers of slaughtered horses was going down because it was taboo in the U.S.A. so yes it was legal in 1972. It is still legal to ship them south of the boarder to be slaughtered though, in Mexico, and Central and South America. Not all cultures have a problem eating horsemeat. And it still legal to kill a horse in America, just not slaughtered it for consumption.
Lines that should be among The Godfather's most famous but aren't: "Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately." That's awesome.
keep coming back to this, different upload this time, wonderful badass classic scene. fuck man, the godfather is such a masterpiece words cannot express.
I love how Tom calmly shuts Woltz down after his speech at dinner. “Thank you for the dinner and a very pleasant evening. If your driver could take me to the airport Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news right away.” Woltz stands there in silence. 😂
4:56 This was 1972. There were NO comparable images. No internet. Porn had to be viewed in seedy theaters or 16mm film secretly handed around. No shock movies. This scene freaked people out and left an indelible mark Tame in 2022. 50 years ago as shocking as it got.
Also a great scene for how meaningless riches can be if you don't cooperate, get on with people in that there is nothing that can't be taken away from you by a determined adversary. Love how the luxurious spaece, the near empty mansion becomes an amphitheatre for his anguish/screams.
Frank Sinatra didn't need the mob connections to get a part in From Here to Eternity. The original actor was Eli Wallach, but the director changed his mind, because Wallach was too well-built to lose a fight with Ernest Borgnine. Furthermore, the character was a little sardine of a man, and Sinatra was perfect for the role. Also, it was a minor supporting role, not a starring one.
I was a teen when I first saw this with my brother, and I had no idea about this scene. It's horrifying as hell when you first see it. I always thought that this was just punishment to Woltz for not only denying Coleone's request, but also disrespecting and insulting him. But in addition to that, I eventually realized that it was also sending him a message: "You see how easily and quickly this happened? If we can do this to you, we can do ANYTHING to you." Woltz at that point realized that in spite of all his money, glamour, fame, and influence, he was powerless. Anybody with half a brain would know to cut their losses at that point, which he did. You could imagine how well Johnnie Fontaine was treated by him after that, and how hard Woltz worked to make the movie a success.
My dad saw this film in cinema twice, first time in New York while working there during summer and second time when he was back home in Ireland. In Ireland he said the people in cinema gasped in horror, but in New York they all laughed.
According to Francis Coppola, he thought it was horrible and disgusting too. But because the scene in the novel was already famous, there was anticipation for it. So he had to do it in the film.
JJ Mac NYC was always twisted back in the day
Irish people love horses
@@jrmetmoi
Was???
Okay I am from Cali, but judging from people's sense of humor of today......this scene is just PETA jokes on a forefront
@@wildwillmor this
Notice how Duvall doesn’t stop eating and drinking during Woltz’s speech, he knew he’d be leaving immediately after and wanted to finish his meal.
Yup. Tom knows the meeting is over when Woltz starts ranting, but he decides to make the best of it before Woltz can throw him out. :)
It is me when my mom ask about homework.
That food on planes in those days was “TV dinners” Knew he would depart soon!
Leave the horse's head, take the cannolis.
In the book Tom is not impressed with the food.
$600,000 in 1945 is equal to $8,973,166 today. So in other words it was one hell of a statement when they killed his horse.
Really? Despite that it was just a decade after the 1930's depression?
@@ruben_zermeno this is set after World War Two ended, which was a time of great prosperity in America.
So by todays inflation that horse is worth 8 million .thats way too much for a horse for even back then Prices
@@MiguelCruz-zo6yo He said that horse was to be studded, meaning it was going to be making a lot of veryyyyy expensive babies. So, losing it was very horrible.
So that horse likely would've made more money than the movie ever would. While I feel bad for the horse, that's pretty clever.
We all know Vito and Michael are smooth, but I think we all forget how smooth Tom is too.
Oh yeah Tom is the smoothest most coolest & most calm & collected of all.
You’re not a good Mafia councilor if you can’t stay cool.
@@robertlauncher consigliere **
@@theshahofiran4381 True, but Micheal’s translation to Kate at the start of the movie was “Councilor”
@@robertlauncher *counselor. I think councilor means someone on a council, while counselor means an advisor.
