When you've watched any of the Godfather films on DVD or VHS, is there a particular scene(s) or segment (or even image) that you replayed over and over? Maybe it was so great you couldn't get enough of it, or you couldn't believe what you just saw so you had to see it again?

And in my book, "over and over" means at least 3 times -- in a row . And you had to rewind and watch it right then and there all those times (minimum 3, remember ) before you could continue watching anything else. (And this need not be the first time you watched the movie; can be any viewing.)

I always rewind the part where Vito says "Bonasera Bonasera What have I ever done to make you treat me so disrespectfully?" I love how Vito says his name. Also when Vito slaps Johnny and says " You can act like a man!"

There are at least 3 different scenes that I find myself re-watching. All are from GFII.


End of GF II. The flashback scene. "Whad you go to college to get stupid?" "They didn't know it was pops birthday."

I can watch that scene over and over, again and again.

The Cuba scene where Roth is telling Mike that it will all be his someday, how he wished he could be alive to see their dream, etc. etc. I always think that I may pick something up in that scene that I've never picked up before.

But one of my favorite scenes has to be the Pentangeli / Hagen scene in the Army base yard where Hagen gives Frankie a "way out." Both Gazzo and Duvall are just brilliant in that scene. The dialoge, the facial expressions,etc. are just fantastic.


I cannot wait for Turnbull's reply as he and I had a similar converstaion a few months ago about re-watching certain scenes and how often we do it.

You people are going to love his answer! Right TB?


Don Cardi

DC, you flatter me!
The happiest contest in the world is trying to determine the "best" or "favorite" scene in the trilogy--no losers!
That said, the scenes that I've watched (literally well over a thousand times each since 1983 (when the "Saga" was first shown on TV, and I bought my first VCR to tape it) are:
--Connie's wedding: specifically the opening with Bonasera. Vito crooking his finger to Hagen to get Bonasera a drink was worth an Oscar in itself. So was the way he puffed himself up before saying, "And then they would fear you."
--All of the Havana stuff, which is so authentic that serious professors of Cuban history tell graduate students to watch it to get a feel for what Havana was like on the eve of Castro's takover. Specifically Roth's soliloquey (watch how FFC ordered the baby spots on Roth's eyes when he says, "This...is the business...we've chosen...").
--The Don's convention; specifically Vito gesturing to Hagen to pull back his chair, and especially when he puts his hand over his heart and says, "And I swear, on the souls of my grandchildren..."
--All of the scene in Sicily with Sr. Vitelli. Another brilliantly authentic scene, and Vitelli is superb. Also notice how Pacino abruptly transitions from Michael the little lost boy in Sicily to Michael the commander.
--Almost anything with Michael V. Gazzo, who makes GFII; specifically he and Michael in the boathouse, and Michael shouting at him in his study (IMO, Pacino's best scene in the entire trilogy). Frankie playing Everyman as Caporegime: "Michael, I don't have your head for the, the big deals..." And yes, the prison yard with Hagen, and that final, soft, "See ya, Tom..." Another Oscar right there.

I'm running off at the mouth (as usual). Gotta stop...

For me, it's the kiss of death Michael gives Fredo on New Year's Eve in Havana. When I first saw that, I had to catch my breath... and when I recovered , my mind was asking, "Whoa, what on earth just happened there!!?"

One second, the two are sharing a brotherly hug to usher in the New Year, the next second I didn't know if Fredo was going to be strangled or tossed across the room by his neck. That kiss -- the violence of it, the suddenness, the emotion behind it -- was a shock. I never saw it coming.

I said this just recently in a current thread about this scene, but I have to say it again: That's got to be the BEST SCREEN KISS ever -- and maybe even the most passionate one too.

... And it doesn't matter that it's non-romantic and between two men. It really packs a lot of drama. <--- I couldn't find a "kiss of death" emoticon, so this one was the closest available... even though it makes the kiss seem a lot different than it really is .

It's a scene of only a couple of minutes, but it has a ton of stuff going on -- so much so that I HAD to replay it many times so I could catch it all, and then appreciate it all: The way Michael spits out the words, "I know it was you Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart," keeping his voice low but barely able to contain his hurt and anger. The way Fredo tries to pry Michael's hands away from his neck (and his difficulty in succeeding is just another great touch showing Michael's potential for violence -- and how emotionally agitated he is). The way Fredo skulks away, his posture bowed, while Michael stands straight, staring arrows at Fredo's retreating back. It's such a great scene.

