Favorite Funny Bit

Hello, I´m one of those annoying newbies who start new threads RIGHT the minute they joined...but I´ve been a reader for some time and I couldn´t resist. Forgive me, will you?

So, my topic.

I know that most of us love the Godfather for brilliant character development, memorable scenes of love, hate, betrayal and backroom meetings, and the portrayal of a fascinating family, but not in first place for the straight FUN of it.
But I hope you agree with me that there IS al lot of humour in both the book and the movie, that makes them even more enjoyable.
My question would be, which is your favourite funny bit, quote or event throughout the Godfather decades? Or maybe even things that are not meant to be funny, but somehow crack you up?

I´ll start: one of my favourite funny scenes from the movies is in GFII when Frankie tries to make the band on Mike´s posh party play a tarantella and they wind up with "Pop Goes The Weasel". On one hand it´s just fun to watch, for the actor is very enganging in that scene, on the other hand it´s very witty, for it serves the whole old school versus new ways thing.

Your would be...?

Welcome to the board. Good topic, and great choice. Frankie is a funny character all around. I like when Clemenza tells Michael, "tell that girl you love her with all a your heart." Just seemed out of character for him.

My fav- "Leave the gun...take the cannolis."

Also the Frankie/Pop Goes the Weasel is good too.

Welcome, and thanks for reminding everyone that humor is part of the GF Trilogy.
In addition to the scenes already cited, I liked how Sr. Roberto practically s*** himself in Vito's office while returning the money Vito gave him on behalf of Sra. Columbo. Probably the wittiest line: Sonny telling Tessio and Clemenza: "I don't want my brother comin' outta that toilet with just his dick in his hand."

Benvenutu Consigliera,

That scene that you are describing really is supposed to show you how far removed sicilian culture was at that time and how WASP-y Nevada was. I think Frankie states "a room full of musicians and not one italian amongst ya".

I love the scene where Santino makes a jest out of Michele's offer to kill Sollozzo and the police chief. "You come outta there and bam! shoot his brains out over your nice Ivy League Suit!" or something like this.

I believe instead of "bam," its the popular "badabing!"

Also funny is on the bonus DVD where they rearrange the words and add foreign ones (i.e. the Sonny/"bada-beep, bada-booop"). You can get to it via the options/languages/subtitles menu I believe. Click towards the right on your controller, and a globe should appear. Hit enter/play, and this video should appear.

(I'm sure its in the "DVD easter eggs" thread )

In a recent thread regarding GF3 shortcomings, I cited the lack of humor and humorous characters. GF had Clemenza (GF2, young Clemenza) and GF2 had Pentagelli. These characters had a sense of humor and a zest for life. Some of their moments:
1. Clemenza laughing when Mike says he'll "kill them both."
2. Clemenza joking with Mike about telling Kay he loves her.
3. Young Clemenza persuading Vito to take the rug as a gift.
4. Pentangelli - "pop goes the weasel."
5. Pentangelli at the senate committee.

PS. Welcome aboard Consig - enjoy the repartee

hello people, thanx for the warm welcome and your replies! you picked fine scenes!

...oh yeah, I forgot to mention that of course every Sonny part is sort of a fun part (except maybe the one where he´s shot... ...that´s not THAT funny maybe...), simply due to his character and the way Jimmy Caan acts it!

oh, and the scene where Luca Brasi dribbles while trying to congratulate the Don to Connie´s wedding is also a classic, especially if you keep in mind that Lenny Montana REALLY blew it over and over and they kept it like that.

hello people, thanx for the warm welcome and your replies! you picked fine scenes!

...oh yeah, I forgot to mention that of course every Sonny part is sort of a fun part (except maybe the one where he´s shot... ...that´s not THAT funny maybe...), simply due to his character and the way Jimmy Caan acts it!

oh, and the scene where Luca Brasi dribbles while trying to congratulate the Don to Connie´s wedding is also a classic, especially if you keep in mind that Lenny Montana REALLY blew it over and over and they kept it like that.

Vito to Johnny Fontaine: "You can act like a man...!"

Frankie Pentangeli: "They kept saying Michael Corleone did this, Michael Corleone did that, soI said Sure, shy not?"

