Clemenza's gruff tenderness toward Michael before the Sollozzo assassination ("We were all proud of you...your father, too.").

Michael's glance at his steady hands after lighting Enzo's cigarette outside the hospital.

How about when Manolo asked Michael if he should trim the bushes in front of his bedroom window?

The exchange between Michael and Sonny before Michael leaves to kill Sollotzo, neither knows it is the last time they will see each other.

TB made me remind one. When Mike talks to his mother at the Lake Tahoe compound in Part II. When his mother says that he will never lose his family and he responds with that times have changed..

The way Fredo twitches when he says" It ain't the way I wanted it!" after Michael tells him "It's the way pop wanted it."

A brilliant piece of acting on the part of John Cazale.

Ooh, I know! I can't believe I didn't think of this before now:

Two of my favorite little moments are from the first scene of Godfather I; the scene with the dialogue between Vito & Bonasera.

* While he's seated at his desk and talking with Bonasera, Vito is playing with a cat that's lying in his lap. That cat is a complete hoot! So sweet; so playful. I always thought that its trusting innocence was a statement of ironic contrast to the dastardly deeds being discussed at that very moment.

* After Vito agrees to avenge the beating of Bonasera's daughter, and issues orders to Clemenza via Tom, he utters a subtle little sigh of resignation as he leans against the interior of the door to his office: a slight shrug as he utters: "Eh". Such a small gesture - from which could be inferred so much. Fatigue? The constant weight of responsibility? Something else?~ Q

Very astute observation, Q. Did you hear the cat purring in the background?

Also note that he rubs or scratches his moustache at the same time as he's telling Tom to "give this job to Clemenza." Could be he was pondering his decision. Also could be Brando had just grown a 'stache for the part, and it was itchy.

BTW: Have you noticed that your namesake appears in Havana, in the scene where the Cuban President is meeting with the American business bigshots. He's seated behind Roth.

Another little golden moment that just came to mind:

When Michael and Fredo are having their intimate little tete a tete at the café in Havana, Fredo says: "Sometimes I think I shoulda married a woman like you did -- like Kay. Kids -- have a family. For once in my life -- be more like..."

...and we're anticipating that he'll say, "...you." Instead he says "...Pop." Then he sort of reaches for Michael's hand, but withdraws his own. And he says, somewhat angrily, "Why didn't we spend time like this before.?

I guess there's a limit to brotherly love and intimacy when your brother set you up to be machine-gunned at your home.

Then he sort of reaches for Michael's hand, but withdraws his own. And he says, somewhat angrily, "Why didn't we spend time like this before.?

There are so many great subtle moments to comment on in the Trilogy that I love. A lot are already mentioned.

Here are a couple of my favorites.

In II, when young Vito is back in Italy. He and Tommisino go to Don Ciccio's to "get his blessing on their Olive Oil Business". Right after Vito whisper's "Antonio Andolini" and rips Don Ciccio's stomach open with the knife, He's walking away and it looks like he "tweaks" his cheek a little. Like a final F you!

When Sonny comes out of Lucy's apartment (I guess that's what it was) and says to one of his bodyguards who was reading a book. "Hey, save it for the liberry"

When Michael, Calo and Fabrizio are talking to Apollonia's father about a girl they seen that day. Fabrizio is describing her and Calo is sort of agreeing yet not in a non-impressed way.

I love when the Corleone family is able to get Sen. Geary in their pocket. Fredo's brothel, dead hooker on the bed, and Tom Hagen is there to save the day. Just out of Sen. Geary's view is Al Neri cleaning up, and Hagen gives Neri that "come on, WTF" look.

When Sonny storms out of Connie's wedding to rough up the guy taking pictures of license plates, he has Paulie Gatto in tow, well behind him. After he spits on the FBI guy's credentials and says, "Goddam FBI don't respect nothin'," he and Paulie turn away. When Paulie is well distanced from the FBI guy, he makes a "cornudo"--the two fingered "horns" that are the classical Italian sign of the cuckold--but does it so surreptitiously that you barely notice it. A perfect sign of what a weasel he was, and a hint of treason to come.