"He never asks a second favour, when he's been refused the first. Understood?"
So badass.
Good call... Love his total BOSS tone as he says "unDerSTood?"
@@JF-xq6fr Robert Duvall remains pretty calm after being called " A smooth talking Son of a Bitch" and the same when Woltz tells him to get the hell out of his house. Cold as Ice.
I like how he handle the situation, very respectfull but at the same time he threats him ...understood
Ya it is so bad ass…complete BOSS
That's my favorite line in the movie .
"Jack Woltz" is obviously based on Harry Cohn, chief executive of Columbia Pictures. And known for his abrasive character. "Johnny Fontaine" is almost certainly meant to be Frank Sinatra. Who was well-known for his connections to the Mob. At the start of his singing career, Sinatra had a contract with band leader Tommy Dorsey. When Frankie became famous, he wanted out of the contract, and Dorsey refused. It's said that Ol' Blue Eyes got some of his Mafia friends to pay Dorsey a "visit". Dorsey ended up letting Frank out for $1. (In the movie, Woltz tells Tom "I ain't no band leader". Which references a similar scene in the movie).
The "movie that will make him a big star", that Woltz refers to, was From Here to Eternity, which was being produced by Columbia. (That's "the new war film" that Tom mentions when meeting Woltz in an earlier scene). Sinatra's singing career was coming to an end, and he wanted to go into movies. He very much wanted to star in From Here to Eternity, but Cohn refused. The starlet that Woltz mentions is probably Eva Gardner, who was Harry Cohn's mistress, until she ran off with Sinatra. (That's why Woltz refers to "the olive oil voice" [meaning Sinatra] that stole his girl from him.)
I don't know if Cohn ever ended-up with having his favorite horse decapitated. But it is true that Sinatra eventually got the part in the movie, against all odds.
Of course, as they say in the credits at the end of every motion picture: "Any resemblance to persons living or dead...is purely coincidental". [wink]
I just read about Dorsey and Cohn from Wikipedia. It says Dorsey died asleep in 1956 after choking because of having a heavy meal earlier in the evening. It's also said he was also addicted to sleeping pills which may have been the cause of his death. Cohn suffered a fatal heart attack after having a dinner in 1958. I'm not a conspiracy theorist etc. but it really sounds like mafia could have had something to do with these deaths :D
Fun fact: this soundtrack scene is popular song "Manhattan serenade", which Dorsey's version was a big hit back then. I bet movie producer decided to record an own version to avoid direct association with it and potentially legal issues.
Thanks for sharing that. You summarized very well.
Ironically, for the 1955 musical movie "Guys and Dolls," Sinatra wanted the lead role of Sky Masterson, but was ultimately passed over and given the backup role of Nathan Detroit. Sinatra strongly disliked the man who was given the lead in the movie: Marlon Brando.
Great info buddy. Thank you.
_"Mr Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately."_
And that's when Woltz knew. He farked up.
He wants to hear of the bad news immediately, so that he can rectify things immediately. A Don does not play around.
I fully agree, but are we sure a vain Hollywood bigshot like Woltz saw anything comin at all?
@@NiVi192 No way. Had he known what was in store for him, he would have saved himself the grief.
Not really. He thought that he'd managed to shout and rant his way into getting what he wanted as usual.
You can swear on the internet, It's okay
Man, Tom is cold in this scene but Woltz’s acting during his monologue should be taught at all acting & film schools. You believe every word and he hits it perfectly. The anger during his rant, the horror after finding the horses head. The perfect juxtaposition from Tom’s calm, smooth delivery. Just an all around amazing scene with classic actors & unforgettable dialogue.
I keep overlooking that kind of stuff in movies. The supporting actors do such an amazing job of making the main ones shine that it’s easy to forget how well they did it. Dismissed this guy because he played the unlikeable scumbag so damn good that I forgot it was an act
I agree 100% and I feel the same way about how Lee Strasberg played Hyman Roth in part 2!
