Facial Expressions

My two favorites are Vito's immediately after Tom tells him that Sonny is dead. As the novel states, Vito's will collapsed for a split second. Brando translates that to his face superbly.

Also, Tom's when Tessio is surrounded. There's dead silence and Tom's eyes shift from Tessio to Cicci then back to Tessio again.

Both great. Another is when Vito uncovers Sonny and tells Bonasera: "Look how they massacred my boy."
Some brilliant gestures:
Brando, pointing at Tom to get Bonasera a drink in the opening sequence.
Brando taking in a deep breath when he tells Bonasera, "...and then they would fear you..."
Brando's sort-of "aw, shucks" look when Bonasera says, "Be my friend?" (And Bonasera practically swallowing his tongue while he says it.)
Brando gesturing for Tom to push in his chair at the Don's Convention.
Brando putting his hand over his heart and saying, "I swear, on the heads of my grandchildren..."
Oh how brilliant he was!

Great thread.

I like the look Michael gives Solozzo. Actually a few looks.

- First the death stare.
- Then the look to the side and then back to center as he leans in to listen to Solozzo.
- The look over to McCluskey right before his "WHAT I WANT..."
- The wide-eyed looks and looking around right before he pulls out gun to whack them

Michael's look of panic when he doesn't find the gun first.
It's one of his few weak moments.

The look in Sollozzo's eye when he realizes fo an instant that Michael is going to shoot him. He knows it is to late for him to stop it, but he knows whats coming. A great piece of acting.


Also the sarcastic look Woltz gives his flunky when Tom tells him to put Johnny in the new picture.

1) The cold-hearted lack of expression by Michael, while seemingly comforting Fredo, silently communicating to Neri that the time had come for Fredo to die.

2) It's in a deleted scene, but I love the look Vito gives by rolling his eyes on the way to visit Genco in the hospital. Vito asks Michael "Did your American girlfriend get back to the city alright?" Michael answers "Tom took care of it." Vito smiles sardonically and rolls his eyes as he turns from Michael.

3) The shrugging smirk Sonny gives Connie when she is begging him not to kill Carlo. Sonny's expression says "Hey, even I'm not that cold hearted to kill your husband - the man I was responsible for introducing you to."

Is it a coincidence that all of Turnbull's expressions are from Brando? (avatar) ....only kidding. His facial expressions transcend acting.

Expressions during these lines:

Luca Brasi - being garroted.
Clemenza - "you know Mike we was all proud a' ya, even your father."
Sollozzo - "let me worry about Luca."
Connie - "cuz I need money!"
Willie Cicci - "yeah, that's right Sena'tah, the family had a lotta buffas."
Senator Geary - "we'd done it before."

In GFIII, when Mike approaches Kay with the cake. At the sound of her name she turns toward him and takes about a half-step back with a large degree of trepidation written on her face.

- The look on Sonny's face when he is ambushed at the causeway in part I.
- The look on young Vito's face when he is about to kill Don Fanucci in part II.
- The kiss on the lips when Michael confronts Fredo in part II.
- "Just when I thought I was out..." in part III.
- Michael's silent scream at the end of part III.

As has been pointed there are many, many facial expressions or gestures that one could choose. A result of brilliant acting.

The look of Lucy's face when Sonny tells Tom (through the door) "Yeah, one minute."
She really seems to understand that she has to focus on this one minute to appreciate it fully.

The look on Michael's face when Kay tells him she had an abortion.

Wow, my favorite "look" is the one a young Vito gives to young Tessio when the landlord is sitting nervously at the desk agreeing to let Senora Columbo and her "cani" stay and pay less rent.

"I lower it cinque scooti..."

Vito gives the look

"deci scooti..."

Vito gives Tess the look again.

It's classic. You can see the language Vito was talking with his eyes. As if to say to Tess "we're in charge now."

I always wonder what is in the look Kaye gives Michael at the end of GF3 when Mary is shot. Are her eyes filled with hatred for the man some what responsible for their daughter's death, or is it sympathy knowing he's in as much pain as she's in.

