Was surfing through Godfather Scripts and found this draft of a GFII script that had a different ending which included Vito in Michael's flashback scene at the end.

>>VIEW ON MICHAEL

Alone in the garden.

OUR VIEW begins to MOVE CLOSER to him. We begin to HEAR
MUSIC of the forties; happy music, swing music, as we move
CLOSER to Michael.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. OLD CORLEONE HOUSE - MED. VIEW - NIGHT

SONNY CORLEONE, his arm wrapped around a smiling red-faced
Carlo Rizzi, pulls him into the Corleone dining room.

SONNY
Hey, who knows my buddy Carlo Rizzi.
Here... my brother Fredo, here's my
Mom. Mom, whatcha got cooking?
And Carlo, this is my kid sister
Connie. Here, pull up a chair,
Carol is sitting next to Connie.
Oh, the droopy kid over there is
Mike. The college boy.

An older, lanky man enters the room, his arms laden with
presents. This is TESSIO.

TESSIO
Buon Natale, everybody. Buon
Natale...
(he smiles at Tom Hagen)
Hi, Tom, how's every little thing?

HAGEN
(helping him with the presents)
Wonderful, Sal.

Now the study door opens, and DON CORLEONE enters.

DON CORLEONE
Is dinner ready?

MOM
Two minutes.

The Don happily regards his family; his sons and daughters
and even some Grandchildren. He raises a glass.

DON CORLEONE
A good life, a long life to all my
children, and friends. To my
grandchildren, and those that will
be. To our family.

They all drink.

They refill glasses; then Tessio proposes a toast.

TESSIO
To our Godfather.

They all drink.

INT. THE DINING ROOM - MED. VIEW - NIGHT

The family is happily at Christmas dinner. Don Corleone
seated at the head of the table.

SONNY
What'd you think of those Japs, eh?
The nerve of those Japs, coming
right here in our own backyard
dropping bombs!

HAGEN
Well, we could have expected it
after the embargo.

SONNY
Hey! Expect it or not, those Japs
don't have a right to drop bombs in
our backyard. Whose side you on?

MAMA
Please, do we have to talk about
the war at the table? On Christmas,
much less.

VIEW ON MICHAEL

He has been listening to this discussion.

MICHAEL
Pop, I've decided I'm going to
enlist.

A quiet hush descends over the table, as though everyone
knows the effect this will have on the old man. Sonny tries
to make light of it.

SONNY
Kid, stay in college. The girls
are cuter, if you know what I mean.

HAGEN
Pop had to pull a lot of strings to
get you your deferment.

MICHAEL
I never asked for it; I don't want
it.

VIEW ON DON CORLEONE

Disturbed; but wise and prudent.

DON CORLEONE
My son wants to talk about this,
and so we'll talk, but not at the
dinner table.

He rises, and starts across the room toward his study. Then
he looks back.

DON CORLEONE
Michael.

He disappears into his study. Michael rises, glances around.
People are generally tense over the situation. Michael
follows his father into the study.

INT. DON CORLEONE'S OLD STUDY - NIGHT

The Don closes the door behind his son, and then moves
across the room. He stops at the little bar there, and
pours himself a brandy.

DON CORLEONE
Would you like some?

MICHAEL
No, Dad.

DON CORLEONE
Now what is this talk about joining
the army? Eh?

MICHAEL
It's not talk; I'm doing it.

DON CORLEONE
You would risk your life for
strangers?

MICHAEL
Not for strangers; for my country.

DON CORLEONE
Anyone not in your family, is a
stranger. Believe me, when trouble
comes, your country won't take care
of you.

MICHAEL
That's how it was in the old world,
Pop, but this is not Sicily.

DON CORLEONE
I know. I know, Michael. It's
Christmas, your brothers and sister
are all here -- we are happy.
Let's not spoil this. Go your own
way, but when you are ready, come
to me the way a son should. I have
hopes for you...

CLOSE VIEW ON MICHAEL

looking at his father with a mixture of great love, and also
fear, and confusion.

MICHAEL
I won't be a man like you.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. THE TAHOE ESTATE - HIGH FULL VIEW - DAY

The leaves are blowing. MUSIC comes up.

Michael and his young son, Anthony, walk through the grounds
of the estate, talking about things we cannot hear.<<


Don Cardi

Ive heard about that version, but never seen it. Thanks for posting.
Sonny- They're saps, because they risk thier lives for strangers.
Michael-Thats Pop talking

Interesting thing is that it was Pop talking

The original script was written thinking that Brando would make an appearance. Obviously he didn't, and the re-write (of what we actually saw) became necessary.

That's a better version. I wish Brando would've agreed to do it.