It could all have been avoided if he had given Johnny the part🥴
John Marley was a consummate veteran actor for about 20 years even before this movie.
He wasn't acting - he didn't know they were going to put an actual horsehead in the bed.
In the novel, it's explained beautifully how they managed to get the horse head under the sheets. The producer's staff were bribed and they sedated him, putting him in a deep sleep. They then shot the horse in the head, cut its head off and stuffed it under the covers.
Appreciate the explanation
it even plays beautifully in the video game.
Yes, this is why Johnny got the role as well.
I mean, if it was "just" killing the horse, then he could've ignored the "favor".
But seeing as to how they killed the horse, got it on his bed without him knowing (cuz they sedated him), just goes to show how much control the Don can have on his life.
It wasn't just about killing the horse, it was about sending a message.
He'd do well knowing just how much power the Don has.
I have shamefully not read this novel... But after seeing the movies multiple times there is no excuse...
I really wouldn't use the word "beautifully", but yes, that sure is captivating storytelling.
"You don't understand. Unless I find a severed horse's head in my bed, Johnny Fontaine never gets that movie!"
Best comment here.
He never said that tho
When did he say this?
@@josh_zirk You need to pay better attention to the movie next time
@@IWantToBelieve1 I payed amazing attention. He never said those lines.
Don Corleone doesn't horse around.
LOL!!!
*#GetOut*
Actually, he kind of does...
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!
😂😂😂😂😂
I loved how Tom calmy says "I'm German, Irish" after Woltz names every Italian slur in the world at him. Later has the horse head cut off. What a contrast. Just business.
Then names slurs of German and Irish
Dago = Italian. Kraut = German. Mick = Irish.
OK, my Kraut Mick friend.
@RidgeRunner Tom is cool as ice. Even when he's insulted he doesn't take it personally.
@@RidgeRunner-lz5ko Isn't it interesting how TH-cam allows those slurs to remain but if you use a couple of others directed towards non-Euros then all hell breaks loose and you get banned.
That’s why you never talk about your prize possessions in a business conflict
That slight head nod and direct eye contact from Tom right after he said " Mr Corleone insists on hearing bad news immediately" should've been a clear sign to Mr Woltz that he now had a target on his back.
That idiot director should have known what was up when Tom said "I have a special practice, I have one client."
Good old Tom. Cramming as much of the meal as he could because he knew the conversation was already over.
😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😭😭😭😭😭
That’s just a lawyers instinct
It is shocking as hell no matter how many times you watched it
My parents saw this film in the theaters when it was first released and nobody knew what was coming. Believe me, whenever someone mentioned "The Godfather" in the 1970's, the subject of the "horse head scene" was ALWAYS the first thing that was mentioned...it made quite an impact.
Its the cut to a different camera each time he screams that cements the omg moment...
I read something even more shocking: the reaction was real. They rehearsed the scene with a plastic horse head, switched it with the real thing without telling the actor.
When Woltz says “now let me be even more Frank”, I can’t help but think that’s a nod to Ol’ Blue Eyes - the “real” Johnny Fontaine
It could be ... could be!
Hmmm
Before anyone tries to feel sorry for Woltz, he basically admits he's like Harvey Weinstein. It's a shame the horse had to have been purchased by him.
Yeah, Woltz goes on about how the girl was so innocent, had me believing him. Then he says "Best piece of ass I ever had,ect.
I guess one realizes that there are a whole bunch of Woltzes and Weinsteins in Hollywood!
Ever think it might of been consensual ?!? Lots of women use their sexuality coming (getting movie parts) and going (crying rape after things turn sour).
@Sports Entertainment
the world is far from perfect, especially these days. All I’m saying is that most of these women (and men) know what’s what, going in, and then complain about it later. I have a young daughter and I sympathize.
I’m sure most of these aspiring actresses are motivated by fame, power and money as well. Well, Life is short, and all that stuff is fleeting anyway
I feel bad for the horse that's it
Tom was more like his adoptive father Don Vito Corleone - calm demeanor -- then any of Vito's biological sons
@@justinherbert9146 not true Michael was a clone of vito
@@lordhoho1 you did not understand the movie, the characters nor the book, which you most likely did not read.