Fredo and Mike: >"How do you say banana daquri?" <"Banana daquiri." >"That's right?" <"That's right."

"He was bangin' cocktail waitresses two at a time." That line cracks me up.

Also, when Willie goes, "yeah, buffas" in the Senate hearings. Great stuff.

There is all sorts of subtle humor, such as in I, when Michael explains to Kay how "Luca Brasi held a gun to his head and my father calmly explained that either his brains or his signature would appear on that piece of paper." The look Kay gives him back is priceless.

I love Clemenza dancing at the wedding like some kind of drunken Michael Flatley, and then guzzling down the entire bowl of wine.

Sandra Corleone impressing her friends by describing the size of Sonny's prodigious organ.

Even funnier than that is the 'edited' for tv version of this line, when Sonny is heard dubbing '...just a stick in his hand', instead of the original line.

Anyway...I'm in agreement with Turnbull on the Sengor Roberto scene in Vito's office. Even the intro music, cheerily played on clarinet...sets the tone for this be very comical highlight.

In The Godfather, I just love the way Tom laughs after beckoning Sonny to Vito's office...knowing full well he's banging somebody on the other side of that door. The reactions of Sonny & Lucy are pretty entertaining, too!!

Apple

Welcome to the Family Consigliera!
my choice is the same with MC14. . .
"You can act like a man!"- Don Vito to Johnny and
"sunday, monday, tuesday, thursday. . . "- Appolonia

GoodFella

I never understood what was so funny about that. Buffas? Am I missing some slang meaning of the word?

These are my favourites:

1)When Frankie, at the beginning of GF2 says "A kid comes up to me in a white jacket, gives me a Ritz cracker, and uh, chopped liver, he says Canapés. I say uh, uh, can o' peas my ass, that's a Ritz cracker and chopped liver! " That always makes me laugh. Can of peas.

2)When Geary says to Willy Cicci "Uh -- Mr. Cicci could you, uh -- amplify your answer a bit?" The way Cicci just says in his 'gangster' accent "Do what?".

3)In GF3 when Vincent says "Well you tell him from me that he can live or he can die!", and Mike just loses his temper and roars "Vincent will you SHUDDUP!"
Also the way Michael jumps when Vincent snaps "RIGHT??!" in the first Zasa scene.

Willi is somewhat amused at the Senator's use of the word 'buffer', to clarify his statement of never having been given orders by the Don himself.

I guess if you hear it from Cicci's point of view, it is pretty funny and his response (and the resulting laughter in the chambers) is completely justified and in character.

Apple

Oh I see. That is pretty funny now you mention it...
In GF1 I also love the part where Paulie at the wedding, after his envious murmours just cries "Sfortunato!" The way he rolls his eyes makes me laugh Also the way he calls that guy a "stupid jerk!"
It's also well funny the way Sonny just bites down on his knuckles upon seeing the beaten up Connie.

I have always seen humor in hypocrisy. The speech give by Senator Geary concerning Italian Americans, cracks me up everytime. You needed a snow shovel for the way he was putting out the BullS*** I swear by the time he was done, if the pope was there, he would have made Mike a saint.

Everyone mentioned all my favorites here and just to add, I thought Fannucci was somewhat of a comical character! When he passes the puppet show and says to himself "This is too violent for me"! Or when VIto goes to talk to him he says something like, "You gotta lot of balls". Not a knee slapper, but humorous just the same. The whole way he carried himself as he was at the street feast, as though, he thought himself the "king" of the neighborhood. I suppose he was in a sense.

TIS

HAHa you're right TIS!
That scene on the rooftops, there's this bit I really enjoy: As Vito is following Fanucci, there is a shot of Fanucci shoving through the crowd, and a cigar is protruding stiffly from between his teeth. I just laughed, he looked so pretentious, and seemed such an invulnerable bully boy, and he had no clue that this thin Sicilian peasant on the rooftop was going to blow his brains out. Just a funny shot. Look out for it!

That rooftop scene is one of my favorites as well! I suppose even in the beginning Vito thought things out carefully and planned to do this on the evening of the festival don't you?

I thought it very smart the way he disposed of the gun as well. Seems it would be pretty difficult if not impossible to ever find it. And the background musical score added just the right touch.