Hey, do you guys think that scene would best fit as the first scene in part 1? It introduces all the characters, it portrays Don Vito's love for his family, and it establishes Michael as the main character.

What do you guys think? Does that sound stupid to you?

It was interesting to read this ending, but it was weak and rushed. The one shown at the end of GFII was much more powerful and realistic--and far truer to the behaviors we saw of Sonny and Michael. When Michael said he'd enlisted, Sonny lost his temper and lunged at him. And when Tom said that "your father and I have discussed your future many times," Michael gave him the patented Michael Corleone chilling stare and said, "you...discussed my future with my father?" Much stronger stuff than in the ending that was posted here. I also don't believe Vito would have let Michael off so lightly.

I prefer this scene to be put as the ending. Because it strongly shows how contradictory Michael was, right after what he dreamt (of protecting the family), was torn apart. Sort of nostalgic feeling, full of 'what ifs', contemplating why it came out terribly with his family.
As a bonus it also shows how Fredo was the only one not being furious and questioning Michael decision to be enlisted. And there Michael was, frowning how he ended up making order to kill own brother.
This is a very sad flashback scene for me.
I agree with Turnbull that the current version fits better. More powerful. The absence of Vito plus the 'Happy Birthday' greeting and chanting on the background made it even powerful.

Why did Marlon Brando turn down Copolla at GF II ?

Yes Turnbull, I agree that the family flashback scene that WAS used is the better version for exactly the reason's that you state.
I know that originally FFC planned on GFII being the last GF movie to be made, and that is why he shot the very end showing Michael alone in his chair. But in hindsight, now knowing that a GFIII has been made, I would have liked to see the scene from this script at the very end where Michael and Anthony are walking off together.


Don Cardi

Not having Brando in the final flashback scene of GFII emphasized how disparate were the three (or four, if you count Tom) brothers in personality, ability, and faithfulness in contrast to Vito. Not having him there was a foretelling of how things might go when he departed this earth.

Very good point Olivant.

I also prefer this ending, with Anthony, but it has a begining before the flashback:

______ CONNIE
Don't worry; I'm sure he got here
on time. The roads from the
airport are so windy, it takes
forever; I've driven them myself.

She picks up some of the serving plates that he has left untouched.

CONNIE
I'll bring him out to you as soon
as he comes.

She moves back to the main house.

MED. CLOSE VIEW ON MICHAEL

He turns and looks at the rough water of the lake for a moment. He slowly takes a sip of wine.

EXT. A PLACE IN THE GARDEN - DAY

There are a few chairs.

MED. VIEW ON ANTHONY CORLEONE

He is eighteen years old.

ANTHONY
Hello, Dad.

VIEW ON MICHAEL

squinting up at his son.

MICHAEL
Anthony.

He rises, and reaches up to his son, who is now taller than
he; he embraces him.

MICHAEL
You've grown so tall... so tall in
the last year. You're much taller
than me.

ANTHONY
I was taller than you when I was
fourteen.

MICHAEL
Sit down. Your Aunt Connie and I
waited for you to have some lunch,
but now it's all dried out.

ANTHONY
I'm not hungry.

MICHAEL
Well, that's alright... alright.
Good. You'll graduate in another
year, isn't that right? You know...
I never finished college. I was a
good student, but I never
finished.
Of course, there was a war then.

Connie approaches them.

CONNIE
Don't let me interrupt anything,
this will just take a second. Here.
(she takes out a
small needle, and
begins to prepare it)
Your father has to have his insulin
shot. Why don't you go to your
room and put your things away,
Anthony.

She begins to give Michael the shot.

MICHAEL
Hurry back; we'll talk. We'll talk.

Anthony goes on his way to the house with his things.
Connie gives Michael the shot.

_____
But with this ending there could be no such part 3! Tony graduates in a year, then 20 years passed, and he still cannot get the law degree!

MICHAEL
You've grown so tall... so tall in
the last year. You're much taller
than me.

ANTHONY
I was taller than you when I was
fourteen.

That's a somewhat funny exchange in that scene.

I mean, given Pacino's height.....

^^^^ Yeah I was just about to mention that myself. They should have left it in

Just thought of it, but shouldn't Genco be in this scene? I mean Tessio was there, while Genco was closer to the Don then Tessio. Tom states that he and Vito discussed Micheal's future many times, but at that time Tom was far from being consigliere to Vito.

Or was Genco already ill at the year 1941? Can't remember what the novel tells about this, only that he was dying from cancer, and suffered for a long time.

Ontopic: I prefer the original ending, you could feel Brando's presence even when he wasn't there. And the ending of the scene, Micheal sitting at the tabel all alone, is very powerfull I think.

Any thoughts on this?