I love the mocking cry Vito gives Johnny Fontaine, "Waaah, what can I do, what can I do".

The look that Kay gives Michael after the Tahoe shooting.

In a deleted scene following Connie's wedding, Vito asks Michael if his "American girlfriend" got home ok, then rolls his eyes.

That's Genco he looks at.

Yes. It is a look of absolute comtempt by Kay.

I'm sorry. My mistake.

"lu cani e stari"

We did a picture thread on this subject a few years ago.

I have four favorite facial expressions:

The look of fear on Carlo's face when he realizes that Mike knows he fingered Sonny:

.

The blank, almost expressionless, stare that Mike gives Barzini at Vito's funeral. You just KNOW Barzini is a dead man:


.

Vito's pained face as he looks upon Sonny's dead body (as he mutters, "Look how they massacred my boy"). Brando at his best:


.

And my favorite "Godfather" look - Sollozzo's face when he tells Tom Hagen, "Let me worry about Luca" (already knowing that Luca Brasi was dead):

Four great choices, SC!
Using Al Lettieri as Sollozzo was one of the innumerable casting master-strokes of GF and II. Although Sollozzo is a pivotal character in GF, he actually has a small amount of on-screen time. But Lettieri is so absolutely letter-perfect that he's unforgettable. He's something like Lee Marvin: the coarse, thuggish look and character coupled to a cultivated speaking tone. Plus, in Lettieri's case, his facial expressivness.

Michael's face when Fredo lets it out that he knows Ola and Roth!

Speaking of Ola.... the smug look he gives when Hyman Roth is dressing down Michael (about killing Moe Green) made me want to smack him (Ola):

good one SC, where do you get the nice screen shots???

"I didn't ask, who gave the order..."

Since some of us are posting pics from the Trilogy, can you answer this for me.

Several yeas ago, a Board member posted several film pics one of which showed Roth sitting in his hotel room with his hands on the arm of the chair in which Michael was sitting. The parodied caption below the picture said "Michael, I'm bigger than US Steel."

Does anyone remember that pic and where on the Board can I access it?

Ah Yes, and dont forget the one when Fredo and Michael are having drinks and Fredo says, "Mikey, I was mad at you". Michael's death look comes out for a sec.

Your recollection is a little off. He grasps Michael's hand and says, "..we're (the U.S Gambling Industry) bigger than U.S steel."

No, he grasps one of the arms of the chair in which Michael is sitting and parodies the line he delivers in the movie. That was the whole point of the posting.

Right, Olivant. It was hilarious.

I found the thread using the search function.

http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1180&page=0&fpart=1

The post is about halfway down. The picture isn't displaying properly for me, but that might just be my computer.

Mike before he slaps Kay. The boiling rage.

Grazie.

what about when Paulie is talking about Connie's bridal purse... "if this was some one else's wedding... sweet tomaaaatoe"

Another: that patented Robert Duvall grin when he hears Sonny banging Lucy behind the door at Connie's wedding.

I thought he says "fui tornato"???

Sfortunata.

Sicilians speak a foreign language to other Italians.

"Four tomatoes"

HA!!! shows how much i know lol... I always thought he said sweet tomatoe.

The patented Duvall grin when Vito mocks Johnny.

The look of suspicion on Sollozzo's face when Mike asks to go to the toilet.

The look on Appollonia's face when she stares at Michael while admiring (more, IMHO) her gold necklaces.

The embarrassed look on Sonny's face when Sandy tells him to watch himself at the wedding (it's a combo of embarrassment and "oh yeah, I'm about to work Willie to death on one of these bridesmaids.")

The look on Mike's face as he violently grips the newspaper wondering if his father is dead or alive; you KNOW he wants to kick someone's ass right there and now.

When Vito stares out of the window at Mike and Kay arriving at the wedding; there's such love and warmth and maybe some sadness in those eyes.