Favorite "little moments"

One of my favorite little moments in the Trilogy is the scene when Michael arrives in Las Vegas and meets with Johnny Fontane in the room. Michael offers Johnny a new contract which he is clearly obligated to sign.

What's interesting is that you first see Johnny feeling umcomfortable and a little unwilling to sign the contract. But when he stares at it he suddenly smiles as he obviously sees the number on the cheque.

Great little moment as it's telling what kind of a person Johnny is because when it comes down to it, it's not about loyalty, it's all about business. You have to be a skillful director to pay attention to these kind of details.

That may be the understatement of the decade, Sonny.
One of my favorite "little moments" is when Michael returns from Havana and asks Rocco and Neri to leave the room so he can talk to Tom alone. Rocco goes right out. Neri starts out, stops, turns around, snags a cigar from a box on the table, then leaves. I guess FFC wanted to show Neri taking a liberty--an indication of his growing ascendency over Rocco. It's backed up in the penultimate boathouse scene when they're discussing Roth. Rocco's standing silently, but Neri leans back in his chair, joining in the discussion, as if he's perfectly comfortable as one of the Ruling Powers.

Never noticed that before, but I'm going to pay attention to this the next time I'm going to see the film. There are some films I've seen as much as maybe 10 times which is pretty much the limit for those films. But there isn't one which I can see as much as the first two Godfather films, especially the second one. Everytime I see the films, I enjoy them as much as ever. It's insane. I still haven't completely figured out why, but these details are definitely one of the main reasons.

There are soooo many, but the first one that comes to mind - Clemenza's basement; Clemenza is "instructing" Mike on the how to dispatch Sol and McC. I love the set, the working man's basement. It's a serious moment that turns whimsical when Michael comments about the noise of the gun, "madonne, my ears", but then Clemenza shows his soft side, his affection for Mike, "you know we was all proud of you, even your father." The look on Clemenza's face, perfect show of emotion.

The greatness of The Godfather is not the crime element, but showing ordinary people doing ordinary things. Like the whole family sitting at the table having dinner. It's shows the true side of people.

Sonny stuffing peanuts into his mouth and cleaning his hands, while the future of the Corleone crime enterprise is being discussed.

"....so what's your answer gonna be pop?" he mumbles through the peanuts.

I've mentioned this one in the past - toward the end of the Corleone/Sollozzo meeting in Vito's office, Vito gets up and pours another shot of annisette for Sollozzo. As he pulls away he apparently let's a drop fall on Sollozzo's pants, which he quickly brushes off. Obviously an ad lib, but it shows how Brando stayed in character.

In that same scene, he flicks his hand at Sonny to move Sonny over. Probably an ad lib also.

Ah, those Brando hand gestures!

--Pointing his finger at Tom to get Bonasera a drink.
--Gesturing at Tom to pull out his chair at the Don's convention.
--Putting his hand over his heart at that meeting when he swears he will never be the first to break the peace.

Sonny dipping the bread in Clemenza's gravy.

James Caan's gestures were (and still are) so New York Italian, it's still hard to believe that his lineage is German Jewish. It's a testament to the melting pot that is New York City (Caan was born in the Bronx and raised in Queens).

In the beginning of Part II, Senator Geary pronounces "Vito" wrong at Anthony's First Communion party. Later, at the senate hearing, he pronounces the name correctly. Just a small detail showing his newfound respect and loyalty to the family.

Good one!

You would think that someone as punctual as FFC would have figured out a correct timeline too..

Two favorites....Brando ad libbing with the cat in the opening scene, and later Brando, bracing himself for Tom's delivery of the news about Sonny telling him, "...but youhad to have a drink first....well, now you've had your drink....."

I always thought that his mispronunciation was done on purpose, to show his contempt for Michael and his disgust at having to make nice in public. He pronounces "Cor-lay-own-ay" just fine when he meets with Michael afterwards in private, insults Michael and makes his own rather greedy demands.

Since so many Anglos mispronounce my last name, I've always thought that Geary's mispronouncement might have been out of pure ignorance about its correct pronounciation.

I agree he mispronounced in on purpose when he was speaking to the public. He even failed to mention Kay's name when he said "Mike, Pat, stand up."

"We're going to Jersey?"
The way how Pacino acts Michael's fear is just great. I'm getting scared every time I watch the scene. (And they were doing this in the studio!)

I too would be terrified if I were going to ... New Jersey.

In New Jersey, there wasn't a lavatory where Michael could find a gun to kill Sollozzo.

In Jersey there could always be a stray gun in the lavatory

"New Jersey" always seems to be good for a little laugh.
What makes it the most embarrassing state to live in?

Nobody living in Jersey is embarrassed to be living in Jersey. And if they are, I wish they'd move the hell out cause it's all a bitch can do to pull out onto the highway anymore, it's so damn crowded. I got road rage so bad they stuck me in an anger management class. Embarrassed? Never. Angry, rude, obnoxious, and self-centered? Definitely.

I've mentioned before, but I like the following:

1. Sonny's kid punching Clemenza in the gut during the scene in which Vito arrives home from the hospital and is being taken upstairs.

2. Tom's laugh when Vito mocks Johnny in a girlish voice saying "what can I do?"

3. The icy look Michael flashes at Geary during their meeting in Michael's office. It is priceless when Geary points that decorative canon sitting on the desk at Michael. During that exchange, I always imagine Michael thinking "do you have any idea what I am going to do to you?"

4. The exaggerated Italian accent Clemenza uses toward Michael after Kay calls. "I love-a-you will alla my heart. If I don't-a-see you-a soon, I'm-a-gonna die."

One of the best.

There are three juxtapositions in the party scenes in I and II.

First is in I Sonny has to be restrained after he spits near the FBI guy taking down license plates, while in II they are
serving treats to the State Troopers who are acting as guards.

Second shows that Clemenza and Frankie were cut of the same cloth. Clemenza quenches his thirst by taking a swig of wine from a pitcher while Frankie quenches his thirst from a hose.

Third, in I Fredo is totally wasted when he meets Kay, and Michael is amused. In II Fredo's wife is totally wasted and Michael is NOT amused.

Don T, great observations. In the Sonny spitting scene I love how Paulie puts on his tough guy face and has his hand inside his jacket like he is going for his gun....against a camera man.

In GF2, there's also little boy Sonny trying to duke it out in Sicily.

(which would have been even funnier if Castellano could have been convinced to be in GF2...)

I also like the songs: Mrs. Corleone and the old guy are singing a little dirty traditional Sicilian wedding song. In GF2, the Sierra Boys Choir has "chosen a certain special song, in a special arrangement". (That bastard didn't even bother to memorize the title of the song.)

Michael giving the adult Anthony the drawing he'd made as a child showed a sentimentality rarely seen in him.

Don Barzini tearing up film from a cameraman so there would be no picture of him, and then when the war starts he gets his mug on the front page of a newspaper.

Michael in the bathroom trying to collect himself by wiping over his head. In the next shoz when he enters the restaurant again, his face is full of fear.

http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=608383#Post608383

I thought a veteran of the board like Sonny Black would have known better than to create a duplicate thread.

It seems like other veterans didn't notice it too.. Sorry to have hurt you're feelings though, I didn't mean to steal you're idea. There are so many threads made on a regular basis I probably forget the one you made yourself but unwittingly still remembered the title. It happes sometimes.

Touchy aren't you?

Yes, very touchy.