With the exception of Michael after Appolonia's murder.
@@justinherbert9146 wrong on all counts. If only Mario were here so we could ask him. Oh here he is let's ask.
@@justinherbert9146 Yes, great book. It's amazing how the movie got so much of the book right. The Sicilian (prequel (?)) was also good, yielding alot of backstory and filling in the cracks.
The transition from the scream of terror to Vito casually sitting like this is just another business transaction is phenomenal.
“Did ya make the creepy old man an offer he can’t refuse?”
“Yeah.”
“What’d you do?”
“We cut off his favorite horse’s head.”
“Ah, classic, well done.”
Don't you know Joe Colombo loved that scene.
@@ionicreek355 he did ?? is there a clip of that ?
Lol
@@ionicreek355
The Horse scene is the most shocking scene in the whole movie because it wasn’t acting it was a real reaction of the crew playing a prank on the Actor by putting a real Horse Head in his bed they got from a Dog Food Factory.
Just shows how u know f***** all about the families of Sicily. You should keep your mouth shut up if I was you.
No business transaction. The man was made an offer that he 'couldn't' refuse. He refused so made let him understand that he did not have the option of dishonour, refusal & that it cost him.
Duvall is sublime in this scene with how he just calmly and professionally sits there while Woltz is ranting and doesn't let himself be fazed by his attempted bullying, and even rolls his eyes over the bragging. The Woltz character clearly hates how the hagen character doesn't kiss his arse and can't handle it.
Wow, Waltz called him about six racist Italian slurs. Then went Tom responded, I'm German/Irish Waltz
called him a crowt/mic, a German/Irish slur. Great acting.
Kraut
*kraut/mick
Yeah,Waltz didn't even miss a beat once Tom responded that he's German/Irish.Just right off the top of his head he fires off that slur. Like you said,great acting.
When I showed this movie to my brother he broke out laughing at how quickly and without even trying Waltz was able to spit out those insults lol
I love that lmao
How quick the dinner goes sour is hilarious.
I like how Tom Hagen is calmly eating while the film producer is yelling at him.
Yep. It's Tom showing Woltz that he doesn't give a shit what he's saying, no matter how loud he yells. Total disrespect. I'm gonna keep eating like he's not even there.
We all should be so lucky to have a Kraut-Mick friend like Tom Hagen.
I'm part German and part mick. Now I just need to be a calm and smooth badass!
For those who didn’t read the book or see the deleted scenes, Vito asks Tom if “this Woltz (has) balls;” Tom meaning if he’s a Sicilian. The answer comes with Woltz’s statement: “A man in my position can’t afford to be made to look ridiculous!” And if that sentence didn’t do him in, that snide comment about the bandleader story did.
When Tom says, “Mr. Corleone…insists on hearing bad news immediately,” it’s his way of saying “God have mercy on your soul.”
That line was chilling!
Woltz tipped off his own hand by saying he couldn't afford to be made to look ridiculous. If word got out about what Don Corleone did to his horse, he'd look really ridiculous, which is what made him give Johnny Fontane the part!
Also Puzo showed what a monster Woltz truly is with the whole 12-year-old girl. For all it's gruesome scenes the movie is actually very heavily tuned down in its gruesomeness and viciousness.
@@augie6479 Woltz wasn't concerned about what the murder of his horse might look like. He knew if he didn't give Johnny the part he would be killed. It was made clear in the book.
@@tuiskuroininen9196 I appreciated how, even though it's fantasy, the crime lord was explained to have immense moral superiority over the producer and that's in part how he was comfortable leveraging him when he wasn't that interested in burning resources and risk in foreign territory.
Poor horse had a great life ahead of him. He was gonna be a stud.
Actually, great life ahead until he loses his head
He coulda been a contender.
I find it so hilarious the way Tom continues to sit and eat while Woltz is going on his rant.
He knew what was going to eventually happen, so he wanted to enjoy himself.
Amazing calm in the face of so many insults and rudeness.
Tom Hagen was part of Corleone empire. He was in the position of power not Woltz, and blowhard Woltz was about to get a horrible comeupance.