As a matter of fact I have said before that the Young Vito scenes are among my favorite. I guess because they seem so authentic and I think capture the "feel" of that era. (Not that I was around then mind you!!!)


TIS

I have always thought the rooftop stalking scene was the best and most artistic in all the films. Listen to the music as Vito stalks him, then does him in, then finally returns to his family......

Yes Johnny Ola,

Vito returning to his family and sitting on the steps telling Michael he loves him!!! Wow!!! What a contrast hu?

The thing is the guy is a murderer and yet, I think the film effectively showed that there's no doubt that he was a man who loved his family as well, showing two opposite sides of Vito.


TIS

I like a lot of the stuff. The stuff mentioned is great. One thing I really like is in GFIII at the opera when Vincent see one of the performers bite another performer on the ear and a smile comes to him as he remembers.

All good ones already mentioned I have to add, Connies wedding again, Clemenza dancing and he comes off the floor laughing and Paulie tells him he's a terrific dance. Clemenza gets mad and aks who he thinks is, the dancing judge? Go walk round the block and do your job.
Seems he never liked Paulie anyway

When the old man gets up to the Mike and sings at the wedding, it's just funny

FH

I always get a laugh when Connie tells Michael she wants to "book passage on the 'Queen'", and Michael replies: "Why come to me? Go see a travel agent."

Also, Fredo's little "two-step" when he opens the door to Michael's Vegas suite prior to the meeting with Moe Green.

Same scene, Moe's little bit of "Rodney Dangerfield" business with his collar and tie when Michael is talking about buying him out.

The scene on Hyman Roth's hotel room balcony in Havana, when Buschetta removes his hat, looks at the bird droppings on it, and then looks up at the sky. (I never realized exactly what had happened until it was pointed out by Turnbull in another thread).

The scene where a drunken Fredo is introduced to Kay by Michael is one of my favorites. Also, where a nervous Enzo is trying to light his cigarette outside the hospital is also amusing.

hi~! this is another newbie to the board ^_^.
my fav. scene is at the end of gfII when they prepared a surprise party for vito. the expression on sonny's face is priceless when mike goes "i did. i enlisted in the marines this morning". that was gold! also the part where his daughter just went giggling and called out, mommy, daddy's fighting again!
i couldn't stop laughing all through this scene...

Probably not meant to be funny, but I always love the way Clemenza says: "Pauli, you won't be seeing him no more." I just laugh at the way he says it.

Mick

I love Fredo!! He is so funny! Great thread idea, btw. Some Fredo funnies:

"How do you say banana daquiri?"
"Mama used to say I was left on the doorstep by gypsies. Sometimes I think it's true."

there are more Fredo funnies but I can't think of them right now....

Also in Part I when Sonny gets that fish and asks what is this - makes me laugh.

Kay makes me laugh in Part I at the beginning because she seems so dingy and ditzy.

Actually a lot of it could be seen as humorous, and I think that's why there have been so many parodies of the Godfather in TV shows, etc....

hi FH paisan!
you're right about the Old Man. when i first saw that scene i smile then laugh. i thought the Old man will be out of air and won't finished the song.

GoodFella

Funniest bits:

-When Fanucci steps up onto Vito's car: "Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

-"He wants to talk. You imagine da nerve on that sonofabitch?"

-Horse head scene. "Ahhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhh!!!!"

-"Of course, the dog stays, right?"

-Any scene with Sofia Coppola is cringlingly funny.

The scene that always cracks me up is the flashback in GF II, when Sonny and Micheal start to fight , and one of Sonny's daughters says "Mommy, daddy is fighting again. And the conversation between Tom and Woltz always gets me.

I just love it when Sonny bites his fist after seeing Connie's face. I can't imagine being so angry that I had to bite my own fist :-)

Maybe Jimmy Caan is like Goldmember in Austin Powers 3...they both like to eat their skin.

This is definately a James Caan bad habit. I figured this out about a year ago when I saw him do it another movie. As soon as he did it I thought back to that GF scene--the expressions were equal as well as identical

Hey, I'm new to the board also...

I can't believe no one mentioned Senator Geary stumbling through Anthony's name. I thought that was pretty funny. Also Luca Brasi practicing what he would say to Vito, then messing up in the end: "Don Corleone. I am honored... and grateful... that you have invited me to your daughter's wedding......... on the day of your daughter's wedding..." That always cracks me up.