On the other hand, Clemenza never leaves the vicinity of the gate.

The scene were Clemenza, Pauli and Rocco are driving and they stop way out in the middle of no where and FFC made sure the Statue of Liberty was in scene, ironic.

Another choice one: when Bonasera finally says to Vito: "Be my friend?" Vito kind of shrugs, as if to say, "maybe, maybe not." Then Bonasera says, "...godfather," and kisses Vito's hand. Vito then says, "Good," and puts his arm over Bonasera. Perfect end to a perfect scene.

Yes, when Sonny dips some bread in the SAUCE has been posted before. But, it is a nice touch. how many times did I do that when my mother was making the SAUCE!

In the novel and in a deleted scene, he does the same with his mother's peppers.

In the scene where Michael is hosting Geary and others in the Havana nightclub, Fredo asks if the guests want more drinks. Geary says, leeringly, "I'll try one of those red-headed Yolandas" [the showgirl we saw earlier]. If you run that scene very slowly, the camera pans onto Michael's face, and he's rolling his eyes as if to say, "Geez, doesn't this guy ever keep his dick in his pants?"

Having taken another close look at the meeting scene with Senator Geary in Michael's office, in Godfather II, there are actually several subtle, nuanced gestures and expressions there that deserve special mention (most of which I don't think have come up yet):

* As the meeting is getting started, Michael and Senator Geary stand up as a gesture of courtesy while Tom enters the room. Michael remains standing until Geary begins to sit back down, at one point hesitating while he waits for Geary to take his seat. Michael may be a gangster, but he's a cultured gangster.

* As Geary begins his spiel, i.e. "Now my sources tell me that you plan to make a move against the Tropigala...", there's a very telling exchange of glances between Michael and Tom. Michael seems to be silently asking Tom, 'How does he know about this?', while Tom's sheepish look responds, 'Beats me. I'm as surprised as you are.'

* There are a couple of instances in which Tom watches Geary with suspicion as Geary speaks: the first while Geary is dictating the terms of his intended extortion; the second as Geary utters his ethnic slur about "oily hair and silk suits".

* The cold, stony "game face" that Michael presents to Geary as he's being shaken down and insulted; never betraying a bit about what he might be feeling at the moment.

* As Geary stands up, uttering: "OK, some people have to play little games. You play yours", he takes the little cast iron replica of a cannon that's sitting on Michael's desk, and points it straight at Michael. Michael notices, but does not show any reaction.

* While Geary becomes more belligerent and mean-spirited as he delivers his ultimatum, Michael's demeanor begins to shift. He begins to rock slightly in his chair, almost as if he's bobbing his head. By the time he replies, "Senator, you can have my answer now if you like. My offer is this: Nothing...", the chair is practically vibrating with Michael's cocky, arrogant energy. There is an expression of cold, controlled rage on his face as he dictates his own terms to the senator, his piercing black eyes unblinking. This is a cobra preparing to strike its prey.

* As Geary walks out the door, there is one more telling exchange of glances between Michael and Tom. Michael's expression is one of disgust; Tom's is one of contrition and embarrassment.

Not only are these some of my favorite scenes of Godfather II, the entire scene is one of my favorite scenes.

~ Q

The look on Capt. McCluskey face the moment Sollozzo is shot, McCluskey knows what is coming next..

Michael popping pills on the train in !!... the first sign that the stress is getting to him and that his body is starting to break down.

Or his nerve. I bet the pills were Miltown, the universal tranquilizer of the Fifties.

Another little moment: During the New Year's Eve party at the Capri in Havana, Geary gets a lascivious grin on his puss and says, "I'll try one of those red-headed Yolandas." If you run the DVD on slo-mo, you can see Michael rolling his eyes as if to say, "There he goes again--thinking with his dick. Didn't he learn anything from that brothel murder?"