*an offer he couldn't refuse* FIRST TIME WATCHING: The Godfather (1972) REACTION (Movie Commentary)

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*Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. All rights belong to their respective owners.

[@stapleboss]

Luca Brasi was the most feared hitman / tough guy in the mob. In the book, even the Godfather was nervous around him because the guy just oozed evil. But he was fiercely loyal to the Godfather, as you see in the wedding scene when all he wanted to do was thank the Don for inviting him. He didn't ask for anything. That's why they had to take him out first, he would have torn down NY after the hit on the Godfather.

[@badplay156]

The actor playing him was a real mob bodyguard and had been jailed for arson

[@samanthanickson6478]

@@badplay156 wow! i did not know that.

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

Yeah, Luca Brasi is "unfilmably" dark in the book. If Coppola had tried to show it, it would have made the audience hate the entire Corleone family.

[@zvimur]

@@dudermcdudeface3674 same reason we're not explained anything about Al Neri in the movie.

[@MontagZoso]

Yep, good point!

[@BobBilheimer]

I didn’t consider how Don Corleone died to be a tragedy. Quite the reverse. To not only survive the assassination attempt, but to live long enough to die surrounded by his family was the greatest joy he could’ve wished for

[@JK-gu3tl]

Contrast it to Mike's death, and it's uplifting.

[@bigredtlc1828]

That moment when Michael says in the hospital to his Dad, "I'm with you, Pop." It's the seminal moment in the whole trilogy. Michael makes a choice and it changes everything. Amazing movie.

[@todddunaway3588]

Also, right after that when he lights Enzo’s cigarette he notices that he wasn’t shaking at all out of nervousness. He was calm under pressure. That was the ultimate proof right there that proved to himself that he could do this.

[@ludovicoc7046]

An insightful comment. I've seen this a dozen times and I never noticed that before.

[@lizd2943]

And then he buried his humanity with Apollonia.

[@MontagZoso]

Exactly! Well said. 👍

[@MontagZoso]

@@todddunaway3588 Yep, I loved that scene. I love when Michael looks at his hand with the lighter and notices his hand is calm. Exquisite moment.

[@dwaekkisinsanity5233]

Sonny's death was devastating, more to Tom as he had to deliver the news to Vito. It was Sonny who found him after all, and probably the closest brother to him.

[@marieantoinette1360]

Look what they did to my boy

[@MontagZoso]

@@marieantoinette1360Actually he said, “Look how they massacred my boy.”

[@scottdarden3091]

And it was Sonny that I Carlo to Connie 😢

[@onepcwhiz6847]

Vito knew that Sonny made a huge mistake in revealing he liked the drug idea. The Corleones appeared to have split opinion instead of showing a united front.

[@russellward4624]

Exactly. If they had provided a unified front they never woukd have attempted the hit.

[@alonenjersey]

Just one example why Sonny was a bad Don. The family business would have collapsed with him in charge.

[@nathanlawson313]

The horse head reaction was genuine. They told him they had a prop head with fake blood. They lied. That was an actual horse and real blood. The actor could tell right away...

[@JK-gu3tl]

Horse was already going to be killed so why waste an opportunity. Coppola did the same thing with Apocalyse Now and the water buffalo.

[@rrmenton8016]

About the layers to Michael, to me, it is the fact that he is a college boy business student. When he you see his dad, he has pretty charming personality, and sonny a very passionate hot headed nature. But Al Pacinos character, after the death of his wife, goes all business, no emotions thereafter. The scariest gangster is an emotionless capitalist.

[@bigredtlc1828]

There's a deleted scene on the DVD that shows Michael's bodyguard that sold him out in Italy made it to America and ran a pizza joint. Possibly his betrayal was his reward to get to America. The scene shows his car blowing up with him in it to show Michael never forgets.

[@domingorubies656]

Awesome, looking for it now

[@BigBoss-zi5ss]

It's a deleted scene for Gf part 2

[@phatlewt2932]

the execution was more personal in the book

[@russellward4624]

They could have done a better job providing his reason. the "take me to the America GI" didn't really make it clear his motivation was to go to America no matter what and killing Michael would get him a visa.

