Comic Relief

One of the critical elements of good drama is to provide comic relief one way or another I have a few examples, and then we'll see where the topic goes.

1. The baker in GFI - His amazement that Vito figures out that the favor he wants is to keep Enzo in the country so he can marry his daughter, followed by his carrying on about the cake he has made as he is literally pushed out the door.

2. Fredo's famous hop and arm waving as the band strikes up "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" in Vegas.

3. The landlord in GFII when he is groveling in Vito's office.

4. Vincent's smart-ass remarks to Grace after he kills the two goons in his apartment.

and (drum roll) my favorite bit of comic relief in the entire trilogy..

MERLE. He is such a total loser you have to laugh. I love the way Michael treats him, acting like he isn't even in the room. Paraphrasing ... I don't know this Merle, I don't know what he lives on, but tell him marriage is out of the question, I'm sure he'll understand." What a hoot. Michael, who never misses an opportunity to confront people does a 180 with Merle and simply refuses to acknowledge him as a human being. And you've got to wonder...what ever became of Merle?

I don't know why comic relief is a critical element in a good drama. It can do without it too.


IMO, this was a definite low point in GF2.


My personal favorite is Vito chiding Fontane playfully.

Other nice ones were comments surrounding "superman" show, Tom smiling when he realizes that Sonny is having sex with Lucy, Fabrizio and Calo poking fun at Michael in Sicily.....

Here's a full discussion:

http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3687&page=1

Thanks TB

The landlord in GF2 was absolutely one of my favorite scenes. Perhaps it helps to understand what they're saying?? Not sure, but I love it.

I also laugh throughout Carlo's beating. It's just that Sonny fights so dirty.

Why do you consider it a low point?? IMO, it's fairly important because it shows part of Vito's transition from lowly grocery boy, to someone who is feared and respected.

Really? please provide some examples.

Had it been one of the sidekicks of Fanucci or somebody generally considered scary, then it would have been more effective. The landlord was a clown, before and after Fanucci murder. So scoring a point with him did not improve Vito's status in any way. But the reason it was low point and not just plain ineffective scene, was his character was more of a stereotypical "funny guy", you know, the Chaplinesque way.

This is a LIST I recently mentioned as "must-see". I think 2,4,5 and 9 have no (or almost insignificant) comic relief elements. I don't think that dramatic tension should necessarily be modulated with humor. It can be done in other ways too, depending upon the aesthetics of the movie.

SVSG, I disagree with your assessment of the landlord's role. If you remember, he treated Vito disrespectfully at first. He told him to take a hike, and to take Mrs. Columbo and her dog with him. However, Vito politely told him to ask around the neighborhood about him and insisted that he keep the money.

Yes,Signor Roberto was just a guy, but he was a man of status and wealth (landlord) who overestimated his own importance and his imperviousness to men like Vito (similar to Woltz and Geary, actually). By checking Vito's reputation with others in the neighborhood, he immediately realized his mistake (unlike Woltz) and came to Vito, literally hat in hand, trembling like a leaf. And the whole scene, with "the rent-a stays like-a before," just confirms how Vito got his point across without any display of temper, without any threats, simply by the force of his reputation and his nature.

I agree 100%, SB.

The scene where Michael wants to meet Appolonia(sp?).
Where is is having what he said translated to her father, and at the end, kinda just a throwaway line, like he realizes he better throw it in, but he doesnt really mean it..

..."and with uhh all due respect"....

Exactly right Lou & SB. Regardless of if it was a simple landlord or a mafia Don, the whole meaning of the scene is to show us just how quickly the word had spread around the neighborhood that Vito was now a man to be feared. No doubt that the scene does exactly what it was meant to do....show how Vito had now gained himself a reputation in the neighborhood. An excellent scene.


But my favorite comic relief scene is the whole flashback scene at the end of GFII with Sonny cursing the Japs for dropping bombs on his fahter's birthday, and Fredo innocently exclaiming " They didn't know it was Pop's birthday!" Casale delivers that line with such innocence, and the look on Caan's face is priceless! Then Sonny swatting at Fredo's arm when he reaches across the table to congratulate Mike for joining the military!

That is a great scene, DC. Casale was so perfect, wasn't he? What a shame that he died so very young.

Michael had some great lines in GF3, which were all delivered with just the right touch by Pacino.

The scene that comes to mind for me is when Connie tells him " Now they will fear you," and he replies "Maybe they should fear you!"

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned (young) Clemenza stealing the rug. That scene always cracks me up.

Oh, that WAS hilarious.

Definitely one of the funny GFII scenes. And the music is just perfect for that scene!

Another one is when he said he's "gonna learn the casino business" The innocence on his face.

Tom's shit-eating-grin while he listens to Sonny shtupping Lucy at the wedding.

Priceless!

Robert Duvall can say so much just using his eyes and his smirk.

I love that same little smile when Sonny and Clemenza are laughing at Michael's declaration: And then I'll kill them both.

I agree with you guys that all those scenes are funny in some way. But do they really provide comic relief??
Honestly, did you laugh out loud when you watched the Fredo scenes for the first time. Or wasn't it that you smiled when you saw the scenes the second, third or 149th time?
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The landlord scene: Yes, it's a little funny to see the guy change. But we get the Chaplin effect mainly from the clarinet music in the background. I believe the scene is important because it shows Vito's commitment for poor people in his neighbourhood who seek for his help. Compare it to Michael who has to ask Tom about the birthday present for his son Anthony.
I think Signor Roberto was a caricature, especially if you compare his reactions to Bonasera or Nazzarine. I just don't believe the actor.

I see what you mean. To really be considered comic relief, there needs to be a generally lighthearted feeling and/or a change in tone.

I do think the landlord's grovelling can be called comic relief. I would also argue that Pentangelli's performance at the Communion (drinking from the hose, "can o' peas," Pop Goes the Weasel) can fall into this category.

I also do not believe that every good drama needs comic relief. For instance, I consider "Silence of the Lambs" to be on a par with GF and GFII, and it was uniformly grim.

I ate his liver with fava beans and a fine Chianti.... Hilarious

Last line of the movie was a joke "I'm going to thave an old friend for dinner."

The greatest line in JAWS was hysterical.

Brody: "We're gonna need a bigger boat."

Who can forget, "Senator, LOVE your suit." Only Hopkins could have delivered that line in that manner.

I like the scene with Enzo the baker trying to smoke a cigarette downstairs form the hospital where they just moved Don Vito. He was so scared that he could not light it up.

I liked that scene too. But by no means falls this scene in the category of comic relief. At least not when you watch the film for the first time. When Michael and Enzo stand in front of the hospital we know already that Vito's life is in danger, and so is Michael's and Enzo's. Even when the first car is leaving. Enzo's trembling hands almost reflect the trembling hearts of ourselves.

It also points out that Michael, while a complete outsider, was NOT nervous. His hands didn't shake at all. It further proved Vito's point that every man has but one destiny.

Some of the singing and dancing at the wedding in I could be considered comic relief to some degree.

How about when Sonny's wife was describing his "size" to the other wives and bridesmaids at Connie's wedding.

Here's another one that always makes me laugh.

When Paulie is looking at Connie's wedding purse.

"Twenty- Thirty-grand. In small bills, cash. In that little silk purse. Madon', if this was someone else's wedding, sfortunato" - quote taken from the transcript at thegodfathertrilogy.com

Just how he says it, is classic!