I also think it's amusing during the christening scene, the way organ music and Michael's professing to renounce the devil provide the background for a montage of bloody murders.

Welcome to the message board!

Thanks, glad to be here!

Yes, welcome Violinist!

How about the cutting of Roth's cake in GFII? Watch as Michael's assistant realizes he is not dressed appropriately for the hot Cuban climate. Very funny and often times overlooked.

Buschetta removes his hat, looks at the bird droppings on it, and then looks up at the sky. (I never realized exactly what had happened until it was pointed out by Turnbull in another thread).

Is that what you are referring to?

Did not realize it was bird droppings,, that is even funnier. I always assumed it was just too damn hot since he took off his black jacket and hat.

"I don't want my brother comin' outta the toilet with just his dick in his hand"

1)The scene where Michael, Vincent and Connie are discussing about the attack on Vincent in his apartment.

Connie: "Michael, now they'll fear you"
Michael: "Maybe, they should fear you"

2)The look on Zasa's face when some Don gets a cheque of "50 million dollars!" and the other Don's are talking about the cheques they got.

3) Atlantic City Massacre
- When the light of the helicopter shines on Michael's face.
- When Vincent picks someone up and uses them as a shield.
- When the man in the purple suit gets shot and falls back to the wall and I can't believe people are actually have their guns out, rather than trying to escape, its almost impossible to hit the helicoptor from there with those small guns.

I would have to say in the Carlo beat down scene when Sonny when Sonny gives Carlo a few good whacks with his own shoe. That's a classic.

I love this topic! Many of my favs. have already been mentioned. I think anything w/Frankie is funny. Mainly, though, the Tarantella part...cracks me up everytime! I also like the part where he's talking to Fredo about the can o' peas...and the way he says "he's got me waiting in a lobby" in reference to Michael is just hilarious! One that never fails to make me and my dad laugh, is the way Senator Geary says Michael's name in this one scene...anyway! Basically, I just agree w/all everyone else has said. These are all funny parts, and it's good to know I'm not the only one laughing at these...

My favorite funny bit is Fredo arriving in Cuba

I was going to start a new topic, but figured it actually sorta fit in better w/this one already. I just wanted to mention any funny references to the GF on TV or other movies, etc, and see if anyone else knew of some..? Two that I can think of right now are: (sorry if these aren't quoted right, I just tried to get the general idea)

1) You've Got Mail- Tom Hanks who plays Meg Ryan's internet love interest tells her something about how you can learn a lot from the GF, and begins to quote different parts, such as the famous cannoli one, the Appolonia mun-dah, tues-dah, thus-duh...etc., going to the mattresses, and more...if I remember right, I think he even reads it aloud in a sorta Brando style! I just thought that was a great part of that movie, considering my love for both Tom Hanks, and of course, the GF!

2) I remember an episode of Seinfeld in which Jerry was talking about Newman...saying something about how he lives right near his home, or something...sorry, I have a terrible memory...but he goes on to make Michael's "In My Home!!" quote, only to change "where my children come to play with their toys," to "where I come..."

Anyways, just thought I'd share those, since they're laughs associated w/the GF!

I don't think anyone mentioned this, but it's
so funny. When Woltz calls Hagen a wop, Hagen corrects him by telling Woltz he's German-Irish, and without missing a deat, Wolts shoots back with "Listen, my Kraut-Mick friend".

I like the part with Frankie and the band playing "Pop Goes the Weasel". I also like the one scene with Fanucci when Vito is driving the car, and he (Fanucci) jumps on out of nowhere and goes "Eyyyy...."

Oh yeah! Good one! I kept thinking of that one while I was reading these, and never remembered long enough to put it! My mom and I were just joking about that today, actually! We were trying to figure out what I would be, because other than 1/2 Italian, I'm also German, Irish, and a couple of others...lol So I'd be Kraut-Mick-Guinea/etc...lol

"Hey Joey, up your ass" : classic

I Loved All The Replies (Especialy The CLEMENZA Ones)
I Have One Of My Favourites Which Was Not Posted Before, In GFIII In The Party After Don Michael Gets The St.Sebastian Award... When Johnie Fontane Want To Sing : And I have something special for our host and Godfather: I just happen to know his favorite song. Michael, where you going? It’s your favorite song!