[@Anne-pv9cb]

It's in the book

[@flibber123]

I think what happened with Luca was Vito Corleone was a step behind his enemies. When Sonny spoke up in the meeting, it showed that Sonny wanted the deal. Since Sonny was second in command of the family, it meant if Vito Corleone was killed then they could make the deal with Sonny. So the attack on Vito was already being planned by the time Luca goes to start spying on the Tattagias. Sollozzo and his partners knew that killing Luca was a necessary first step in killing Vito, so Vito unknowingly sent Luca to his death. That's why when they were ready to move on Vito, Luca was easy for them to kill. Regarding Fabrizzio, Michael's Sicilian bodyguard, when we see him early on he's begging US troops to take him to America. That's Fabrizzio's weakness. Michael does not pay attention to it. Later, Michael has Fabrizzio translate while talking to Apollonia's father. Michael spells out who he is and that people are looking for him. Michael gives Fabrizzio the information that Fabrizzio can sell to go to America. This winds up costing Apollonia her life. I think that is a big part of why Michael got so cold blooded. He knows a mistake he made caused his wife's death. So he's obsessed with not making anymore mistakes, he wants to stay on top of things at all times.

[@geraldjohnson4013]

Man, you brought up some points that I didn't really notice. I learn something new everyday.

[@thomasfulcher1276]

That's a spot on break down gov. If I could add : for years I wondered how Vito could do easily send Luca into basically an ambush. Eventually I came to realize that Luca would have held his own if it were only the Tatallia family & Solozzo. But he did not know, until that day, that it was Bazinni all along. That was misjudgements. Not knowing he was in against The Tatallias, Bazinni & Solozzo, and realistically, all of the other families who Bazzini already hooked into. He couldn't have known he was sending Luca into the lions den. Great pickup on Santinos reaction to Solozzo. That small outburst set off a chain reaction that would Include alot of death , war , etc. Incredible movie. So many huge performances. My personal favorite is Mo Green.

[@thomasfulcher1276]

Wait, Pete Clamenza is , hands down , my favorite character. Sucks he was written out of 2..

[@mattparks2153]

You understand this film very well, my friend. My compliments.

[@docbearmb]

Two points to ponder: - Michael always had it in him; he was very much like Vito. People forget that, though he might have been a “civilian”, he was a highly decorated Marine. So strategy and tactics as well as killing were not foreign to him. Plus he volunteered to protect his country just as Vito saw it as his duty to protect his family. - Just let your mind envision Apollonia in the purple dress or nightgown versus Kay looking like a scarecrow in that dopey red hat and coat. Now, tell me Michael didn’t make a smart decision. Too bad Apollonia decided to drive him.

[@rxtsec1]

The book & movie point that out when Enzo's hands were shaking & Micheal realized he wasn't. That's when he realized he could do it

[@JK-gu3tl]

Too bad we never got a Mike Corelone in WWII movie. Talk about a missed opportunity.

[@pechenoir9780]

there is more to consider about the two women: Kay represented (at first) a break from the family and the traditions. his children would not be allowed in the mafia with a non-Sicilian (not even italian) mother. it is only after he told his father, "I'm with you now," and commits murder for the family that he is open to the idea of being with a Sicilian woman. that is something Kay did not understand when she had the abortion. her children would never and could never be in the mafia. when he returns to America, and eventually Kay, he still wants to go legitimate, but the things he had to do to protect himself and his family, and the burden of the deaths of his brother and his wife, and the betrayals hardened him every step of the way. each son inherited a trait from their father - but none had all of them, which is what made Vito successful.

[@laapache1]

he was a war hero

[@TheJoshestWhite]

Monday Tuesday Thursday Wednesday

[@brgreg8725]

Pacino actually had his jaw wired shut for his broken jaw scenes. How he never won an Oscar for this or Part II is one of life’s mysteries!

[@rxtsec1]

Not true, in the book that's what happened and he needed surgery years later and Ford Coppola wanted to stay with that Authenticity

[@brgreg8725]

@@rxtsec1 100% true. Pacino & DeNiro took method to the next level

[@wandachamberlain6877]

I would say Al Pacino's portrayal of Michael Corleone was his most iconic role.

[@maxducoudray]

"Slow pacing is hit or miss..." I relate to this. One of the reasons it works in this movie is because it makes everything feel real. You feel like you're looking in on a real family of real people, with events unfolding in real time.

[@mistercrockett]

I’m 36, I have a friend that’s 28 or 29 that misses out on a time of good shit because he doesn’t have the patience for the slow burn like the rest of his generation, I only bring it up because they’ll never know great work or anything good for them because of the lack of patience until it’s too late ⏰

[@actionalex3611]

@@mistercrockett They´ll grow up and see that shit as adults. lol

[@DCshandle]

@@actionalex3611doubt it they just have 0 attention span

[@Henchman_Holding_Wrench]

Michael's educated, he's been in combat as a Captain in the Marines, one of the cops mentioned outside of the hospital that he was a war hero. I think people underestimated him because he wasn't part of that world. They've never seen him in a fight. And he was the super clean vet who Vito hoped would enter politics. Going after his family was the worst mistake the other families made.