I once watched the Baptism sequence about 10 times in a row, much of it in slow motion.

Connie's wedding and Baptism.

WOW one of my favourite scences...

Kiss of Death

The entire sequence involving the Tahoe assassination attempt.

I'm still looking (in vain) for that one mssing clue that will finally tell us who killed the assassins.

Also, the "Chinese Food" sequence. Still haven't given up on the idea that it's not Rocco in that scene.

last part of Godfather 3. Perfecto!

GoodFella

My #1 replay Is-

The end of GF-2 When Fredo is killed,and Michael sits down in the boat house & has flash backs of the good old days!
When everyone was alive & together!
Sonny introduces Carlo to everyone, This is my brother Fredo, my step brother Tom & his girl Theresa & that cute little thing over there is my sister Connie,Oh and that drupey thing over there thats my brother Mike we call him Joe Callars.
Tessio walks in with Vito's Birtday Cake.
Sonny & Mike get into an argument over Mike quiting collage to join the Army, and one of Sonny's kids call out Mommy Daddy's fighting again. (Love It)
And at the very end Vito holding Michaels hand waving good bye in Sicily!
Just love this intire scene

#2
The Senate Hearings
Frankie--I don't know nothin about that ---Oh i was in the Olive Oil bussiness with his father.
Look the FBI guys promised me a deal. So i made up a lot a stuff about Mike Corleone's cause thats what they wanted---but it is all lies---uh---everything.I kept saying M. Corleone did this & M.Corleone did that---uh---so i said sure,why not.(Love Frankie to death in That scene)
Another good one Willy Cicci---To the Senate "Yeah, a buffer the family had a lot of buffers".

#3-
Sonny fighting Carlo

#4
Vito to Tom----Tattaglia's a pimp---he never could've outfought Santino But i didn't know until this day that it was ....Barzini all along---(Powerful Scene)

#5
When Vito tells Mike, Now listen---whoever comes to you with this Barzini meeting he's the traitor Don't forget that.(His Good Friend Tessio)
This scene should go down in history----"Tom, can you get me off the hook? for old times sake?"/Tom "Can't do it Sally"---Wow power-house scene

Well Guys i can go on & on!!!

A few I can watch again and again:

-- The scene at the beginning of GFII, where Connie goes in to talk to Mike. His sheer disgust with Connie in that scene is astounding. "Why do you come to me, why don't you go to a travel agent?"; "YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER," "Then what do you come to me for?!" "Because I need money!" And when he asks (or tells her) to leave Merle, and he says "Now he'll understand, believe me."

-- I agree with many above, any scene with Michael V. Gazzo.

-- The flashback scene when Vito murdered Don Ciccio. He doesn't settle for just stabbing him, he runs the knife all the way up his stomach. Then the way he just pushes his head away, like he's nothing. A truly powerful moment. A Don rising in power in America, avenging his family, and murdering the most powerful Don in Sicily.

-- The baptism scene, of course.

--The shooting during the Lake Tahoe scene. I, too, continuously look for the culprit(s) in that scene.

-- The "Hail Mary" scene in GFII

-- The shooting of Don Corleone in GF. He falls so slowly, in just agony. And the look on Fredo's face. Yes, Brando was awesome in that scene, but I think Cazale stole it.

-- Speaking of Cazale, I think he gives Gazzo a run for his money in [i]GFII{/i]. The boathouse scene is probably my favorite scene in the whole trilogy. You can't help but feel sorry for Fredo, you can't help but loathe Michael in that scene. I've seen it probably a thousand times, but everytime I watch it, I find myself saying "Please Michael, just let it go. He's your brother."

So many more to mention, not enough time...

The conversations between Fanucci and Vito, and all the conversations between Vito and Clemenza/Tessio/Genco.
In one word: Brilliant!

How about Appolonia's topless scene?

Just kidding.

From GF:
The sitdown with the heads of the various Families

The deleted scene from the first film in which Michael offers to help Sonny, where we get the first glimpse of Michael's ability to be a Don and very much like Vito.

