I would have wanted to see more of Vito and Michael interactions either at the very beginning of part II and then have Vito die then shown the flashbacks of his childhood and so on. I think that would have made an even better movie.
Agreed. It was unfortunate that Brando didn't show up for Part II.
I would have cut the racist statements during the meeting of the dons. It was unnecessary - the point could have been made to keep drugs away from Italians as well as the neighborhoods where the authorities would notice them without having to refer to people of color as "animals", etc.
Not unnecessary at all as racism was very common among mobsters back then. This only added to a more realistic portrayal.