[@BishopWalters12]

I will never undersatand how Pacino never won an Oscar for playing Michael and Godfather 2 is even better in my opinion.

[@ScarlettM]

14:25 - Italian mafia had this code of honor: during a war, women and children and unaffiliated family members were safe. They would live at home, lead a normal life without any fear. The men would "go to the mattresses" - rent out an empty apartment, with only mattresses to sleep on and wage war from there.

[@scottmoore1614]

Yeah, Michael is indeed WORSE than his father. I always thought that. He is stone cold. That’s the ironic part, because Michael was the one that was supposed to be kept out of the family business. In the second film, he’s even more brutal.

[@blakeharris58]

Michael isn’t exactly worse than his father, the world is worse than it was when his father was building his empire. So if nothing else, Michael HAS to be worse.

[@leonardos2925]

@@blakeharris58 Agreed.

[@catherinelw9365]

The war probably made him cold. Fighting the Japanese was horrific.

[@ollietsb1704]

The murdered police captain was Sterling Hayden, who played General Jack T. Ripper in DR. STRANGELOVE, and was the white-suited company owners in NINE TO FIVE (Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda). Sterling's strongest films were his '50s noir thrillers like 1954's SUDDENLY (with Frank Sinatra) and ASPHALT JUNGLE. Top notch films.

[@madgepenelopemorgan2429]

Sterling in 'Johnny Guitar' with Joan Crawford. 'We must preserve our bodily fluids'. I fell out with laughter remembering Sterling when I learned that the supremacist terrorists 'proud boys' follow the same edikkkts afore an akkktion. 'Preserve bodily fluids'.

[@alonenjersey]

He appeared in a few good b & w noir films.

[@jessharvell1022]

the horse head in the bed has become such a famous bit of pop culture that it's always great seeing someone who has no idea react to it.

[@yaimavol]

Yeah the Airplane spoof is hilarious

[@samanthanickson6478]

@@yaimavol the simpsons too.

[@TheDivayenta]

You’re not tripping! It’s Adrienne. She’s Francis Ford Coppola’s sister! Johnny Fontaine is sort of Frank Sinatra who supposedly received Mob help early in his career- when he wanted to be in the movies. Love your reaction- every scene is iconic!!Your insight is excellent! Wait’ll you see the second one. It’s hard to find crime flicks with such deep character exploration! It’s hard to believe Coppola was only 30 when he directed this. Subbed!!👏👏👏

[@LeviAckerman-cb5ji]

22:35 Michael left in such a hurry that he never got the surgery he needed, and his jaw didn't properly heal. This lead to a sinus infection, that blackened his eye, and caused mucus to leak constantly from his nose. That's why he always walks around with that handkerchief. He did not trust the doctors in Sicily to fix his face, both because they had primitive skills, and he was in hiding.

[@gibsongirl2100]

I think that I've mentioned this before, but I have to say (again?) that I really enjoy your reactions. You don't rattle on endlessly throughout a film, over the dialogue, and then ask what's happening in a scene. Your remarks are brief and to the point. Your analyses and critiques at the end are thoughtful, insightful and articulate. Great job! Can't wait for GF II!

[@Celena-en7tg]

Agree..100%...I stopped watching a few reactors for that very reason...they just wouldn't shut up...lol...just way to much than needed..or they would say something offensive or stupid about some of the subs supporting them....Caped is great ..you can really enjoy his calm, intellectual behavior during his reactions..doesn't try to overact for the camera either.

[@samanthanickson6478]

@@Celena-en7tg i mean, i get it. there’s copyright issues to think of making them talk, but, damn if i can’t handle the over-talking. that kills the entire review and i shut it off.

[@altoid2971]

Also his disembodied head isn't moving all around in a bubble

[@isabelsilva62023]

@@samanthanickson6478 More than the copyright issues the thing is they are not used to movies with dialogue and have trouble following plot lines, how one thing relates to the other seems to be an endless mistery to them.

[@SRG1966]

The punch broke Michael's cheek, which is why it took so long to heal. The gunshot to Moe Green's eye, through the glasses, is an amazing effect when you consider there was no CGI then. How they did it without risking injury to the actor's eye I have no idea. Incredible shot and very shocking for 1972. Brando was only 48 when he played Vito here.

[@shanekeenaNYC]

It could have been a rudimentary sugar glass substitute.

[@JH-lo9ut]

The eye glass effect is very impressive and it still looks good. Of course it is some kind of sugar glass or whatever, but there is still some little pyrotechnical or mechanical devise that cracks the glasses half an inch away from the actor's eye. That is not nothing.

