Apollonia's Father..

Do you think Apollonia's father was careless when he let Apollonia marry Michael? He must have known he was trouble or he wouldn't have ben hiding out in Sicily in the first place. In the novel it seemed Mr. Vitelli thought it would also be to HIS benefit, maybe financially, if Apollonia married Michael. Wasn't he letting her walk right into danger? If she hadn't been his wife she wouldn't have died? Or should her father and brothers sworn vengance on Michael for placing her in danger. THAT would have made an interesting storyline!!!!

Scarlett, Vitelli probably surmised that the risk to his daughter was small since mafiosi rarely killed anyone except other mafiosi and certain people were off limits, hence the repercussions of the murder of Capt. McCluskey. He probably thought that if Apollonia went to the USA and Michael was killed, then she would be looked after by the Corleone family. At the end of the day she is killed by mistake, the target is Michael.

Exactly. Remember, Fabrizio specifically asks Michael if his wife will be accompanying him before rigging the car. Michael intended for her to remain behind. By the time both realize Appolonia wants to drive, it is too late.

Apple

He could have said "NO" to her and not have allowed the marriage to happen!

But he didn't. 20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing, and had Vitelli seen in the future and known his daughter would die as a result of this marriage, he probably would not have allowed Michael to meet and marry her, and gladly have given his life to prevent it, as Michael implies might happen.

As it turns out, Michael presents himself in a respectable manner, and maybe Vitelli did see possible personal gain in a marriage between his and the Corleone family. Also, Appolonia and Michael were clearly in love, and he saw his daughter would be happy with this young man.

So no, I do not think he made a careless decision.

Apple

Then Michael would of had her father killed because he knows now who Michael is. So Michael said to him, that you can either die or let me marry your daughter, basically.

In the novel it quotes Vitelli thinking to himself that Apollonia's beauty would make her fortune and her family secure. He obviously seemed to think that a marriage between her and Michael would benefit him somehow.

So then still, it was not a careless decision.

Even if he had pondered that Michael would one day be harmed, thereby making his daughter a widow, she and her family would still benefit from the marriage. Vitelli could not have foreseen what happened to Appolonia, nor could Michael. Had she not chosen to surprise him by driving the car, exactly what Vitelli had envisioned would have taken place.

Apple

It didn't seem like the life expectancy of anyone in Sicily was very long anyway. He probably figured that why not go with an obviously wealthy foreigner than one of the locals that would probably end up dead anyway.

I agree, Don Marco. Plus, the novel says of Vitelli that Michael's thunderbolt "was one of those wild strokes of good fortune that Sicilians always believed in, something told him that his daughter's beauty would make her forune and her family secure." This little passage has the ring of authenticity: A guy like Vitelli, with limited prospects for himself and his family in a remote, backward corner of the world, and with a goog-looking daughter to marry off to some local ne'er do well, might very well have cast caution to the wind when this influential foreigner showed up.

I've just finished reading the Godfather novel...and Fabrizio is killed in the end....why didnt they put that in the film?

Fabrizzio's killing was in a deleted scene from GFII. In the chronologically-spliced versions of GF and II, that scene appears as a fade-away during Anthony's party, while Michael is in the boathouse doing business.

Turnbull...(or anybody for that matter!)....how come Im always hearing of these wonderful DVDs with all the cut scenes, commentary, etc., but I never see them in the shops....maybe its just coz im in little old backwards Ireland....and can you only get these little extras on DVD? What about VHS....or is that extinct outside of Ireland now?

I can't say what tapes and DVDs are available in Ireland, GD. But, the extra scenes are available here in the US on the DVD set, and in a compilation called "The Godfather Saga" that's shown on TV regularly. It's GF and II in chronological order, spliced together.
Amazon.com has sites outside the US. Can you check your local Amazon to see if they sell the DVD set? That's the most reliable place to get the extra stuff.

Dia duit, goddaughter. Yeah the DVD is kinda hard to come by if you want to buy it. Most Xtravisions stock it for rental. Amazon.co.uk does carry the "Trilogy" on DVD at £49.19stg (approx €80):

You can also get the Trilogy on VHS (£26.19stg) and the individual films on VHS as well (approx £12stg each). Don't know where you're based, but try some of the big stores in Dublin or Belfast, however as Turnbull says Amazon is probably the easiest, and delivered next day too.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh Senza Mama agus Turnbull.
Wow....I cant believe there's somebody else from Ireland here.
Táim i mo chonaí i mBaile Átha Cliath Senza Mama. Agus tú féin?
You living up north? Celtic fan I see!

Condae Fhearmanach.

goddaughter...just a note of caution on my previous post about buying the GF from Amazon. What they call "The Trilogy" on the UK Amazon site is actually "The Collection" which seems to be the three individual films in a boxed set without any booklets etc. I believe they are the original cinematic versions of the films (i.e. there are no additional footage or deleted scenes restored). However the tapes do contain interviews with FFC, Puzo, Pacino and Shire about the background to the films etc. Still an ideal stocking filler for a family member.