Favorite GodFather Characters

I am sure this has been asked before--But, Other then Our Vito Corleone & Michael Corleone what are your 3 next favorite characters?

Mine are, Sonny---just love him, he died way to soon in the story..a great asset to the film would of loved to see him live longer!

2-Tom--Could not picture anyother in this part but Robert Duvall...always loved Tom.

3- My beloved Frankie Pentangeli--My favorite line of his
"Look the FBI guys promised me a deal. So I made up a lot of stuff about Michael Corleone' cause that's what they wanted ...but it was all lies---uh---everything.And I kept saying---Michael Corleone did this and Michael Corleone did that--.uh---so I said yea sure, why not.

Unforgettable Frankie Five Angles!

1.Tom Hagen
2.Vincent Mancini (Corleone)
3.Connie Corleone in GF III

You're right: the question has been answered before.

My favorite character is Frankie Pentangeli: Everyman as Caporegime. A fundamentally decent guy (see the deleted scene with Anthony, giving him a gift) caught in a giant plot between Michael and Roth that he doesn't understand and can't influence. At the end, does the only thing he can.
An absolutely brilliant, perfect, world-class, unforgettable performance by Michael V. Gazzo. He makes GFII.

ITA---With you, excellent performance by Gazzo--he was another character that was short lived!

Clemenza is my favorite. He was dependable and loyal (and I'm thankful Richard Castellano chose not to appear in Part II because the thought of Clemenza turning rat is unimaginable).

He had a wonderful down-to-earth quality about himself... remember his "talk" with Michael in his basement (when teaching Mike about shooting Sollozzo), his teasing Mike about (then girlfriend) Kay, and his manner in which he stole the rug (with Vito). Remember, too, it was Clemenza whom Vito entrusted with bringing Mike back safely from Sicily.

He was capable at his job and he was funny, too. All in all, a great character.

I am right in saying that he received a Oscar nomonation for best supporting actor

Castellano plays much the same appealing character in the made-for-TV movie "Honor Thy Father" (1973), which I just viewed again last week. This is a very well-acted film all around (Joe Bologna, Brenda Vaccaro, Raf Vallone, Marc Lawrence), but Castellano stands out because of the same qualities that you cited in GF.

De Niro

You are right!

Academy Award Nominations-1975

Best Actor-Al Pacino
Best Costume Design
Best Supporting Actor-Michael Gazzo
Best Supporting Actress-Talia Shire
Best Costume Design

I'm with SC My fav is Clemenza. Ditto to what Sc said about him. I love in the very beginning of the GF, Clemenza is dancing to the TARANTELLA first with his wife then whoever that man is.

My fav Pentangila moment is where he trys to get the band to play a Italian Song."Da Dam Da Dam" brilliant

Frankie Five Angles!

The Corleone family was like the Roman Empire." -Frankie Pentangeli

Mine is Clemenza too.

I can't explain why, he just has something natural and likeable.

Yeah, Richard Castellano acting and the way he talks and the way he walks and the way he smiles and the way he..... etc

He had this "THING" that gets your attention to the character.

Although I, too, agree with Frankie Five Angels, I also love Willie Cicci. I know that it was a miniscule role with few lines, but Joe Spinell was so expressive, so unforgettable in his Senate testimony, that he remains a favorite.

Exactly, SB! Willie Cici is a great example of the casting brilliance of the first two films. Cici is a minor character and gets few lines. But Joe Spinell was so absolutely perfect that he was unforgettable. SB, you've been on the boards a long time, so you've seen how Cici gets posting coverage here far out of proportion to his actual role and screen time. That's because everyone loves the way Spinell played him.

Quite true, TB, quite true. My personal favorite? There's the obvious "buffas" testimony, but I actually love one scene where he doesn't say a word. I believe it's when Sonny beats Carlo, and Willie Cicci puts his hand in his jacket pocket to warn off any would-be-good-samaritans from interfering. Love the look on his face!!

My favorite is the bartender in the attempted hit on Pentangelli. He's such a mensch letting the guys use his place to whack Frankie Five Angels. He wipes that bar beautifully, like a TRUE professional. And we can really sympathize with his begging Carmine not to blow a cop away in his establishment.



Seriously though...I don't really have any favorite characters/actors. I enjoy each along with the story as as they come along. All do their part (big or small) in making these films the classics they are.

Apple

My favorites are Neri and Clemenza. It's a toss up between the two. Although I think Clemenza was "old school" and had more class.

Frankie Pentangeli. He was straightforward, frank (no pun intended) and refreshingly honest. Although unpolished, he maintained a sense of honor.