[@rrmenton8016]

"Whats he supposed to be, italian Justin bieber?" Actually hes supposed to be frank Sinatra the 1940s Justin bieber. Lotsa rumors about frank getting mafia favors.

[@TheNeonRabbit]

18:02 Michael wasn't raised to be a soldier for the family but he was a Marine. He was recently honorably discharged after fighting in the Pacific and was awarded the Silver Star and the Navy Cross.

[@gasaholic47]

Right, which means he knew how to be calm under pressure. It served him well during his scene with his father in the hospital, confronting McCluskey, and most of all, in the restaurant when he kills McCluskey and Solozzo.

[@44excalibur]

"What's he supposed to be, the Italian Justin Bieber?" No, he's actually supposed to be Frank Sinatra. The character of Johnny Fontaine is loosely based on Frank Sinatra, who was rumored to have mob connections that helped him get started in his career.

[@SuburbanSavage]

Fun fact: the baby at the baptism was Sofia Coppola. True story: every Thanksgiving my dad insisted that we watch "Godfather" & "Godfather 2." Every Easter he had us watch "Alien" & "Aliens." I think it was for the eggs.

[@johannvandebron986]

“Obviously Johnny Fontane was inspired by a kind of Frank Sinatra character,” Coppola said on the commentary track

[@jamesalexander5623]

The movie that Sinatra wanted a part in was 'From Here to Eternity" .... And he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor!

[@rxtsec1]

And Frank Sinatra tried to keep the movie from being done because of it

[@alonenjersey]

@@rxtsec1 Yes. Old blue eyes was not happy at all. He wanted Coppola dead.

[@samanthanickson6478]

i believe michael’s orbital eye socket was broken by the cops punch, making it take so much longer to heal than a regular black eye. i think so.

[@positivelynegative9149]

And Sunny mentions that his jaw it broken; hence Michael talking with his teeth together. 😬

[@samanthanickson6478]

@@positivelynegative9149 oh yes, thank you! so essentially, the whole left side of his face got messed up.

[@Fonny222]

I always wondered about this until I finally read the book recently and he apparently had severe damage to one do his sinus cavities from the punch. He didn’t trust that the Doctors were any good in Sicily where he was hiding so he didn’t get his face fixed until he came back to the US. As a result his nose constantly runs. In the scene where his wife blows up in the film you can see him dabbing his nose with the handkerchief as described in the book. I thought it was cool they added that little detail to the movie.

[@jmweed1861]

When the Police Captain hit him, it fractured his jaw and cheek bones. As the had to flee to Sicily after killing McKlusky and Salosso, it never healed correctly... He finally had it fixed after his return to America for the sake of his children after he married Kay ..

[@izzonj]

The guy who played Luca was incredibly intimidated by playing a scene with the great Marlon Brando. When you see him stumble in his lines, that was a real flub, new couldn't get through it. Of course, Brando making faces at him trying to get him to break character didn't help. Coppola decided to use one of the flubbed takes and added the scene of Luca practicing what he was going to say to the Don to show the character was a nervous as the actor.

[@BigBoss-zi5ss]

The actor playing Luca Brasi was actually really nervous and practiced his lines and the director thought it would fit being in the movie and him stammering was really the actor being nervous in front of Marlon Brando

[@blacbraun]

Didn't help that Brando had a sign stuck to his head during that scene that said "FUCK YOU"

[@damianolanzoni9583]

And it's funny considering that Lenny Montana (the actor that played Brasi) was a real mobster as he was an enforcer for the Colombo crime family.

[@warrengouldthorpe5091]

The actor who played Luca Brasi was in the Mafia in real life and was soo nervous around Brandon Marlo he kept messing up his lines which is why he practices his lines before hand

[@francisalbert1799]

The door closing on Kay. She will always be on the outside looking in.

[@domingorubies656]

That Michael Corleone role is one for the Ages. Stone Cold , Ruthless, Brilliant. Al Pacino hit it out of the Park.

[@Joseph.M.]

Michael had always been a boss even before he turned to crime. He was the highest rank a non commissioned enlisted officer could be in the Marines and was a decorated war hero. Hed been leading and killing men in Japan for years up until he came home, he always had what it took it just took some pushing.

[@geraldjohnson4013]

Michael was a captain in the Marine Corps. He was a commissioned officer. Undoubtedly he was in command of an infantry company of 235 Marines (Marine infantry companies were a bit larger than Army infantry companies which numbered 193 soldiers). That number hadn't changed that much when I went to boot camp at MCRD San Diego back in 1982 except training companies were way larger. Michael was astute in battle tactics and hardened by combat against the Imperial Japanese Army.