In the book it was said to Woltz "you are used to people who seem more important than they are, My Client is the opposite"
ig models get more
The way Tom keep eating when the guy yell at him was classy...
It was like dinner every night with my ex-girlfriend... haha
@@aaronsweet8032 You could've had the meal to go.
@@ericbond5276 but I like fresh food...
@@aaronsweet8032 Self-preservation.
@@ericbond5276 That's actually why I left her, I had gotten deathly ill and I dealt with a myriad of health issues after getting out of the hospital. One of which was a blood clot in my arm, one day she got mad at me and struck me in that arm, didn't hurt but could've killed me. Figured if I didn't leave she was going to kill me... Much better relationship now, married 8 years to a good woman .
Didn't realize the maid just there listening to the whole rant 💀💀
I didn’t notice it either until now.😮
Funny thing is that when he says “my kraut mick friend” he doesn’t realize that his last name “WOLTZ” originates from Bavaria, he insulted his fellow kraut 😆
Woltz is meant to be Jewish so he probably has no qualms cussing out a German. Despite his own origins being from there
I'm still impressed how he was able to use every Italian racial slur in the same sentence.
@ My nickname was "guinea" playing little league growing up...of course it was awkward learning the meaning when I got older
He's said to be Jewish and have Russian grandparents
So that makes him Kike 🤣
"A man in my position can't afford to be made to look ridiculous!"
Then a man in your position can't afford to say no to Vito Corleone, especially in that fashion.
Nobody says “no” to Panda
"He never asks a second favor when he's been refused the first."
"Thank you for the dinner and a very pleasant evening."
"Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately."
Genius how smoothly he intimidates Woltz.
Not one of those statements intimated Woltz in the least. But waking up to find the head of Khartoum certainly intimated him.
@@donarthiazi2443 I think Tom's calm demeanor did affect him a bit. But he was too much an egotist to back down.
@@MrPatrickworthington
You're probably right about that. Not so much what he said but continuing to eat and then replying the way he did might rankled Woltz
@@donarthiazi2443 That's the way I figured it. Woltz couldn't help but notice that nothing he said troubled Tom in the least. He wasn't even impressed by the opulent mansion.
This picture has the best acting I've ever seen. Seismic talent in every bit.
In the Godfather video game you have to complete all the tasks that aren't shown on camera in the movie...like finding the location of the Michael meeting with Sollazo and planting the gun in time, but one of the scenes involves sneaking into the stable killing the horse and planting the head...(the actual decapitation was not shown in the game) but it allows you to deep dive into the movie and all the iconic scenes are shown after you complete the tasks...very very underrated game
Hate the forced stealth gameplay, loved the scene.
@@hartantoanggoro How else do you think that job could be done? Covering a dude a blood without waking him up takes some 100 sneak type of shit.
@@lulzdragon7339 that's why I hate it, I'm bad at stealth gameplay since I got caught multiple times before finishing the mission. Though the horse scene really satisfying.
The video game is extremely dope
@@lulzdragon7339 Bribe the staff. Someone as abrasive as Woltz would have plenty of servants eager to pay him back. And lo, that's exactly how it happens in the book.
“and then Johnny Fontane comes along with his olive oil voice” lmfao
People always talk about how offensive Woltz's lines were but I always thought he was one of the funniest characters in the movie(but I guess he's unintentionally funny since The Godfather is obviously not a comedy).
Olive oil voice and guinea charm 🤣🤣🤣 cracks me up every time.
😂
@@michaelsieger9133 Don't take it too lightly, Michael - "guinea" is apparently the very worst thing you can call an Italian-American.
😂😂😂😂😂
My mother took me to see The Godfather when i was 4 YEARS OLD 😳🐴 in the theatre when it came out.. this scene obviously traumatized me but also shaped my love of all movies that were dark and disturbing lol as well as an appreciation for great movies 😊
Did your mom cover your eyes when Sonny was doing the brides maid?
“And if by chance an honest man such as yourself should make enemies then they would become my enemies and then they would fear you”
The original The Godfather movie, reportedly was Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein 's favorite movie, which he watched over and over, because of the many lessons it offered.