Genco was dying in hospital for nearly a year, so it's said in the novel. Perhaps, he was somewhere else. We don't see Clemenza either. Maybe, they were celebrating Christmas (In that script it is Christmas for unknown reason, not Vito's birthday) with their own families, and Tessio had none, so they invited him.
I only know why there must be Tessio: the meaning of the scene is that Michael finally killed almost half people present in that happy room, and Tessio was one of them.

In the movie, it is BOTH Christmastime (early December) and Vito's birthday. Remember Sonny makes the reference to Pearl Harbor and then moments later (after Michael's bombshell news about enlisting in the Marines) tells Connie to "...go show Carlo the Christmas tree..."

And a minor note regarding Clemenza's absense in the flashback scene... if Richard Castellano was written out of GFII due to salary and script disputes...there was certainly no way he was going to wind up in that last scene.

And all were killed (Tessio/Carlo/Fredo) because each in some way betrayed Michael and/or the Corleone Family.

So I agree...for the scene to have full impact...Tessio had to be there, Clemenza did not.

Apple

I had following reasons to think so:
In the script there's no reference at all to Vito's birthday, instead we read:

MAMA
Please, do we have to talk about
the war at the table? On Christmas,
much less.
And later:

DON CORLEONE
I know. I know, Michael. It's
Christmas, your brothers and
sister
are all here -- we are happy.
Let's not spoil this.

In the movie this scene has been changed, I think Coppola at first meant it to take place at Christmas, but later made a wiser decision to retain original date - Puzo says in the novel that Mike enlisted on the day after Pearl Harbor, so he simply couldn't be there at Christmas.
So we have some lines added to tell us when it was:

SONNY
what do you think of the nerve those Japs - those slanty eyed bastards, huh. Dropping bombs in out back yard - and on Pops birthday you know!

FREDO
Now they didn't know it was Pop's birthday.

And later:
SONNY
Nice -- real nice -- break your fathers heart on his birthday.

And at the end of the scene they all congratulate Vito.

I suppose you are being nitpicky and referring to Christmas Day, Dec. 25th.

You're right, the scene does not take place on that actual day. And neither is Vito's birthday on Christmas Day. The reference is that Vito was born (at least according to the scene) on December 7th.

Still though, it is December and Christmastime.

Apples & Oranges.

Apple

^^Hey, just wondering, what do you mean by "I actually voted FOR John Kerry...before I voted against him!"?

Yes, of course, you are right, it would be anyway in December and that means Christmas tree, shopping and mood.
What I tried to say was how I see the possible genesis and development of the idea of this flashback.
They were going to show Michael with his son, so they wished to remind us the difficulties his own father had with him. The best possible moment to choose was the ultimate point of Michael’s defying “his fathers express command” and joining the army. They intended to show the reaction of all the family, so the whole family had to be gathered at the same place, which meant some family celebration, but no strangers, something closely private.
It would also show, as a contrast, the gaiety of old good days, and the people he loved, most of them gone, and as an additional thrilling point – almost half of them killed by that very college boy, who was having his own plans for future, and never let anyone bend his will even then.
Coppola chose Christmas day, Dec.25, as most eligible for those purposes date in December, as Mike enlisted in Dec., after P.H. It was written in the script as Christmas, and it atoned well for bringing Tessio, another victim of Michael’s, into the scene, because Christmas is a day that we usually spend with our family, and he had no family, unlike Clemenza and Genco, so it is possible that they invited him so that he wouldn’t sit alone. Also Carlo could be invited- we invite the friends of our children for Christmas, nothing’s strange here.
But there was a big hole in this plan, and I guess it might be Puzo himself who pointed out the mistake to FFC. Michael enlisted not just “after P.H.”, but on the day after, so it would be impossible for him to be still there, and still less possible that he could keep his enlisting a secret and announce it more than 2 weeks later. Also would be strange to introduce the “Nervy Japs” topic so late, when it had to be discussed many times already. But it was necessary, because it gave Mike possibility to tell about his decision.
So they decided to make it Dec.7. As there was nothing to celebrate, they made this day Vito’s birthday (I hope with Puzo’s permission, or maybe it was his own idea). It was good move – It made Michael’s step more significant, and the presence of Tessio at the celebration, as one of Vito’s closest friends, more justified. But then, there had to be others - Clemenza and Genco. But they found their way out: we don’t see here, as in the script, everyone gathered and celebration begun. Maybe they would come in a minute later, or even came in together with Vito. Of course there was no Brando, so we couldn’t see Vito’s reaction or his talk with Michael, but that is still better. They were not necessary, cuz we can guess that well
In this version the presence of Carlo becomes puzzling, but well – everything cannot be perfect after all . I wonder one more thing: When did Mike’s holidays at college begin? Or he left for a day to attend his dad’s birthday?
See how terribly nitpicky I am!