A few years ago I started a thread describing what I thought were the best "looks" (facial features caught in a single scene) in "The Godfather". Here, with the aid of some pictures, I'd like to re-create that thread.

#5. The look of fear on Carlo's face when he realizes that Mike had been "on to" him (and his complicity in Sonny's killing):



#4. Tom Hagen's look at Tessio in response for a plea of getting him off the hook for "old time's sake". He's thinking, "You f*cking traitor":



#3. Mike's icy cold stare at Barzini during Vito's funeral. You just know he's thinking that Barzini is a dead man!:



#2. Vito's look of pure anguish as he declares, "Look how they massacred my boy":


And the #1 look: Virgil Sollozzo's expression after Tom Hagen "warned" him about Luca Brasi (Sollozzo already knew Luca was dead). The look is pure evil:

I've always liked the look Kaye gives to Michael at the end of GF3 when Mary is killed.

You have one of Moe Green, doing that little bit of business when he fingers his tie and shirt collar and kind of extends his neck during his meeting with Michael?

I always loved that nervous look on his face.

Great list, but...

What about the famous abortion scene? How 'bout Mike's famous look, in part II, when he's sitting by the lake with his hands entwined, before the birthday flashback after having his brother murdered?

Thats a goody, too.

I wanna post some pics from the other two parts soon.

Feel free to join in with yours, guys and gals.

This is the best expression in my opinion, along with the final image in Part 2.

Who can forget the look Michaels gives to Kaye when he closes the door in her face after she visits the children.

I don't know whether this is a look or a reaction, but what about after Kaye mentions the drapes being open and Michael looks out them and for a split second he realizes what's about to happen.

You mean this one?

My favorite, and probably the best expression in the trilogy, next to Mike in the abortion scene:

Thanks, SC. That's the one. Always reminded me a bit of Rodney Dangerfield.

"Look how they massacred my boy."

Great looks, every one of them!
I'd add a few:
1. Tom grinning outside the door when Sonny's banging Lucy, after Sonny says, "one minute," and Lucy's moaning, "Oh Sonny!" Patented Robert Duvall look.
2. Vito making his face crumble, then lifting it again, with that heart-wrenching sigh, when Tom tells him, "They shot Sonny on the causeway."
3. Senator Geary being smug when Michael says, "Oh, Senator, you can have my answer now."
4. Kay, utterly baffled, after Michael tells her the Luca/bandleader story.
5. Vito rolling his eyes in a deleted scene when he asks if Michael's "American girlfriend" got home ok."

Some other great ones i haven't seen posted yet.

Michael looking Kay dead straight in the eye and saying 'No' at the end of GF I.

Michael's eyes just before he shoots Solozzo and McCluskey in the restaurant.

Michael's thunderstruck look when he sees Apollonia for the first time.

Vito's face after Tom tells him abt Sonny's death.

Michael's 'gangster walk' right after Carlo is killed in the car. His face is so expression-less but cold in that scene. His defining moment in GF I.

How about Michael's face when he's dancing with Apolonia? That's the sweetest smile!

Where is that?

Never heard of that...I'd like to see it.

Three more:

1. The look on Tessio's face when he realizes that Hagen is on to him, as they are standing around the cars. Tessio has this frightened and resigned grin as it sinks in that he has been discovered and will surely be killed.

2. Michael when he looks with subdued fury at Moe Green right after Moe says he had to "straighten out" Fredo. This is right before Mike says back, calmly but with anger, "You straightened out my brother?"

3. Vito's look, and his tear of joy/relief, when Michael tells him solemnly at the hospital, "I'm with you Pop."

A single frame from that sequence doesn't do the scene justice.... its almost comical to watch Vito make that face. Here's a look at it:

How about Luca being garroted? That's memorable.

Wow. Is that scene on the DVD?

I always thought that the look on Michael's face when he hears Fredo say that "Johnny Ola knows these places like the back of his hand," spoke volumes! In that scene Pacino's look makes you feel the neausea and sickness that Michael is feeling.

I also liked the looks that are exchanged between Michael and Neri when Michael is hugging Fredo at mama's wake. I always felt that when Michael gives Neri that cold look, as he raises his head to look at Neri, that Neri is saying to himself " I can't believe that he really wants me to kill his own brother now that his mother is gone."

The third best look in my opinion is when Geary insults Michael when they meet. ....."you and your whole f**k*ng family!" If
looks could kill, Geary would have been dead right on the spot.


Don Cardi

That really was a brilliant piece of acting.

Pacino actually looks like he's ready to throw up.

Wasn't Al actually sick during the filming of those scenes? That could have something to do with it.

The part where Al Neri looks at Kay,as he closes the door on her at the end of GF1,As if he's thinking Michael's the Don now, he can do anything.

I always liked the look Diane Keaton gives Al Pacino right after the shooting, when she's sitting on the couch. I believe she may be holding little Mary on her lap. She shoots some very serious daggers at him with those eyes.

How about when Luca goes to see Sollozzo. When Sollozzo starts talking Luca squints and leans forward to hear him, he looks scary as hell right before he is killed.

I agree w/ Don V and also Anthony Lombardi who was the first to actually mention this chilling 'slow burn' of Michael's.

Another of my favorites is the slow turn & look from Don Fanucci...after Genco shouts at him to sit down in the theater.

Come to think of it, Genco's face after realizing who that is is pretty priceless, too!

AppleOnYa

there are a number of great "looks" but the one the always gets me is the look Tom Hagen gives Senator Geary - then (shifting only his eyes) to Michael - then (eyes only again) back to Geary, when Geary gives his "squeeze" speech to Michael. Tom is thinking, "you have NO idea what you're saying and to who!"

Senator Geary: Because I intend to squeeze you. I don't like your kind of people. I don't like to see you come out to this clean country in your oily hair -- dressed up in those silk suits - and try to pass yourselves off as decent Americans. I'll do business with you, but the fact is, I despise your masquerade -- the dishonest way you pose yourself. Yourself, and your whole f**king family.

Michael: Senator - we're both part of the same hypocrisy. But never think it applies to my family.

The Vito eye-rolling scene is in a deleted scene that's on the "extras" disc in the DVD set. It's the scene where, right after Connie's wedding, Vito, Johnny F. and his sons visit the dying Genco.
SC: GREAT topic! Thanks!

I like the look Michael gives Geary when Geary points the toy canon at Michael. I think if the setting had been different, meaning not a big party with many guests, Michael would have considered having Geary whacked on the spot.

The best looks are any involving Mr. Tom Hagen of course.