What does everyone think the most powerful image or scene is from the trilogy?

Mine is the look on Michael's face after Kay tells him "it was an abortion...", and also Michael telling Fredo, "I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart, you broke my heart..." Both very powerful moments, and pivotal ones, in the Trilogy.

Fredo, you're nothing to me now. You're not a brother, you're not a friend. I don't want to know you or what you do. I don't want to see you at the hotels, I don't want you near my house. When you see our mother, I want to know a day in advance, so I won't be there. You understand?

And when Michael busts Kay seeing her children at Michaels home. Aw, the look on his face then. I just love it.

To me, the most powerful scene was the very last one in Part I. After Michael tells Kay that he didn't kill Carlo, and as she leaves, and begins folding clothes, she looks through the doorway and sees Michael's caporegimes and other deputies pledging their loyalty to him, while at the same time, a bodyguard (I think it's Al Neri) closes the door.

To me, that scene is the epitome of the entire idea of the Mafia, as well as symbolically the image of the Mafia. Keeping the public unaware of their doings (with the public being Kay), and rules of code and loyalty within the Mafia.

Hands down, the most powerful scene was the silent scream. It subsumed all the pathos of the three films.

All of the above are great. My favorite is when Tom tells Vito that Sonny's dead. The way Brando made his face contort, then recover, was unforgettable.

I love it when Kay comes to get her children at Tahoe in Part II, when Michael walks up to her and closes the door in her face. Classic!

I would probably agree with the silent scream assessment. I knew that Michael realized that it was his own doing that caused Mary's death, but I didn't really think about it.

Now that you put it in those terms, I would definitely agree with you Olivant. The silent scream does show Michael's condition throughout the three movies. To me, it seems, he sort of silently suffers his destiny.

Though, when I saw the movie, I remembered this special I saw on AMC a couple months ago. The special was about how films have dealt with the holocaust. There was one film they talked about, with Rod Steiger in it, in which at one point at the end, he does a silent scream the way Michael screams. I just saw Part III the other day, so the silent scream didn't have the same impact as if I had seen it for the first time.

The other part that really drew out a lot of emotion out of me would have to be the one where Michael transfers power to Vincent, when the deputies pledge their loyalty to him. I don't know why, but for some reason those types of scenes just seem really powerful to me.

1) The flashback scene at the end of Part II
2) Mike/Fredo "I know it was you, you broke my heart"
3) Vito/Tom "But you needed a drink first. And now you've had your drink"
4) Michael's face during the Sollozzo scene (the shooting)
5) Tom and Sonny arguing "...I didn't mean that, come on, I'm sorry, I didn't... Look it's Sunday, Ma made a little dinner..." "Forget it Sonny. Over."
6) Vito "Look how they massacred my boy"
7) Michael's reaction during the Superman scene
8) Mike calmly shutting the door in Kay's face
9) Mike's expression during the abortion scene
10) Mike "Don't ask me about my business!" when he snaps at the end of Part I and slams his hand down on the desk

I could go on, and on, and on...!

Just remembered:
11) Vito's speech at the Committee meeting "If he should hang himself in his jail cell. If he should be shot at by a police officer. If he is struck by a bolt of lightning . Then I am going to blame some of the people in this room."
12) Vito getting confused in the garden with Mike. Mike "I arranged that Pop, I took care of that already" while Vito mutters about phone calls. Then "Oh yeah, so you did, I forgot. I hope you don't mind how I keep going over this..."

1) Michael's Silent Scream. The pain in that silent scream spoke volumes of how everything that Michael had done in his life had finally caught up to him and cost him not his, but his daughter's life.

2)Michael realizing that Fredo was involved with Johnny Ola and Hyman Roth when Fredo says " Johnny Ola knows these places like the back of his hand." The color just dissapears from his face and he is overcome with sickness.

3) Vito's face when Tom tells him that Sonny had been killed. As Turnbull pointed out Brando contorts his face upon hearing the news and in the next second takes full control of his emotions and steps up as the Don again.

4) I also love the look on Michael's face when Senator Geary tells him " You and your whole f**king family....Mr. COORLEEOWNEE! The look of hate on Michael's face is priceless.


Don Cardi

The calmness on Michael's face during the baptism sequence.
And when Sonny was shot: the most emotional moment in the whole trilogy. I just began to favorise him (come on, he was cool:)) and then Barzini's men started massacre him... Very strong moment for me.

The deathkiss Michael gives Fredo in Havana. "I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart."

Yes, that's tough, but Barzini and Carlo Rizzi (who made it happen) had to pay later.

Also, when Michael talks to Carlo and Carlo thinks he's safe, but look out.. Clemenza is sitting in the back of the car!

The way Michael looks walking along that little road afterwards, is a very good scene. Like I've mentioned before, that's how Al Pacino sees Michael Corleone in his head.

Yes DC, that scene really sumed up the whole triolgy.

DS

Silent scream and everything afterward: flashbacks to Michael dancing with Mary, Kay, Appolonia and then dying alone. That scene, followed by what comes after, was the key that unlocked my love for these movies. It was like the light was finally turned on, letting me see the pieces of the puzzle and how it all fit together. Amazing.

Some people don't like how the trilogy ends, I think it's the most fitting and perfect ending to any movie/trilogy in the history of cinema. I'm willing to bet that nothing will ever top it, either.

Like Turnbull and Don Cardi I love the scene where Tom tells Vito about Sonny's death.

The "I know it was you Fredo" Scene

The whole scene in the boathouse that ends with "Fredo you're nothing to me now..."

One of the very powerful scenes in GF is where Sonny, michael, tom, clemenza and tessio are discussing about their future after vito is shot.
Ofcourse on top of the list are the usual suspects: baptism scene, Vito's reaction to sonny's death, michael's reaction to abortion and many more that I can't exhaustively list

1. End of GF II.
2. Michael embraces Fredo (and looks at Neri) during Mama's funeral.
3. Murder of Sollozzo and McCluskey (after all, according to FFC, this is the scene that convinced the producers that Al was fit for the role).
4. Michael talking to Carlo: "Barzini is dead. So is Phillip Tattaglia, Moe Greene, Stracci, Cuneo...So don't tell me you're innocent..."
5. Boathouse scene near the end of GF II: "If history has taught us anything, is that you can kill anyone."

I second that!

Pacino should have got an oscar for that scene alone IMO

mike to vito:
I told you I can handle it,I will handle it

Yes, absolutely, i agree 100% with this post. That ending was unbelievably powerful, i didn't think i could be so moved by 1 scene, but it had me covered in goosebumps for the next hour after that. The emotion on Michael's face alone was just incredible, really terrific acting by Pacino.

A scene which nobody has mentioned, is the one in GFII with a young Vito played by Bob DeNiro... the bit where he goes back to Sicily to avenge his father's death... loved that part.

Aagin has ive stated lots of times the ending of GF3,so sad and makes you think about his life amd what he has been though

Perhaps the most powerful scene for me is when that kid does a donkey impression in GF3...

Only joking, I just really hate that scene for some reason

I agree that this is one of the most powerful images, except if you look at the scene closer... we the public are not left in the dark with Kay. The shot changes and we are in the room with Michael. The audiene has been allowed to enter Michael's world. The only one left in the dark is Kay. For that reason I find it beautiful.

Great observations Rodman and Leigh!

There are so many of them.....

I'll add one scene to the others that have been already listed: the immigrants watching the statue of Liberty, with the camera zooming on their faces, while the wonderful music score gives us shivers. So many different peoples, one only look, full of admiration, fear and hope. Breathtaking.