10 Iconic Godfather Moments That Came From The Sequels

Although The Godfather has the most iconic moments of the trilogy, the two sequels also have some outstanding scenes. The Godfather is one of the best movies ever made, and many of its scenes have become recognizable even to those who haven’t watched it. Vito’s opening scene at his daughter’s wedding, Sonny’s bloody death and the image of the horse’s head in the bed all show The Godfather‘s remarkable number of unforgettable moments.

Although neither of the Godfather sequels can replicate the sheer volume of iconic scenes, there are a few which stand out. There’s some debate over which Godfather is the best among the first two, with Part III usually occupying the bottom spot in any ranking. Part II manages to be just as captivating without as many standout moments, while Part III is often saved by some splashes of genius.

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10

Michael’s Death

Part III – The Ending Of Michael’s Story Shows His Weaknesses

Francis Ford Coppola has described The Godfather Part III as a coda to the previous two movies, rather than a sequel that stands on equal ground. In this context, it works well as an addendum to Michael’s story, showing his final downfall after a life that was ruined by his own paranoia and fear. The final scene provides a depressing ending to Michael’s story, as he dies as an old man, completely alone.

It’s a dark counterpoint to Vito’s final moments, as he dies in The Godfather while playing with his grandson.

The Godfather Part III is underrated in some ways. It might not hit the heights of the previous two movies, but this is an exceptionally high bar to expect it to clear. The final scene is one great moment that shows Coppola still had the magic. Michael briefly looks back on his life before his death, and he thinks about the women he failed to protect; Kay, Apollonia and Mary. Although the exact circumstances of his late life remain unknown, he seems to be alone, having pushed his family away. It’s a dark counterpoint to Vito’s final moments, as he dies in The Godfather while playing with his grandson.

9

Vito Gets His Revenge

Part II – Robert De Niro’s Performance Is A Major Positive For The Sequel

Although The Godfather Part II suffers from the absence of Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone, Robert De Niro plays a younger version of the character, and there aren’t many better replacements in film history than that. As the main story follows Michael’s rise as Don of the Corleone family, Coppola uses a series of flashbacks to contrast his life with that of his father Vito when he first reaches the United States.

Vito first arrives in America as a child, escaping from the cruel mob boss who murdered his family back in Sicily. Although Vito grows up in New York City, he never forgets Don Ciccio, eventually returning to murder him many years later. Even though Don Ciccio has become a frail old man, Vito shows no mercy, proving that he has a long memory, and he never forgives anyone for crimes against his family.

8

Vincent Handles A Home Invasion

Part III – Vincent Is The Best New Character In Part III

Many of The Godfather trilogy’s best characters die before Part III, including Vito, Sonny and Fredo. Fortunately, Andy Garcia’s performance as Vincent provides a much-needed spark, and the character often drives the plot forward with his recklessness. The scene in which Vincent fights off two home intruders is a great introduction, showing his unflappable nature and his proclivity for violence.

Even with a robber holding a knife to his girlfriend’s throat, Vincent doesn’t flinch. It’s hard to tell in this moment whether he is excellent at bluffing or if he is so sociopathic that he truly doesn’t care whether she lives or dies. His primary goal seems to be coming out on top of the confrontation, whatever this entails. Garcia’s performance is a consistent bright spot in Part III, and this early scene forces the audience to sit up and take notice immediately.

7

Kay Tells Michael About Her Abortion

Part II – Michael Loses His Family In An Instant

Diane Keaton doesn’t always get as much screentime as her co-stars in the Godfather trilogy, but her performances ensure that she’s just as memorable as anyone else. Part II features her finest hour, as Kay admits to Michael that she had an abortion, rather than a miscarriage. This scene comes at a time when she feels Michael pulling further away, and his commitment to his criminal business has Kay on the brink of leaving him.

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Kay seems relieved to be able to tell Michael the truth, but there’s also the undertone that she wants to hurt him as much as her has hurt her. Al Pacino is just as captivating as Keaton in this scene, as he displays Michael’s burning rage with the subtlest of movements, before exploding into action and slapping Kay in the face. In the moment and even more so in hindsight, this is a huge moment in Michael’s character arc, since he loses his family for good.

6

The Family Dinner Scene

Part II – The Flashback Highlights The Differences Between Michael And His Father

The Godfather Part II adds another twist to its non-linear timeline with a brief scene at the end which shows the Corleone family sitting at the dinner table before the events of the first movie. Although Vito is absent, Michael is there with his three brothers. The Corleone brothers have a special bond in The Godfather, but it rapidly deteriorates after Vito’s death, culminating in Michael killing Fredo and excluding Tom from the business.

