Most tragic moment in the Godfather trilogy?

What is the most tragic moment in the Trilogy?

most deffinetly michaels scream at the end of GF3

I think the deaths of Appolonia and Mary are equally tragic...both of these dearest women in Michael's life were basically innocent victims caught in the crossfire.

Apple

amen to that.

The dead of Apollonia
Indeed, Michaels scream at the end of part III
Fredo's "I'm Smart!!!"

I'd add Michael's solitary death in GF3 and Vito crying in front of Sonny's corpse.

I do think that Brando got so much emotion across in that one line "Look how they massacred my boy." There was only that little catch in his voice, but it said volumes.

I always thought Fredo's death was pretty tragic.

The last 5mins of Gf3,for me is the most Tragic,always has me in Tears

Death of Sonny (actually vito's reaction to that), Fredo and Pentangeli were the most tragic incidents, in that order. Then kay saying "I feel no love for you now". Somehow I don't feel so bad about apollonia or mary.

There's obviously ALOT of really sad moments in the films...I think the saddest is Sonny's death and the reactions we see to it, especially from Tom and Vito, but I think the most tragic moment, the one that set the tone for everything else was Apollonia's death. It was completely senseless and it changed Michael, for the worst, forever.

Mary being murdered would have to be the most tragic moment of the Trilogy. This man witnessed his own daughter's brutal death! That is tragic for any father, especially a father who loses his daughter as a result of his lifestyle! The pain and guilt that he had to live with for the rest of his life is tragic in itself!

A close second in regards to tragedy is when Young Vito watches his mother get blown away in front of him! Such a young boy losing a father, witnessing his brother being killed, and then seeing his own mother get shot! That is a tragedy!

Don Cardi

In the two scenes with Brando and Sonny's death--when Hagen tells him, and when he uncovers Sonny's body for Bonasera--Brando makes his face rise and fall in such pain, with such emotion, and such resolution to go on, that you can feel the tragedy radiating from the screen. Brilliant acting!

The only tragedy is Paulie Gatto being recruited into the family. He set up Don Vito, which ultimately led to the other tragedies of the trilogy.

I totally agree. If Paulie isn't in the family, the Don doesn't get set up, Michael doesn't go on the wrong path in life by avenging the Don, Sonny probably doesn't die. You're absolutley correct, IMO, dontommasino.

Tragic moments for me was the look on Micheals face when Kay tells him she aborted his child, thats when things really start crumbling in his life, and I also agree with his scream at the end of 3 and they way he died...

Hmmmm
The gunshot echoing over the lake. The beginning of the end
The silent scream. The end of the end.

I THINK THE LAST SCENE OF GODFATHER 2 WHEN MICHAEL IS SITTING ALONE WEARING BLACK IS THE MOST PAINFULL SCENE....
" Michael's face. Middle-aged, prematurely old Michael, now a ruthless, soul-less, power-mad and paranoid gangster in the year 1959, sits quietly and introspectively on a Tahoe estate lawn chair as the cold winter approaches. He is once again alone and fully damned, with all family loyalties dissolved. He is wearing his wedding ring, although he has separated himself for his WASP-ish, estranged wife Kay. In the disintegrated aftermath, the Machiavellian figure is isolated from everyone and emptied, with dark, brooding, hollow eyes. His own worst enemy, he has either murdered or alienated himself from those closest to him, including his brother Fredo and faithful consigliere Tom Hagen"....

Michael's scream for sure....in fact that whole Mary death scene with Connie and Kay wailing, Anthony trying to comfort his mother and Tom Hagen's son praying...

Also I agree the very understated sigh Brando makes when Hagen tells him that Sonny is dead, which is followed by him walking over to Tom and putting his hand on Tom's head.

Definitely Sonny's death And his Father in the Funeral Parlour with Bonasera..telling him it's time to repay the favour!

gotta go with turnbull and friends on this one. Brando's reaction to sonny's death is the great acting. That is the scene that pulled me into the Godfather in the first place, about 16 years ago.

I would say Brando's reaction to Sonny's death; but a close second truly tragic moment was when FFC cast his daughter as Mary in GF3.

The death of Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III.

Fredo is a rat. Why is his death tragic?

Sonny's death was very tragic. Especially when he got ridled with bullets.

Some might say the decision to make GFIII

For me, the ending of Godfather Part III is an emotional 1,2,3 punch - and the strongest of the series. Mary's death combined with the flashback, then Michael dying all alone.... I'm in tears whenever I watch it.

I agree. IMO all the tragedies in Michael's life accumulate and lead to his solitary death. I sob for ages after that!

When Michael watches his brother Fredo get wacked. As u see in GF3, Michael has lived with this guilt and sadness for many years. And having a brother myself I can feel his pain when I watch GF3 and see him breakdown when he tells the priest what he did.

Whats this from...??

they should have killed Kay instead of Apollonia

Appolonia died because it was in the novel, so you couldn't change the story. And, they could not have killed Kay because that wasn't in the novel.

The last moments of Godfather 3 from Pacino's scream to his solitary death it's so effective

lol i know im just jokin around

Sal Tessio being realized as the traitor.
also,
The moment in Cuba when Michael realizes it was Fredo who betrayed him.
Pentangele being told "Michael Corleone says hello"

Absolutely! After Mary's shot and there's silence but we still see Michael screaming, it's truly moving

Maybe not the most tragic moment, but pretty bad: When Michael closes the door on Kay in Part 2 when all she wants to do is see her children. It shows just how much of a feared bastard he has become by that point.