GFII:
The answer Roth gives to Michael re: "Who had Frank Pantangelli killed?"

The flashback sequence at the end

GFIII:
Michael's confession to Cardinal Lamberto

Michael and Kay having lunch where Michael explains how regretful he is to Kay.

Godfather Returns: Me packing the book away in a box and shoving it into a corner of my attic

The scene between Michael and his father in the garden. "I never wanted this for you." It is one of the most moving scenes in the film. It shows the true love that Michael had for his father, and why he was willing to give up everything to save his life.

That scene was a stroke of brilliance: In the twilight after Fredo is killed, Sonny's image fades in like a ghost; it's haunting. I was taken aback the first time I viewed the film and saw Sonny step into the scene like that. For a second, I thought Michael was experiencing a very vivid hallucination.

That's precisely why I can't rewind the flashback scene and view it repeatedly; it's too painful. Isn't that funny how two people can admire the same scene, yet one can't get enough of watching it, while the other finds it too difficult to watch -- precisely because it IS so effective.
goombah, you're entitled -- and you can admit it . I'm sure lots of women on these boards have rewound and paused on an image of their favourite actor in the GF films .

Depending on my mood, some of the things I've paused on or replayed have no rhyme or reason to the average person. I've replayed the image of Michael reacting to Fredo's drunken disclosure that he knows Johnny Ola just to see Michael close his eyes so I can admire his eyelashes. Go figure . Then I went through a phase of replaying the Tahoe hit attempt because I liked the look of Michael's shoulders, arms, and back when he's crawling along the floor . (And also, when he covers Kay with his body, I can imagine what it's like to be Kay .)

But mostly I replay scenes for their cinematic value, like the baptism scene; although my favourite is still the kiss of death.

Don't ask me why, but I love the scene where Moe Greene is telling Michael off, and he has this really sarcastic line where he says "I TALK to Barzini.... He is telling Michael he thinks the Corleones are nothing more than a pain in the neck and that his buddy Barzini is now the "go to" guy.

I agree, DT--that's a good one. And it's Alex Rocco's finest moment. Not much of an actor, IMO, but he done great in that scene.

That one little bit of business that Alex Rocco does in that scene - the one where he adjusts his collar or his tie - is priceless.

Not too go off topic here. But it is in relation to Alex Rocco and the "Cheerleaders" line from that scene.

Back around 1980 or so there was a mini'series called The Gangster Chronicles. I know that several of you are familiar with it as we talked about this show once before.

But on the TV series, Alex Rocco plays a gangster that's confronted by either Bugsy Siegel or Lucky Luciano. And as he is about to be killed, he blurts out " I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders!"

The same exact line used in his role as Moe Green.

I agree Don T, that " I Talk to Barzini" line is delivered so well by Rocco.


Don Cardi

That scene was a stroke of brilliance: In the twilight after Fredo is killed, Sonny's image fades in like a ghost; it's haunting. I was taken aback the first time I viewed the film and saw Sonny step into the scene like that. For a second, I thought Michael was experiencing a very vivid hallucination.

That's precisely why I can't rewind the flashback scene and view it repeatedly; it's too painful. Isn't that funny how two people can admire the same scene, yet one can't get enough of watching it, while the other finds it too difficult to watch -- precisely because it IS so effective.
goombah, you're entitled -- and you can admit it . I'm sure lots of women on these boards have rewound and paused on an image of their favourite actor in the GF films .

Depending on my mood, some of the things I've paused on or replayed have no rhyme or reason to the average person. I've replayed the image of Michael reacting to Fredo's drunken disclosure that he knows Johnny Ola just to see Michael close his eyes so I can admire his eyelashes. Go figure I sure agree with you there CW. Michael can cover my body any time

You know, I think I better PM Lavinia and tell her what's going on in this thread. She won't want to miss it!

And as for that Las Vegas meeting with Moe Green, I too have replayed that one many times. I find that I replay scenes where there is a lot more going on than first meets the eye, and I want to catch all the nuances. This scene with Moe Green certainly fits the bill. Ostensibly, it's about a business deal; but it's also about the gap between Fredo and Michael, Fredo's outsider status with the rest of the family, Michael's developing Don persona, and the perception of the Corleones in the eyes of the big players.