To return for this one scene, James Caan demanded the same fee that he got for his role in The Godfather.

The ending of The Godfather Part II shows Michael alone, having pushed away his siblings, his wife and his children. The flashback shows how life was when Vito was still in charge. Vito gets his strength from loyalty to the family above all else, while Michael’s loyalty to himself ends in disaster. The dinner scene also shows that Fredo is the only person who supports Michael’s decision to enlist to fight in World War II, showing how close the two brothers used to be.

5

Mary’s Death

Part III – The Trilogy’s Grand Finale Is Perfectly Executed

The Godfather Part III is a little uneven at times, but it all comes together in a seismic finale, as Michael and his family attend his son’s opera while a series of orchestrated killings take place all over Italy. This evokes the ending of The Godfather, in which Michael attends his nephew’s baptism while his associates take out his rivals. Ultimately, Michael narrowly evades an assassination attempt, but his daughter Mary is shot and dies.

Michael’s daughter being caught in the crossfire is the perfect metaphor for how his devotion to a dangerous lifestyle harms his relationships with the people he loves, especially the women in his life who have no involvement in the business. The finale of The Godfather Part III has all the spectacle of an opera. It’s poetic that Mary dies on the steps of the opera house, and it ties up the movie’s references to religion, Roman history and opera all at once.

4

Frank Recants His Testimony

Part II – The Sight Of Frank’s Brother Is Enough To Ensure His Silence

Frank Pentangeli is a pivotal character in The Godfather Part II, since he has the chance to testify against Michael and get him imprisoned. The scenes with the Senate committee are often filmed at a distance, so they don’t seem as tense and dangerous as some other threats that Michael faces, but the formality of the affair shows that Michael can’t resort to his usual methods. Still, he finds a way to get to Frank as he testifies.

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Frank is ready to testify against Michael and the Corleone family, but the sight of his brother from Sicily in the courtroom is enough to make him state on the record that Michael is perfectly innocent. There’s some mystery around why exactly Frank’s brother’s presence is enough to change his mind, although early drafts of the script suggest that it’s an implicit threat from Michael that he can get to anyone in his family, or that his brother reminds him of the code of silence, known as omertà.

3

Vito Kills Don Fanucci

Part II – Vito’s First Steps Into A Life Of Crime

Vito is just a child when he first arrives in New York City, and he lives a life on the straight and narrow for a while. Eventually, he sees that there’s much more money in crime, and his desire to provide for his wife and children leads him down a dark path. One big turning point comes when he conspires with a friend to eliminate Don Fanucci, the local mob boss holding every business in the neighborhood under his thumb.

Not only is Vito’s killing of Don Fanucci a huge moment on his path to becoming the criminal leader seen in The Godfather, but it’s also one of the most visually captivating scenes in the trilogy. Vito stalks Fanucci from the rooftops as the mob boss swaggers through a busy street carnival. The whole scene is a masterpiece of dramatic tension, unfolding with barely a word spoken, but never losing its power for a second.

2

“Just When I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In”

Part III – One Of Michael’s Best Quotes Has Become Famous

The Godfather Part III shows Michael trying to leave the grisly family business behind him, engaging in legitimate business ventures and philanthropy to cleanse the negative connotations of the Corleone family name. Before too long, Michael realizes that he’s unable to outrun his past, and that he will be living with the consequences of his actions in one way or another for the rest of his life. The stress eventualy gives him a stroke.

One of Michael’s best quotes in the Godfather trilogy sums up his exasperation at being forced back into his old ways, and Al Pacino’s delivery makes it even more iconic. It’s interesting to note that Michael seems to pity himself with this quote, although he ultimately has nobody to blame but himself. The quote has been imitated and parodied many times over the years, but this hasn’t made its use in The Godfather Part III any less poignant.

1

Michael Gives Fredo The Kiss Of Death

Part II – One Of The Trilogy’s Greatest Moments Shows Michael’s Point Of No Return

Michael’s journey passes the point of no return when he arranges to have Fredo killed for betraying him, and this decision haunts him for the rest of his life. The scene when he confronts Fredo shows how the betrayal wounds him. As he tells Fredo, it breaks his heart, and Michael loses a piece of himself when he realizes that he can no longer trust his older brother, who was once a close ally.

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This scene is as memorable as any in The Godfather, thanks to an iconic quote and Al Pacino’s direct delivery. Of course, the fallout from this turning point is what makes it so iconic, as this seems like the moment that Michael resolves to have Fredo killed, even if he holds off on the hit for a while. This is arguably the one moment which sums up the entire Godfather trilogy, as family and power come into conflict, and Michael chooses the latter.

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