[@brgreg8725]

Coppola was the only one who wanted Pacino as Michael. Pure genius! Great review

[@briangonigal3974]

Funny that you say Tony Montana in Scarface is Pachino's most "iconic" role, most would say it's Michael Corleone. It's the role that single-handedly made him a star to begin with and he'd go on to play it twice more, effectively bookending his career with it when he did Godfather III in 1990.

[@hurricane1951]

"Michael bruises up kind of easy"." Sterling Hayden, the man who plays the police captain, was 6'-5". Al Pacino is 5'-5" or 5'-6". He took that punch pretty good.

[@rxtsec1]

In the book he had the bruise for years and needed surgery to correct it

[@robertmccauley754]

You would love Dog Day Afternoon.

[@francisalbert1799]

One of Pacino’s best!

[@seerofallthatisobvious1316]

@@francisalbert1799 Dog Day Afternoon and Serpico are my favorite Pacino movies.

[@notthechosenjuan2413]

Dude Sonny beating up Carlo is a little more real then you think, I mean it looks fake but actually the guy who played Carlo suffered broken bones and [James Caan] really bit the guy hand. That's because off camera they didn't like each other.

[@blackprix]

The actors in this movie had you believe you were watching the real mob… Great cast of characters and their acting superior

[@TTM9691]

You had great reactions to every single act of violence in the movie; the thing that blows me away is that there is something memorable about every one of those mob hits. It's not just an explosion and a lot of fast cutting; every one of those moments is imprinted on your mind forever: Moe Green getting shot in the eye, Sonny at the toll booth, Carlo getting beat up (then Connie), etc etc.

[@23chdavis]

Man, I don't remember the exact Season or Episode, but I love the Send-up that Modern Family did of the Scene where Michael is at the Baptism.

[@AeonAxisProductions]

Quick thing you might not realize on your first watch, the reason they shot sonny so many times is because of Vito surviving

[@rxtsec1]

You nailed Sonny perfectly. The one quality he had from his Father was getting those closest to him to love him & he loved them back. Micheal had every other quality from his father accept that one & it shows in the future movies

[@TheNeonRabbit]

22:33 The book describes Michael's injury from the cop as a broken cheek bone and eye socket, left untreated until he returned to America.

[@ajonteampanalo]

Great reaction! My only complaint is we didn’t get to hear “leave the gun, take the cannoli” - such an iconic line! 😎

[@TTM9691]

LOVE what you say about Al Pacino at the end! Two essential Pacino roles: "Dog Day Afternoon" which he (and the actor who played Fredo, John Cazale) did right after "Godfather Part 2", a true crime story, AMAZING movie. Fredo is not Fredo in this movie, that's all I'm saying! And "Donnie Brasco" with Johnny Depp, a totally different mob movie/character, and also a true story.

[@jonreese7066]

Polly the guy Clemenza shot in the car was Vittos bodyguard but called in sick the day of the hit. Sonny figured out Polly turned traitor

[@possumverde]

In the book, the police captain used brass knuckles an broke the bone under Michael's eye which somehow also messed up his sinuses giving him a permanent runny nose. That's where his habit of dabbing his nose with a handkerchief came from. He didn't have time for surgery before fleeing to Cicily and didn't trust the surgeons there so he didn't get it fixed until much later when he asked Kay if she wanted him to do so. Edit: Also, the actress who played Appolonia was only 16 at the time (though she definitely looks older than that.) The nude scene and such was a bit... controversial.

[@TTM9691]

Great reaction! I've seen this movie ten thousand times, I NEVER noticed the movie producer is sleeping with an Oscar next to his bed! Thanks! Best reaction to the horse's head I think I've yet seen! Yes, that's Adrian from Rocky (Talia Shire), and definitely the earliest you're going to see Pacino (other than one movie he did shortly before this one)! "The Italian Justin Bieber"....lol....the real-life "Italian Justin Bieber" would be Frank Sinatra, who the Johnny Fontaine part is partially based on. Have to finish up your reaction later (I'm halfway through), but I'm LOVING it so far!

[@nikolatesla5553]

This is the first time that an Oscar was used as a prop in a movie.

