Originally posted by Don Cardi:
I've always felt that this scene was one of the first times that we see Mike take advantage of his family name and power. He was letting the father know that he was a wanted man by rival mob families, but at the same time he was letting him know that he was also a very powerful man from a very powerful family! Remember at first they spoke to Vitelli about how "hot" this girl was that they saw, not realizing it was her father. That was a huge insult to the father, and at that moment when they realized what they had said, Michael immedeatly knew that their lives were in jeopardy, so at that moment Michael used his talents to calm the father down, threaten him without really threatening him, and getting the father's approval to court his daughter. It is definately one of the first times that we see Michael's ability to handle a situation in the same manner that his father would have. Cool, calm, cunning and threatening!
Don Cardi 
True enough. But it also showed, IMO, that Michael had a way to go before learning how to be a real Don. His father had always--
always-- taught never to make a threat. Michael's threat to Sr. Vitelli was unnecessary and gratuitous. Michael asserted his power in that scene (one of the best in the entire trilogy, IMO) by the imperial way he leaned back in his chair and ordered Fabrizio to translate for him--and then answering Vitelli before Fab translated. There was no need for him to threaten Vitelli. In fact, it would have been far more effective for Michael to let Vitelli find out from Don Tomassino, who Michael was. That would have shown Michael to be a guy who used his power subtly and sparingly--like a true Don.