Uh, I’m off here to the kitchen to hear some Tony Bennett records.

Hehehe Thats One Of My Favourites

Great thread!

A few from GFIII which I don't think have been mentioned yet:

1. The Ant mimicing a trombone when the music stops after Zasa's arrival at the party.

2. Kay saying to Michael in Sicily, "Is that supposed to make me not dread you?"

3. My personal favorite, when Vincent tells Lucy, "They put me in a room with Joey Zasa -- what's gonna happen. I bit the guy's ear off." As if it was totally obvious that that was going to happen.

I think the funniest moments involve Fredo:

1. At Connie's wedding, a tipsy Fredo sort of introduces Michael to Kay after Michael introduces her to Fredo.

2. His little corny entrance dance into the hotel room in Vegas as the band plays.

3. "I like Havana. Havana's my kind of town. Do we know anyone in Havana?"

4. Congratulating Michael for joining the service.

and, of course,

5. "I'm smart. Not dumb, like everybody says."

I like the whole scene leading up to Joey Zasa's assassination...Joey eating a salsice and going on about how wonderful Italian Americans are...he says The man who invented the telephone was Italian, and the man who played him in the moivie was Italian...then when the guy is keying the car he says "This is what gives Italian Americans a bad name."

You're right, that scene was funny.

Vincent's guy asking Zasa, "Who's gonna win the car, your aunt?" was classic.

As was Vincent saying "Zasa!" after he kills Joey.

Uh, I hate to disillusion you, LW, but what he said was not "your aunt," but "the Ant," as in Zasa's bodyguard.

Well, in that case I'll have to downgrade it from classic to mildly amusing.

"Luca Brasi held a gun to his head and my father calmly explained that either his brains or his signature would appear on that piece of paper." Yeah, I like that part too! The way her facial expression changes is very amusing.

You've all listed some really funny parts in the trilogy.

But my all time favorite has to be 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!

I think that FFC really did a great job with that scene of expressing what it was like in real life, growing up in a large Italian family, with all of you sitting around your grandmother's table for a sunday dinner.


Don Cardi

I change my answer to that. Fredo's line is funny, I'll put the Zasa car one in a close second.

The scene in Havana where Fredo is introducing everyone is pretty funny...him going on with all these judges and politicians, telling Mike that one of them does a "mean cha cha cha" and then announcing to the table that they should try "some of them local drinks," like a Cuba Libre. At that point Sen Geary, who we (and the Corleones) know secretly frequented a house of ill repute brashly says "I want one of those red headed Cubanas," Which Fredo says , "That you've got con gusto."

BTW how is it that Fredo, who did not know the term for banana daiquiri was the same in English and in Spanish know about Cuba Libres and was able to say "con gusto?"

The part when Michael shuts the door on Kay in Part II makes me laugh. Obviously I think it's Diane Keaton's acting/reaction that's funny rather than the situation in the movie.

What's your name?
Suchowsky. Hyman Suchowsky.
He's gonna dump that; I call him Johnny Lips.

The scene when Mike says he'll "kill them both" and Clemenza, Tessio and Sonny are overcome with laughter (I can't help but laugh with them).

The part that always makes me laugh is when Don Vito slaps Johnny and tells him to "act like a man!!!" and then mimicks Johnny crying......then they show Tom in the background laughing at Johnny......That is such a classic scene.
I also laugh at Tom's reaction to Sonny banging Lucy Mancini in the bathroom, when Tom tells him that his dad is waiting for him downstairs......LOL

There is all sorts of subtle humor, such as in I, when Michael explains to Kay how "Luca Brasi held a gun to his head and my father calmly explained that either his brains or his signature would appear on that piece of paper." The look Kay gives him back is priceless.

Yes! That's my favorite humorous part as well. The way her expression changes is fascinating.