I with everyone here about Cicci, Clemenza and Frankie ....but I'd add I also have a soft spot for certain "villains" in the GF movies, all of whom played relatively small roles, but whose acting proved the maxim "there are no small parts, just small actors who play them.

Sollozzo
Barzini
Don Ciccio
Luchese

I agree with exgigirl that neri and clemenza are the best
characters and representatives of loyal soldiers of mike's. i don't believe that either one would have ratted on mike as shown by tom's statement to mike in the study at the end of GFI, " why does neri report directly to you ?" mike knew that he could trust neri completely. if clemenza would have been in GFII, they would have had someone else rat out mike. the scene with neri in the casino taking care of klingman shows how neri handles his business with no ifs, ands or buts. his position in the movie, with the exception of his shooting barzini is sort of taken for granted.

me 2 i really love robert duvall

who is 'the godfather?'

Mine is Vincent Mancini.

I found the character interesting mostly on a psychological level, because he's fiercely motivated to do what he does not only for power sake. He wants, craves to be accepted as a Corleone, as Sonny's son. His legitimation passes through violence and crimes. He doesn't mind. He's ready to give up everything for this, he even sacrifices his love for Mary (love someone other is perhaps the most chilling sentence a lover can be told) to become the Don, in fact to become Vincent Corleone, the Don. I like the way he communicates this eagerness to be part of the family.

Besides, let's face it, Andy Garcia was a real eye-candy.....

Sonny will always be my favorite. He was just soooooo uppity! Gotta love that attitude problem!

Clemenza is my favourite.Great acting by Castellano.I just love the Caporegimes presence on the screen.Hes funny,loyal.cunning and ruthless.A great character.

In part two i would have to say Pentangelli.A funny classic character, who you cant help but feel sorry for.

In part three well, um...oh..forget it.

GFI:
1. Michael
2. Vito
3. Hagan

GFII
1. Michael
2. Hagan
3. Pentangelli

GFIII
-N/A
-N/A
-N/A

Yo 90caliber,the question was who are your favourite characters apart from Vito and Michael.So let us know....

Oops -- didn't read the whole thread. In that case:

GFI:
1. Hagan
2. Turk
3. Clemenza

GFII
1. Hagan
2. Pentangelli
3. Buffiz

My favorite was Clemenza, but I'm biased since Richard Castellano lived a few blocks from me in my hometown of North Bergen NJ, until his death in the late 80's.

1.) Tom Hagen- Duvall added such a wholesome feel to the movie. The way he tells Vito Sonny had been shot on the causeway is true brilliance.

2.) Clemenza- What else can you say? "Come out blasting and don't take any chances neither. 2 shots to the head apeice."

3.) Sonny- Bada bing bada boop. Love it. I wish they would have included him killing people left and right like in the novel.

Excuse me , but what does that 'bada bing bada boop' mean? I thought it was Italian until this day. I haven't got an English subtitle. So I didn't know what he was actually saying, so fast.

"What did he say, Badda-beep, badda-bap, badda-boop ."


It's not Italian.

It really has no meaning at all.

Yeah what Don Cardi said, just a great improv by James Caan.

Hagen asks what Sollozzo said about a meeting and Sonny replies, "Badda-beep, badda-bap, badda-boop".

It's so hard to pick a favorite character. All of them are developed so well and given many traits to make them feel real and interesting.

They are all good.

Frankie and clemenza are realy good but Tom and Sonny take the cake as the acting in the dons room after Vito get shot is amazing.

But i have to say the main chatachters are the best. Mike and Vito.

Would someone comment on Pacino's acting in the trilogy? Which one do you prefer?

Which Michael do I prefer? All of them. Each of them are played beautifully.

Part II. Pacino is electric in every scene.

i agree totally. Pacino seals why he is one of the best.

Original:

Pete Clemenza
Sonny
Michael

Pt. II:

Michael (one of the best characters ever)
Young Don Vito
Fredo

Pt. III

Michael
Vincente
Don Altobello

Clemenza

For me, by far, it was Manolo the landscaper. His charm, wit, depth of character, and overall screen presence brought legitimacy and continuity to the Trilogy.

Vincent
Sonny
Al Neri

Tom Hagen
Clemenza
Pentangeli.

clemenza
neri

Movie - Sonny

Novel - Clemenza

i'm surprised only 1 other person had young Don Vito. he is my favorite by FAR.

I agree... Young Vito... then Sonny... Old Vito... then Clemenza...

@ Proverbs, the topicstarter asked who your favourite characters are BESIDED Vito and Michael....

I would go with Fanucci. When he enters Vito's truck and says "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyh" simply priceless!

I also like Willie Cicci, Sr. Vitelli and Appolonia