Why does that not surprise me?
Jack Woltz: I don't care how many dago guinea wop greaseball goombahs come out of the woodwork!
Tom Hagen: I'm German-Irish.
Jack Woltz: Well, let me tell you something, my kraut-mick friend, I'm gonna make so much trouble for you, you won t know what hit you!
Brilliant hilarious writing!
Amazing how quickly he corrects himself. He immediately brings up racial slurs that are appropriate without wasting any breath.
@@WitchettyMan Most of us can do that, regrettably. I once compiled a Bigot's Thesaurus, just for my own amusement. Ran to well over a hundred entries for English-language examples alone (including ones for white folk), just off the top of my head.
@@WitchettyManNothing racial about what Woltz told Tom.
Tom is taking notes: Hm???? Nice Stud Stallion you got there lol
I really like it when they show the godfather after the horse scene...the way he looks is a way of letting the audience know that he is somebody that will never let anything or anyone get in his way of getting what he wants.
Too bad we don't have someone like that on our side when job interviewers refuse to hire people for no apparent reason. Especially when some people worked real hard just to apply for a job and they are constantly passed over, never even called for an interview let alone given the jobs they deserved. I could certainly use some backup of that kind just to get me the dream job I always wanted. Too bad that all only works in the movies and in the books that inspired them
Still can't believe that the head was real, and the reaction was real too.
How the?? How did he used that head did they killed the horse in real life for that scene?
@@vanessarodriguez6590 well yeah, google it
@@FrozenSolid742 Believe me I tried but still I didn’t get it
@@vanessarodriguez6590 I dunno then, I read in a few places that it was real but I'm not really sure cuz honestly what's to really believe on the internet? lol
It’s real. They didn’t kill the horse for the movie. They bought it from an abattoir.
Tom continues eating during the “tirade” because he already knows he’s going to get kicked out soon! 😂
The face of Tom Hagen is priceless when he was chewing and Woltz was shouting
He was probably playing out in his head what would eventually happen to Woltz, so he merely wanted to enjoy himself while he was there.
From what I've heard, everything Woltz said to Hagen about Fontaine never getting that role, that was what Paramount were saying about Pacino, "Al Pacino never gets that movie". Same with Brando.
Robert Duvall is exceptional in this film, even by Robert Duvall standards.
Excellent actor who nails ever role he’s in. This one, The Apostle, Tender Mercies, Crazy Heart, Falling Down, Colors, Open Range, Apocalypse Now, True Grit, The Natural.
@@patrickc3419Especially _Lonesome Dove_
open range
Probably my favorite set of scenes in the movie. That movie mogul really nailed it.
I like how calm and cool Tom Hagen was. The only time he exploded was the time when he argued with Sonny and said "This is almost 1946! No one wants a war".
Well, it's 2024 and it seems that literally everyone wants a war.
The African American maid in the background never changes facial expression. But you get the feeling she knows Mr. Waltz has made an extremely grave mistake 😎
That's kind of doubtful. This is nothing new for her and she's seen far worse.
She is completely used to seeing her boss reign supreme and get anything he wants. And quickly
Or she's just an extra playing a none speaking part in a movie.
@@pastohh - the scene with Woltz is the only scene in the entire movie with black actors. Amazing. The horst trainer has 2 words.
For years I had always heard people talk about this scene. I rented the movie when I was a teenager and laughed till I hurt when he realized what happened.
Lol I love how Tom just rolls his eyes at 3:48 He's like, "god, this guy is such a douche!"
The book gives a lot of detail about Tom's thoughts, basically how his crime lord boss was way better than this iddler who equated women's worth to their coital talent. The syndicate of loan sharks and murderers was way more upstanding to Tom than this pervert.
“You smooth talking son of a bitch.” I have to use that one. 😂
When I first heard about this movie from friends who had seen it, all they talked about was the horse head scene. It was all done so perfectly including the soundtrack music to build the mood. Poor horse though.
After many years, this scene is still dramatic and moving at the same time. Chapeau, mr. Coppola.
