A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Scenes from THE GODFATHER

This month marks the 47^thanniversary of Francis Ford Coppola’s THE GODFATHER. Often regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, THE GODFATHER covered a decade in the life of the Corleone crime family in New York starting in 1945. It is an Oscar winner, a cultural milestone, a launching pad for the careers of some of our finest actors, and iconic in its imagery and storytelling. 

To mark this occasion, this Blogger has taken on the challenge of picking and ranking the best scenes from Coppola’s masterpiece. This was no easy task, as the 177-minute film is packed with towering performances and scenes that have become the basis of modern filmmaking. Criteria is everything when assembling a list like this, and the factors in play here are (1) technical achievement, (2) performances, and (3) importance to the overall film. 

So take a cannoli and drink more wine than you used to…

10. Don’t ask me about my business – The closing scene to a film is just as important as the opening. In this closer, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), has become his father by taking over the family crime business and recognized as Don by his peers. He has accomplished this by wiping out his enemies and his traitor brother-in-law. When confronted by his wife Kay (Diane Keaton) over the latter, he lies to her. It shows the great lengths that Michael will take to protect his family and empire, draws the line between business and personal (a recurring theme), and the closing shot of Kay and Michael in separate rooms, or separate worlds…speaks volumes. And it all ends with the door to Michael’s world being closed to Kay. 

9. It’s strictly business – An attempt has been made on their father’s life, and the brothers meet to discuss what’s next. For his whole life Michael has kept away from the family business, but as he sits in his father’s study, the boy becomes a man and crosses over to the dark side before our eyes. The camera pushes in slowly as he reveals his idea to right the wrongs that have been done to his family and justifies it by sticking to business. The scene is pivotal for Michael and the entire film, as their lives will never be the same after this meeting, and it is a stark contrast to the birthday scene in PART II in which Michael tells his brothers he is leaving the family for military service. 

8. Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes – Luca Brasi is sent undercover to a rival family and is discovered. The news of his death comes by way of a “Sicilian Message”, in which a dead fish is sent to the Corleone family wrapped in his bullet-proof vest. It’s a simple scene with a quote that has become timeless, and it establishes how things are done in this world. 

7. I never wanted this for you – This quiet and brilliant scene between Michael and his father, Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), is an emotional moment between father and son. Vito expresses his regret that Michael has to deal with the turmoil, stress, and dangers of being the head of the family, and reveals that he always had bigger and better things in mind for him. The scene is the essence of Vito and Michael and reveals the origin of the famous puppet-strings logo. 

6. Louie’s Restaurant in the Bronx – Michael meets with rival boss “the Turk” Sollozzo and corrupt police captain McCluskey under the pretense of a call-a-truce meeting. Little do his rivals know that the Corleone’s have planted a gun in the bathroom for Michael to come out blasting and settle things once and for all. Perfectly staged and acted, the tension is ramped up by a passing train and Pacino’s performance…which shows his internal struggle with what he is about to do, and for a moment we think he’s not going to go through with it. 

5. Leave the gun, take the cannoli – After the attempt on Don Corleone’s life, the first thing on the list is to whack the bodyguard who didn’t show up for work that day. Paulie the soon-to-be-ex bodyguard is shot within sight of the Statue of Liberty, and the famous line is given by Clemenza (Richard S. Castellano). It’s not the most pivotal scene in the film, but again, it shows how business is done, and the staging of the scene is perfect. 

4. The horse’s head – The Don sends his lawyer and consigliere to Hollywood to convince producer Jack Woltz (played by John Marley) to let the Don’s godson have the lead role in a new war picture. When Woltz refuses, he wakes up the next morning to find the head of his prize stallion in his bed with him. It’s gruesome, shocking, and has a perfect buildup of silence with the theme playing in the distance. This is brought to life with gentle editing and Marley’s performance…which was genuine because the actor had no idea he would be sharing a bed with a decapitated horse. Well played, Mr. Coppola. 

3. They shot Sonny on the causeway – Santino “Sonny” Corleone (James Caan), was the first-born of Vito and the heir-apparent to the head of the family. His brutal and bloody death at a toll booth comes by way of what seems like 10 billion gunshots, and Caan’s performance sells it. This was a technical achievement because of the amount of squibs (blood packs) which had to be exploded at the right times, and to this day much of America can’t stop at a highway toll booth without thinking of this scene. Thank the maker for E-ZPass.

2. I do renounce him – The Corleone family had always drawn a fine line between business and family, and this climactic scene shows us that line. As Michael stands at an altar, taking vows to renounce Satan as godfather to his niece, his plan to murder all of his rivals and enemies is taking place. The scene cuts back and forth from the church to the brutal killings with precision timing, and the far-away look in Al Pacino’s eye tells us that his thoughts are elsewhere while the holy water is being poured. This scene scared the hell out of this Blogger as a wee-lad. 

1. I believe in America – The opening scene is just as important as the closing. This now famous scene, in which a friend of Vito’s makes a request of revenge, establishes the world of THE GODFATHER and immediately defines immigration to America in the 1940’s. Filmed with minimal lighting and quiet dialogue, everything that THE GODFATHER is about is in this opener; family, business, murder, loyalty, and most of all…power. It is here we get our first look at Marlon Brando as the Don; a look that is now seared into our minds as one of the greatest in all of cinema. 

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This December, THE GODFATHER PART II celebrates its 45^thanniversary. Reel Speak will mark the occasion with the Top 10 Scenes from PART II.