And Alex Rocco's Moe Green is the personification of phoniness. He enters all suave and buddy-buddy; but when Michael starts negotiating, he wastes no time letting loose with the racial slurs and insults. I've watched it at least 10 times, and I was so busy focusing on all the interactions that it has been only in my latest viewings that I noticed just how bad Moe's temper really is. I swear he shoves or hits Fredo in the shoulder before he stalks out.

Apple (over in another thread) thinks I'm seeing things. (Hmm, that makes me wonder if I've watched it too many times to the point where I'm creating extra drama in my own head .) Please dontomasso and the rest of you who've watched that scene multiple times, tell me what you see. I need to know if I'm going crazy!

Cristina, I think that I am going to ask Don Geoff Malta to change your name here to Turnbullette!

No, you are not seeing things. You interpretation of that scene is right on the money. I see the same things.

Botom line is that everytime you watch any of The Godfather movies, no matter how many times you so, there is always something else that you pick up that you hadn't realized or seen before. It's what makes this Trilogy so fantastic. I'm getting the urge to watch GFII again as I am writing this!

You just gave me an idea for a new topic.


Don Cardi

Don Cardi, you flatter me! As much of an honour as that would be, I could NEVER live up to the name. I believe I read on these boards that Turnbull has watched the films 2,000+ times. I've got a looooooong way to go before I could approach that.

... and besides, I don't know anything about cars .

And you've started a new topic, you say? I'm on my way over there now ... What I lack in expert knowledge, I'll make up for in participation .

I think a scene that is often overlooked is how Tom diverted his eyes away from Sal when Sal realized his fate.
Also, the way Micheal walked away with a hunchback slump after Carlo was killed. Brilliant.
Too many scenes to note here as my favorite. Just simply awesome filmaking. There is nothing that will ever out class The Godfather Films. Ever. Throughout the years it remains a favorite.
(Even though Goodfellas is my all time favorite movie...Godfather I and II are my favorite movies, too.

Yeah? Tell him to explain immobilaire plot

In GF1 the meeting with Sollozzo, brilliant acting both by the actors and by the Corleones and Sollozzo, if you know what I'm trying to say. Then Sonny's outburst destroys everything and you can see the pained expressions on the capos and Vito and Sollozo's reaction.

Also, the killing of Paulie.

In GF2 the opera scene because that girl is beautiful.

The scene where Vito and Genco are eating lunch in the grocery store and Fannuchi brings his nephew in and Vito is laid off, through to where he brings the pear home to his wife.

Vito's stalking of Fannuchi on the rooftop and killing him, then disposing of the gun and returning to his family.

Going back to the Moe Green scene for a second, it is also worth noting that Michael is showing enormous confidence in himself and in the future of the Corleone family. The first thing he does when he sees Moe hasnt arrived is give Johnny Fontaine some lucrative contracts to sign to appear in Vegas, and then he asks Johnny to have some of his "Hollywood friends" join him in coming there. He gets Johnny's ok (I know some think Johnny hesitates, but I don't I think he sees the dollar figure on the contracts and is happy to "return the Don's favor"), and nonchalantly says to Fredo in the presence of Johnny and Tom that the Corleone family is thinking about moving to Vegas and moving Moe out. Fredo immediately shows how disconnected he is by telling Mike (who already knew that Moe slapped him around) all about how Moe loves the business and how "Moe never said anything to ME" about selling out.
Then Moe enters with all this phony nonsense about the chef cooking special, dancers knocking their teeth out and having chips drawn on the house. Mike just cuts him off and says is "My credit good enough to buy you out?"

dontomasso, I didn't even take note of the fact that Michael had the contracts out BEFORE he spoke to Moe Green. This is a case in point of how little things that don't register at first will crop up in subsequent viewings (or when someone on these boards points them out ).

Did you see Moe hit or shove Fredo in the shoulder as he left the room? Don Cardi did, but I want to hear it from you too so I can get double confirmation that I'm not going crazy. I also think that Moe (purposely or by accident, because he was so agitated) broke some dishes and/or glasses as he rose from the table because I heard the sound of shattering dinnerware. I hope I'm not imagining that either .

CW he did kiind of bump him or something on the way out. Now as to whether or not you are going crazy, that is another question!