Tom Hagen is the brass ring of a consigliare. He listens, he's educated, he has humility. Why wouldn't you look for that?
❤
He wasn't a wartime Consigliere. He completely failed to sniff out the trap that Sonny fell into... Tom admitted it to himself in the book. _"Genco would have seen it from a mile away"_
@@donarthiazi2443 He was a lawyer! He wasn't Magnum pi!
@@donarthiazi2443 He wasn't meant to be a wartime anything.
He was a pitbull for Don Corleone.
@@donarthiazi2443 But still, Tom was a come-from-behind kind of guy.
Tom is easily my favorite character in The Godfather series next to Michael. Sucks that Duvall wasn't in the third one. Would've loved to see what he and Coppola would do with the character
Horse Head: "Woltz, I could have been a contender..."
Tom was so great to watch. His calm, but direct conversation with all was and still is great to watch. It never gets old. He loses it with Sonny, one time only. He also recognizes the differences in Sonny and Michael. Sonny got angry and fought. Michael did not get angry, he got even. Chilling.
Johnny? This is Tom Hagen. Mr. Wolfz has kindly passed on to me to congratulate you on getting the part you auditioned for. No problem at all he was very reasonable. No monkey business. No horsing around.
"During the filming NO horse was harmed"
Housekeeping housekeeping!!! There's a horses head in my bed 🤣
Classic quote "A man in my position can't be made to look ridiculous."
If I was that guy I would have died of heart attack
Or start a blood orgy.
You would have think that he would've died of a heart attack after seeing that gruesome sight in his own bed .
Makes you wonder how Tony Soprano can bring himself to sit through something like this ...
John Marley (the actor) was amazing in this scene.
I’m glad this was filmed in the 70s today this scene would be on the cutting room floor
no, it'd be 10x worse today
I love how Tom never stopped eating
I once read that the horse head was real. Film production bought it from a nearby horse farm, the same they rented the rest of the horses.
@dreamreaver1218 Um, no. They bought it already killed from a slaughterhouse that butchered horses for dog food not from a "nearby horse farm".
Tom Hagen goes hard bro
Of course 💪
Guys write in comments which movie clip would you like to see
BRUTAL I can't imagine what horror it would be to be awoken like this...
The real victim here is the poor horse
The music arrangement! Echoey, dissonant, frenetic, as Woltz wakes up to his worst nightmare.
Amazing how they were able to sneak that head in there without being noticed at all.
The Godfather: The Game actually reveals how the Corleones accomplished that entire stealth mission.
And the player has to do it.
Lol Tom tried to finish his meal faster before being asked to leave.
You don't say no to the godfather
"He never asks a second favor when he's been refused the first, understood?"
He made him an offer he can't refuse.
I love the horror creeping into the music as he’s waking up.
I love the subtle dialogue in this scene, especially at the dinner.
Woltz goes from aggressive racist insults, to respectful dialogue and finally to his sob story about how Johnny stole his pure and innocent actress to gain sympathy, "just to show I'm not a hard hearted man". Not even 5 lines later, he calls the actress "the greatest piece of ass I've ever had". Based on his information, he must've been grooming her from as early as 11 years young.
A very nice hidden in plain sight critique of real practices and a great motivation for the Don to really give it to this fucker.
Yeah Woltz sounds disgusting
@@Eli-ss9gj that’s Hollywood in a nutshell
@@mohammedashian8094Jack Warner-Elizabeth Taylor.
I've read the book and Woltz does in fact rapes underage girls. When Tom was waiting to meet with him, there was a young girl with her mom waiting to see Woltz too for an auditioning role. The mother allowed Woltz to rape her daughter for the part, because after they departed she walked with a triumphant smug air while her daughter visibly limped and had bruises.
Yeah, and J. Fontane was a man in his 40s, so she left a 70-year old guy only to be "rescued" by a 40-year old guy.... wow
I didn't like Jack Woltz in the Movie but reading the Godfather I abhored Mr Woltz with a passion even more. He was nothing but a Rich Arrogant Bully who thinks of people as property and doesn't value friendship, only want Money and Power.