[@thomasknash]

One of my favorite moments in the movie is a throwaway line that just seems to show Sonny’s racism, but actually spells out an interesting unseen storyline. “Them n***** are having a good time with our policy banks up there in Harlem. Driving them new Cadillacs, been paying fifty percent on a bet.” Basically Sonny is talking about how the black gangsters in Harlem (the Bumpy Johnsons of this universe) have taken over the Corleone family policy banks/numbers games, and instead of paying 600-1 on a bet are paying 500-1, raking in large amounts of dough. Lots of Black audiences in the 70s would have instantly recognized that Sonny was bitching about getting run out of Harlem (the numbers game was still popular then: Sanford & Son even had an episode about Fred playing the numbers and wins $600). So what sounds just like Sonny being condescending & racist to modern audiences, to black audiences back then would be acknowledgement that black gangsters were a force to reckon with in The Godfather universe.

[@rxtsec1]

As a black man this movie was so honest which is why I love it. Drugs & liquor stores were purposefully thrown in are neighborhoods and not controlled

[@BigBoss-zi5ss]

True and I hate tho how alot of ppl forget it's a movie cause it labeled Italians as being racists and Hollywood would did a job wit that playing off the godfather lines of that..that's one thing I hated cause there are some morons out there who take movies as scripture...I actually saw a comment one time on a diff channel about mob guys and one guy said " Italians hate black ppl ..they even said it in the godfather calling us animals"... I was like really ?? . It's a movie get some brains

[@DavidThomas-fb8bq]

In goodfellas, Tommy was says 'can you believe in this day and age they're prejudice against Italians '.

[@rxtsec1]

@@BigBoss-zi5ss some italians were racist but not all however what was done in the black neighborhoods is the truth

[@rxtsec1]

@@DavidThomas-fb8bq In Goodfellas they made Tommy racist even in how he killed stacks however in real life him and stacks were best friends and after stacks made his mistake he was ordered to kill him. Tommy refused until he was told he wouldn't be made. When he killed stacks he cried. To this day that's the only flaw Goodfellas had in my opinion.

[@howardbalaban7051]

Two reasons why the second movie is equal or better in most eyes: Robert. De Niro. (He plays the role of young Vito. And it's amazing.)

[@donshipman8441]

They are one in the same

[@howardbalaban7051]

@@donshipman8441 I can't tell...are you correcting me or agreeing with me?

[@timspellman47]

@@howardbalaban7051 The first one is better in my opinion because of Marlon Brando.

[@patrickfoster8335]

That was an actual horse head and the actor wasn’t told. They got it from some dog food factory.

[@jayadidas]

Amazon has a series about the making of The Godfather called "The Offer".

[@ninjavigilante5311]

Jus listen to the commentary as well with Francis.. he tells alot good stories and info

[@datnobodyking13]

I'm all caught up on that, it's a fucking dope show. True godfather fans will get all the little references and nods.

[@IcarusLhooq-bc7uq]

Classics become classics for a reason. This was my mothers era and you could be my son by age . A 50 year old movie still admired. A masterpiece

[@Aradim90]

They didn't attempt the murder on the Don because he rejected his deal, they tried to kill him because Sonny showed interest in the deal, yeah they would have a short war but then Sonny would cave in, the Don would have never taken the deal.

[@Curraghmore]

I'm sure I'm not the first to say it, but you're right about Connie Corleone being Adrian from the 'Rocky' films. Talia Shire is Francis Ford Coppola's sister, and the mother of actor Jason Schwartzman. Also, Nicolas Cage is the Coppola's nephew (his real surname is Coppola).

[@lanagievski1540]

The cinema greats from this era all share one thing in common, they all know when to let things sit and play out

[@Curraghmore]

For the famous horse's head scene, Coppola used a real horse's head without telling the actor in advance, so that at least part of his shocked reaction would be real.

[@MagicianNoriginal]

Loved the way your eyes lit up when you saw "Adrian" was in this film ☺

[@83gemm]

My linguistics professor in college was married to our Spanish professor. She was from Venezuela. He told us a funny story of when he first met her family. He told them that Spanish and Italian were really just different dialects of the same language. Apparently, you DO NOT say this and he accidentally offended the heck out of them. 😂

[@isabelsilva62023]

He showed his boundless ignorance.

[@83gemm]

@@isabelsilva62023 I mean… he had a phd in linguistics so I’m not gonna say that as he clearly knows more about it than I do.

[@DCshandle]

You don’t say that about any language. Spanish and English are practically the same. Since they all come from Latin it’s easy to see why

[@Ninjjulie]

Yeah, that's the same actress that played Adrian - Talia Shire.

[@JK-gu3tl]

Before Godfather, Coppola didn't make any great movies but was mainly chose b/c he was of Italian heritage. He would later make 3 more masterpieces in the 1970s. Crazy part was Scorsese wasn't chosen b/c he was even less well known.

[@GreenLantern141]

The Godfather imo is the greatest movie ever made, with Part 2 being just as good as the first.