I'm not sure how much it was funny to me. I think it is quite strong, a mother leaving her children and cold-hearted Micheal...

yeah ... one of my favoritez is when Michael is asking Fredo question in Neveda and Michael tellz him that he has alwayz taken care of him (Fredo) and then Fredo replyz ... TAKEN CARE OF ME ! Michael YOUR MY KID BROTHER ! ... lol

I don't think anyone's mentioned this before- one of my favorite bits of humor, and one of those little bits of buisness that seperate the good from the great-
In GF2, during the flashback to the Festa, Vito goes to see Don Fannucci ("It looks like there's $100 under my hat." etc...) When Don Fanucci gets up to leave, he does that cheek pinch/smack on Vito's face. Vito never reacts to this until Fanucci leaves the cafe, and then De Niro swipes his fingers across his face (in that very "Don Vito" manner) and then checks the tips of his fingers, as if he's loooking for a streak of blood or (more likely) checking to make sure he got all of Fannucci's slime off. The look on De Niro's face is priceless, and it gets me every time.

Sammy The Fish

Just another example of DeNiro's brilliant acting abilities. Nothing is said by him at that point, and yet his facial expressions say it all.

IMO one of DeNiro's best pieces of acting in a non-speaking scene is in the movie 'Sleepers'. He plays Father Bobby, a priest. In it there is the scene where Jason Patric's character 'Shakes' goes to Father Bobby to tell him all about the abuse that he and his friends took when they were kids incarcerated in the detention home for boys. If you watch DeNiro's facial expression in that scene, as Shakes is giving him the details of abuse they took as boys, without ever uttering one word DeNiro brilliantly transforms from this concerned priest, to a sickened, disgusted and angered man. All these mixed emotions conveyed by DeNiro, and felt by the viewer, without his ever having to say one word.


Don Cardi

Facial expressions are indeed frequently more poignant than any dialogue.

My favorites are Vito's expression as Luca stumbles through his awkward thank you at Connie's wedding; Michael's hateful glare at Kay when she admits to the abortion; and young Vito's look of concern after he unwrapped the package Clemenza had asked him to hold in GII.

Another great laugh is in GF1 when Michael and the bodyguards first arrive at Vitele's cafe and everything Fabrizio says, Calo echos the last few words of each sentence-
"..tentare il diavolo..."
"...tale a bocca..."
"...averla visto lei?"

One of my favorite funny Godfather scenes occurs in the original movie. It's Sunday dinner at the Corleone house and everyone (sans Vito, who is upstairs in bed resting after coming home from the hospital) is at the dinner table.

This is not verbatim but it's what I remember:

Sonny: Those N---- up in harlem are having a good time with those policy banks, driving those Cadilac's

Carlo: I knew that was gonna happen when they started making big money.

Connie: Papa never talked business at the table.

Carlo: Shut up Connie!

Sonny: Don't you ever tell her to shut up.

Mama Corleone: Santino, don't interfere.

Carlo: Sonny, Tom, I'd like to talk to you about doing more for the family.

Sonny: We don't discuss business at the table.


A close second is in II when Hyman Roth tells Michael: "We're bigger than U.S. Steel."

Remember in GF 3 when vincent bites his fist in the office after the zasa altercation.

That was funny too.

I also like the guy singing the song at the mic in GF 1.

What about Clemenza's real life brother dancing really corny at the wedding.

1) When Luca Brasi stumbles through the speech (I'm aware that was a blooper and they kept it in) and the look that Brando gives him is pretty funny.

2) When Don Vito slaps Johnny and Tom is just sitting there in the corner laughing.

3) Signor Roberto apologizing to Don Vito for the apartment problem. Vito and Genco have a good laugh at Roberto's expense.

Their are many. but i always thought this to be funny!

Tom to Woltz

I'm German-Irish....

Woltz
Well let me tell you something my Kraut Mick friend, I'm gonna make so much trouble for you, you won't know what hit you!

Tom: Mr. Woltz, I'm a lawyer, I have not threatened you.

Woltz:
I know almost every big lawyer in New York, who the hell are you?
That who the hell are you is just too funny!

hi all... long time reader here ..this is a great thread.I always got a kick out of young Vito and Genco going to the opera/play where the actor on stage gets word after about 2 minutes that his "mama morte".(forgive spelling..I know there is another word in there somewhere).I love when the audience gasps..they had absolutely no chance to get emotionally involved with any of the chracters...maybe its not funny but at least noteworthy!!!