Sounds like you’re describing all MLB, NFL & NBA owners
He was also a pervert who enjoyed little girls as described in the book. Smh
....And a pedifile on top of that.....
You're both "spot-on"!!!... every level of it.
After the meeting is over, I love how the music (The Theme from the Godfather) slowly drifts in as the camera pans towards Woltz's house. It's the sound of the "old country" (the mafia, the family) reaching out it's long arms to pay Mr Woltz a visit. Even in sunny Hollywood, far away from Italy, there is no place to hide...
As others have said, and I concur 100%... The horse head scene is still absolutely horrifying no matter the number of views - I FF it.
Watched the first Godfather last night, I gasped at the horse head scene and just laughed nervously.
Fun fact, the horse head used in the rehearsal takes was fake, but there was a horse scheduled for slaughter anyway and without telling the actor, they exchanged it for a real horse head so that panic was real
was it legal to kill a horse？
@@oscarkong3200 I literally said it was slated for slaughter anyway
Coppola showing that he might not be a mobster...but he understands the "genes" of his distant relatives. haha
@@oscarkong3200 From what I can looked up on google it wasn't made illegal in the United States until 2007, though the numbers of slaughtered horses was going down because it was taboo in the U.S.A. so yes it was legal in 1972. It is still legal to ship them south of the boarder to be slaughtered though, in Mexico, and Central and South America. Not all cultures have a problem eating horsemeat. And it still legal to kill a horse in America, just not slaughtered it for consumption.
@@lunaracc914 I understand your frustration.
When life throws a horse's head in your bed...
Make glue.
4:00 Good old Woltz was literally beating a dead horse there...
“Kraut Mc friend” would NOT get you cancelled these days 😂
Mick... not McFriend
Lines that should be among The Godfather's most famous but aren't: "Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately." That's awesome.
keep coming back to this, different upload this time, wonderful badass classic scene. fuck man, the godfather is such a masterpiece words cannot express.
The oranges on the dinner table.. continuing the "oranges" theme of The Godfather.
Yeah, I never knew the oranges are symbolic to death.
I love how Tom calmly shuts Woltz down after his speech at dinner. “Thank you for the dinner and a very pleasant evening. If your driver could take me to the airport Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news right away.” Woltz stands there in silence. 😂
What a legendary masterpiece of art the first godfather was.
Notice the bowl of oranges at dinner. The oranges are significant throughout the trilogy.
4:56
This was 1972.
There were NO comparable images.
No internet.
Porn had to be viewed in seedy theaters or 16mm film secretly handed around.
No shock movies.
This scene freaked people out and left an indelible mark
Tame in 2022.
50 years ago as shocking as it got.
Also a great scene for how meaningless riches can be if you don't cooperate, get on with people in that there is nothing that can't be taken away from you by a determined adversary. Love how the luxurious spaece, the near empty mansion becomes an amphitheatre for his anguish/screams.
Frank Sinatra didn't need the mob connections to get a part in From Here to Eternity. The original actor was Eli Wallach, but the director changed his mind, because Wallach was too well-built to lose a fight with Ernest Borgnine. Furthermore, the character was a little sardine of a man, and Sinatra was perfect for the role. Also, it was a minor supporting role, not a starring one.
I was a teen when I first saw this with my brother, and I had no idea about this scene. It's horrifying as hell when you first see it. I always thought that this was just punishment to Woltz for not only denying Coleone's request, but also disrespecting and insulting him. But in addition to that, I eventually realized that it was also sending him a message: "You see how easily and quickly this happened? If we can do this to you, we can do ANYTHING to you." Woltz at that point realized that in spite of all his money, glamour, fame, and influence, he was powerless. Anybody with half a brain would know to cut their losses at that point, which he did. You could imagine how well Johnnie Fontaine was treated by him after that, and how hard Woltz worked to make the movie a success.
Such great acting on both gentlemen. I love it! I love this movie.
Vedant - इक्छा , क्रोध और भय एक ही सीन में 😂😂
God... Now that scene is much more shocking than before... I thought it was a random horse head
You gotta be kidding... RIGHT??