[@ryanje8147]

Bro.......you are one of the few reactors that recognized Connie as being Adrienne from Rocky. Good job. The second Godfather movie is even better!!! I hope you react to it.

[@snootybaronet]

The biggest loss to the Corleones', and Mike personally, was Apollonia. As a native born Sicilian, she would have made the perfect wife for Michael as Godfather. She would have helped Michael keep the family together entering turbulent and changing times. Instead, Mike was saddled with Kay, the passive aggressive New Age woman, who kept him stressed and was useless in family affairs. She had no sympathy for the old ways. The only role she could have fulfilled would be entertaining all the corrupt judges and pols. And perhaps helping with family image as they moved into the legitimate world. But her destructiveness outweighed that future role.

[@briangonigal3974]

Or to put it another way, because of the corrupt environment she was born into, Apolonia would have known no other path than to accept her husband being a violent murderer & crime lord, While Kay has higher standards and at least a bit more self-worth than to act like there's nothing wrong with the fact that the sweet, noble, hero Marine she fell in love with has corroded into a hypocritical, sociopathic murdering scumbag.

[@snootybaronet]

@@briangonigal3974 Kay's "higher standards" are illusory, she played the "hear no evil, see no evil", "Mikey is going legitimate" enabler. Her "higher principles" amounted to self justification while enjoying an extravagant lifestyle. I'm sure her social register family and friends bought her "going legitimate", Mafioso moll line as well. Appollonia had the benefit of being self aware, and wouldn't have projected Kay's self hatred, and hypocrisy onto her children, turning her son into a basket case.

[@rafaelchavez5559]

You need to see this masterpiece many times to understand it well and even after many times you keep discovering more things.

[@jmweed1861]

Actually you need to Read the book. I read it when it first came out in 1969. Then saw the movie in 1972. Because I had read the book, I understood a lot of things in the movie that are hard to understand at first.

[@phatlewt2932]

@@jmweed1861 the book was great but i had two issues with it, the overly descriptive sex and book Michael feeling like a completely different character from his movie counterpart. It's not just because the book is more detailed, characters are always more complex in books, like Sonny for example. But book Sonny still felt like the movie version whereas in Michael's case, i just couldn't see pacino's version when i imagined certain scenes from the book. In the movie he's much more reserved, which i personally preferred over the book

[@thunderstruck5484]

Whenever I’m having a weak moment in life I imagine The Godfather slapping me and making fun of me and that usually slaps me out of my self pity, Thanks again!

[@salsonny]

johnny Fontaine was suppose to be Frank Sinatra

[@faithshade1430]

And Vito Corleone was largely based on Carlos Gambino.

[@mattlawrence1932]

They don't only show Michael in Part 2 but also show his father as a younger Don Vito & his rise to power but it's not played by Marlon Brando, it's played by a very young Robert De Niro 💯 It also shows how Don Vito came to America as a child & how he meets Fat Clemenza & Tessio way before Sonny & Fredo & Michael were even born!!!!!

[@micahdevynn3967]

You need to see Al Pacino as Lefty Ruggiero in the film Donnie Brasco. Brilliant role. Brilliant film all around.

[@hitchcol2030]

Al Pacino is the man. Check him out in Sea of Love, too.

[@Cashcrop54]

Great watching with you today. Moe Green said "I buy you out. You don't buy me out". Michael Franzese related in one of his videos that John Gotti said this to Michael (himself). It would have been after the movie came out. Michael Franzese was a Captain in the Columbo family.

[@KNichelle]

Great synopsis of this classic film.👍🏾 Can’t wait to see your reaction to Godfather Part 2😁

[@domingorubies656]

And his shock at Part 3 xd

[@seanabadalich9112]

From the beginning Michael was never the innocent college kid. He was a decorated WWII veteran who had seen more bloodshed than all the made guys put together.

[@bellodrade]

According to Puzo, Johnny is supposed to be Frank Sinatra. The band leader was Tommy Dorsey. And the story is supposedly true. When his book came out, Sinatra supposedly had it out with Puzo at a restaurant. Crazy stuff.

[@LethalOldFart]

“Events didn’t happen in this movie, they unfolded”. Great line. Very significant and well put.

[@zvimur]

10:15, what always puzzled me is how Vito thought anyone would believe that Luca would sell out the Corleones. Naturally Luca would be suspected for a double agent.

[@lolarose2423]

Tampoco me di cuenta de cómo el español y el italiano suenan tan familiares. Gran reacción. (I’m also studying Spanish).

[@The_Great_White_Moose]

Another amazing Pacino movie is “Scent of a Woman”. Highly recommended!

