In a deleted scene from GF, we see Kay, wearing a mantilla, lighting candles in church. This relates to the very end of the novel: Kay joined the Catholic Church (which "disappointed" Michael--he wanted his kids raised as Protestants becase it was "more American") so she could pray that Michael's soul wouldn't go to hell. That's pretty loyal, wouldn't you say? Kay's loyalty to Michael didn't become an issue until GFII, by which time it'd become clear to her that Michael would never be "legitimate," that his business was a physical threat to her and her children, and that he was lying and dissembling to her.

Yup Apple I know, I was just skimming the msgs and must of got something mixed up, but I realized that when Krlea pointed it out, sorry about the mix up.

UB

Turnbull~ I love that scene. It's one of my favorite parts of the book and I so wish it was included in the film. It's definetly supportive and that'ss why I do wish it was included. If I'm talking about the film, if it's not included, then to me it never happenend.

I don't see where I'm all over the place, but owell. It definetly was an off topic debate, but I think it made it more interesting (it did for me atleast). Looking back I should have just started a whole new thread, "Was Kay a brat when she parks the car?" JUST KIDDING

Kay had prefectly logical reasons for not moving the car-
1) You cant stomp off in a car
2) If she would have tried to back up in her rage, she most likely would have crashed into one of the many trees on the property, damaging the car and making herself look stupid in front of the buttonmen
3) The car was most likely a standard transmition, and in her anger she would have stalled the car, making her look stupid in front of the buttonmen.
It all goes back to Double J's reason.

What was the most expensive car of that year? The Cadillac Eldorado Brougham?

While the Buick wasn't ostentatious, especially being the low priced one that Buick offered that year. It was still a notch most of the other wagons offered that year, and befitting a "mob wife".

Actually, Johnny, I got my years transposed a bit. The '58 Crown Imperial Ghia was the most expensive car of that year, at $15k, while the Eldo Brougham was a mere $13k. In '57, the order was reversed: $13k for the Brougham, $12k for the Ghia.
Yes, the '57 Buick Special wagon was a notch above the Edsel Voyager or the Ford City Squire of that year. But she still had higher-priced choices: A Buick Century wagon would have cost another $800 on top of the Special and have added 5.5 inches to her wheelbase. And, if she really wanted to make an impression on the little people, she could have stepped up to a Chrysler New Yorker wagon for an additional $1800. My feeling is that FFC's fanatical attention to detail made him deliberately choose that Buick Special precisely because he wanted to portray Kay as someone rich enough not to drive a mere Chevy, Ford or Plymouth wagon, but self-conscious enough about flaunting her wealth to choose a Buick Special instead of the higher-priced line.

Agreed Turnbull. Being a car enthusiasts like yourself, I too was greatly impressed with the detail that FFC put in the cars. As I previously posted, what stuck out in my mind the most was the fact that in GFI&II, you don't see Mike in a Cadillac, usually the car of choice of mob types back then. Even when "on the road" he had the Ford in Florida, and the Mercury in Cuba. He opted for the Packard limo and of course the all time favorite the Imperial Ghia.

A none descript Ford is usually the best way to go; stay on the downlow and Michael wasn't about all that flash and glitz anyhow. A Caddi draws too much attention, especially for someone who's life could be in danger at any moment.

Exactly, guys! Johnny Ola, my fellow car enthusiast (who knows his stuff! ) and I have agreed that any director would simply assume that a top Mob guy drives a Cad, and have put Michael in Cads. But FFC worked harder: The Ghia limo (one of fewer than a dozen made in '58); the '54 Packard we saw at the church in
GF, and another Imperial limo in GF (the one that delivered him to Moe Green's hotel). Not your conventional Mob guy, Michael.
And, UnderBoss, you're right about Fords. In the scene where Johnny Ola is leading Michael and his bodyguard to Roth's home in Florida, Michael is driving a '58 Ford Custom 300-- exactly the model Avis would have rented to a nondescript tourist, which is what Michael was trying to appear to be. The red/black paint job is authentic, too. Ola, meanwhile, drives a '58 Chrysler New Yorker sedan. It probably belongs to Roth, and is exactly what a well-to-do Jewish man of the era would have bought.
My favorite example of FFC's fanatical attention to car detail is the '57 Mercury Montclair that carries Michael around in Cuba. The collectable Merc of that year was the high-end Turnpike Cruiser, and FFC could easily have rented one for that scene. But he chose the lower-priced Montclair because it's exactly what a Cuban driver-for-hire of that era would have used. It's in generally good shape, and has the original sea green/cream two-tone paint job. But the front bumper is a bit sagged from hard use. And--triumphal touch!!--the driver has equipped it with a tinny European horn: exactly what a Cuban car owner would have added!
The cars are only one supremely authentic element in the Havana sequence. Among the others are the physical appearance and actual clothes worn by Batista and his family at the New Year's Eve party (which you see for 2 seconds--long enough for FFC to care to get it right); and the mob smashing parking meters with baseball bats (that happened, and for a good reason). In fact, the Havana sequence is so absolutely authentic to the last detail that serious scholars of Cuba tell their students to view GFII to see what Havana was like on the eve of the Revolution. The man is a genius!

Gee, I'm so glad I tossed this smoke bomb into the crowd a few days ago. Nice to see AOY exercising her freedom of sarcasm and condescension. KRLEA, hang in, I like your spunk.

So often I think we miss the picture FFC is trying to paint. We take the scenes too literal. Turnbull's use of the 'figuratively' encompasses the intent of the scene. I think its strictly done to create a mood or image. Kay is pissed. She's a prisoner. Storming off on foot is much more dramatic than shifting into reverse and returning to the house. No logic intended by the director; strictly mood.

LOL, well if you want to put i that way, where is all the fun . But seriously she was super pissed at that time and that was totally the intention.

I'm going to have to side with Kristen on this one. -Pat