[@richiecabral3602]

Not only is Don Corleone's daughter also Adrienne from "Rocky", but Talia Shire is also Francis Ford Coppola's sister in real life.

[@orlandoturner7725]

@32:09 He scared the little boy for real, that’s why he started hugging him laughing. They left it in the movie.

[@agenttheater5]

9:10 Speaking of monsters there's two deleted scenes that reflect something in the book. Before Tom talks to Wolz the first time we see that he's arranged a birthday party for a child actress (roughly 13 or so), he gives her a Shetland pony, she kisses him on the cheek and her mother starts talking about how nice it was of him to get it for her. Just as Tom leaves the house he looks up and sees that same girl standing at the top of the stairs, dressed up and looking like she's been crying, and her mother comes out snapping at her 'I told you not to leave that room'. Don Corleone comments on it when he hears about it, the whole thing leaves a bad taste in his mouth and he uses the worst insult he can think of.

[@solblackguy]

One of the best behind the scenes stories for Godfather is that Mario Puzo, the author of the books was hired to adapt them to screenplay. Mario had zero experience in writing scripts but managed to win 2 Oscars for the first two movies. Despite such an achievement, he felt like some type of fraud and decided to get a book to learn proper screenwriting. The first step in the book said "Study the first two Godfather movies."

[@mcgilj1]

Yes.. Connie was played by Talia Shire. She reprised the role in part II and III. She also played Adrian in the "Rocky" series. She's also the sister of director Francis Ford Coppola.. his daughter Sophia is also a director, and Francis also has a very famous nephew Nicholas Coppola, aka Nicholas Cage. Also his nephew Jason Schwartzman (Scott Pilgrim, Rushmore) and son of Talia...

[@njongcbooi315]

Great reaction. Can't wait for the godfather 2

[@MG-jv7pe]

I love this trilogy. The way Robert Duvall’s voice cracks ever so subtly when he tells Don Vito “they shot sonny on the causeway” gets me every time. Can’t wait for your Godfather 2 & 3 reactions! Keep up the great work!

[@AnthonyLaMastra]

I don’t know if you noticed, but not only was Talia Shire in this movie, but the actor Joe Spinelli, who was the character that shot Barzini, also portrayed Mr Gazzo from Rocky.

[@Sco3000]

Al Neri shoots Don Barzini, Willy Cici shoots Don Cuneo

[@AnthonyLaMastra]

@@Sco3000 my bad, but I’m sure he’ll know who I’m talking about

[@TTM9691]

Fantastic post-move analysis of the characters and the film itself, I couldn't agree more with you! Really excited to see you do Part 2!

[@jnagarya519]

"Johnny Fontaine" = Frank Sinatra, or Dean Martin (real name Dino Martini), or Tony Bennett (real name Anthony Benedetto). The actor in the film is actual singer Al Martino.

[@MsAppeljack]

Yes that is Adrian from Rocky. She is the sister of the director ;) Also the baby being christened is the Directors daughter, Sophia Coppala. She is now a director and played the part of Michael Corleone's daughter in the third movies of this trilogy. Cheers.

[@jackmaritt5094]

Couldn't wait for your reaction to you know what, was NOT disappointed 😄 Thanks, Caped Informer

[@PapaEli-pz8ff]

It's been fifty years since I first saw this Masterpiece in a movie theater. Wow! Still watching..

[@peggypieters661]

Excellent and thoughtful analysis; you went deeper than most. Very good job.👍👍

[@GeneralZodFDNY77]

Bro, you get it. Your breakdown of this film was chef's kiss.

[@Mickkie]

Signature Corleone: "I'm gunna' make him an offer, he CAN'T refuse" . NO coming back, from THAT .

[@blackprix]

Not just one of the greatest mob movies of all times one of the greatest movies of all time and the sequel was absolutely outstanding the continuing story excellent

[@obx300]

FACT: Horse's head was real, it was shipped in from dog food factory in Mexico.

[@jnagarya519]

Director Coppolla is Italian-American. The author of the book, Mario Puzo, was Italian-American. For comparable, see "Joy Luck Club," first major hollowood film written and made by Chinese-Americans. They lived the cultures, get the cultures right.

[@peterengelen2794]

In the book, and I guess also in the movie, Capt. McCluskey broke Michael's jaw, that's why Michael (when in Sicily) always keeps a handkerchief with him, to dry his mouth, from leaking saliva. Btw, Talia Shire (''Adrian'' in Rocky) is actually Francis Ford Coppola's sister, and her son is Jason Schwartzman

[@pamelahofman1785]

I really appreciate your observational skills and intelligent understanding of many aspects of this classic film.