The Godfather’s 3 Main Villains, Ranked Worst To Best

The Godfather’s 3 Main Villains, Ranked Worst To Best

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Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather trilogy is widely regarded as some of the best movies of all time, and the Corleone family’s criminal dealings have enthralled generations of viewers. The first part includes iconic scenes like the horse’s head, Sonny’s shocking demise, and Marlon Brando’s dedicated performance. Part two is considered by many to surpass the original, and its parallel storytelling is a genius way of juxtaposing two stories of two generations. The third part is a bold way of completing the trilogy, with a time jump that takes the family into the 1990s.

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Each The Godfather film is its own self-contained story while still tying together. This means every installment in the series has its own antagonist who gets their comeuppance in the most dramatic fashion. Each of these would-be villains poses a different kind of threat to the Corleone family, and each is able to hit them where it truly hurts. Yet from deception to betrayal, these antagonists all tried and failed to take down this powerful crime family.

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3

Osvaldo Altobello

Played By Eli Wallach In The Godfather Part III (1990)

Vincent and Altobello in The Godfather Part III

Part of the old guard of the Mafia, Don Altobello has a grandfatherly demeanor that disguises his treachery. A former ally of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), he betrays him in the most despicable way. He’s mostly driven by greed, seeing as he’s already in a very comfortable position and is not left wanting. His alliance with the Vatican-based mobsters shows just how corrupted and power-hungry he had become. Lying straight to Corleone’s face while simultaneously ordering multiple hits on him, that soft-spoken facade is what let him avoid suspicion for so long.

As Altobello conspires with Joey Zasa (Joe Mantegna) to rebel against the Corleone family, he also hires a ruthless assassin whose goal is to eliminate Michael. As an antagonist, Altobello is manipulative and opportunistic, operating from the shadows and stabbing allies in the back. Representing a moral decay that festers within the organization, he is a shadowy and deceptive villain. His actions cause a huge stability shift within the Mafia which has long-lasting consequences.

Don Altobello’s actions are also what ultimately lead to Mary Corleone’s (Sofia Coppola) death, which is a huge blow to Micheal on a deeply personal level. As he’s taken out by Connie Corleone (Talia Shire) via a poisoned cannoli, this hit represents his position as a villain in the series. He’s betrayed by someone he thought he could manipulate and dies alone in the shadows.

2

Emilio Barzini

Played By Richard Conte In The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather's Emilio Barzini

The cunning and calculated mob boss Don Barzini is a criminal mastermind who operates behind the scenes. His aim is to move into narcotics, which is something Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) strongly opposes, starting a series of unfortunate events. During his time as the one behind the attacks on the Corleone family, Barzini manages to achieve quite a few near wins. He nearly succeeds in killing Vito and taking over the business. The key word being, nearly.

Barzini is also able to orchestrate a lot of in-fighting between the families as he attempts to consolidate power. His manipulative actions leave the Corleones isolated and, in his mind, weakened. In addition to the unsuccessful attempted murder of Vito, he also tries to kill Michael and manages to eliminate Sonny (James Caan) in a ruthless hit. Barzini severely underestimates Micheal as he takes on the responsibility of leading the family business, which ultimately leads to his demise.

In one of the most impactful scenes of the series, the viewers see a sequence of everybody who crossed the Corleone family getting taken out, one after the other. Barzini is shot on the steps of the courthouse by Al Neri, in a public and almost humiliating way, juxtaposed with his presence as the villain of the film. While he operated in the background, his death was on full display.

1

Hyman Roth

Played By Lee Strasberg in The Godfather Part II (1974)

Lee Strasberg as Hyman Roth looking serious in The Godfather Part II

The second part of the trilogy follows Michael as he tries to put his own stamp on the family business. The audiences simultaneously see Vito’s (played as a young man by Robert De Niro) humble beginnings as a newly-arrived immigrant, beginning a new life in New York. This is when he meets a young Hyman Roth. As the two work closely together, it is implied that Hyman learns a lot from Vito, which gives him useful knowledge in building his own criminal empire and leads him to ultimately cross paths with Michael.

As a villain, Roth is extremely intelligent but cunning, with a lot of business acumen. Endearing himself to Michael, they become partners in a plan to bring their casinos to Havana, Cuba. This shows just how far his empire spans, and how lofty his ambitions are. His actions are influenced by his personal vendetta against Michael, which is part of what ultimately causes his plans to fail. While he built up his businesses through a pragmatic and intellectual approach, this extra bit of motivation made all the difference.

However, it is no mean feat to try to assassinate his former ally, and Michael’s plan is very public and very elaborate. As Roth returns to the United States after the chaos in Cuba, he thinks that he might have managed to escape Corleone’s wrath, but it was not to be. He is killed in plain sight, surrounded by press and U.S. marshals, by Rocco Lampone (Tom Rosqui). This shows just how powerful Michael is at the end of the preeminent The Godfather film, to be able to pull off such a difficult and incredibly public assassination.

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    The Godfather

    R
    DramaCrime

    Release Date

    March 24, 1972

    Runtime

    175 minutes

    Director

    Francis Ford Coppola

    Writers

    Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola

    Sequel(s)

    The Godfather Part II, The Godfather Part III

    Cast

    The Godfather chronicles the Italian-American Corleone crime family from 1945 to 1955. Following an assassination attempt on family patriarch Vito Corleone, his youngest son Michael emerges to orchestrate a brutal campaign of retribution, cementing his role in the family’s illicit empire.

    Studio(s)

    Paramount Pictures

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    The Godfather Part II

    r
    CrimeDrama

    Release Date

    December 20, 1974

    Runtime

    202minutes

    Director

    Francis Ford Coppola

    Writers

    Francis Ford Coppola, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino

    Prequel(s)

    The Godfather

    Cast

    Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather II continues Michael Corleone’s story as he expands the Corleones’ presence as a crime syndicate. The film is also half devoted to the backstory of Vito Corleone, following his rise to power in 1920s New York City. While The Godfather is considered one of the greatest movies ever made, The Godfather Part II was able to live up to the original and secure six Oscars at the 1975 Academy Awards.

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    Paramount Pictures

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    7.9/10

    The Godfather Part III Movie Poster

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    The Godfather Part III

    r
    CrimeDrama

    Release Date

    December 25, 1990

    Runtime

    142minutes

    Director

    Francis Ford Coppola

    Writers

    Francis Ford Coppola

    Prequel(s)

    The Godfather

    Cast

    The Godfather Part III is the third and final film in Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather trilogy. The film again focuses on Michael Corleone, who is now in his 60s and looking for his replacement as the head of the family business. While still getting favorable reviews upon release, the film is often considered a significant drop in quality compared to its predecessors.

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    Paramount Pictures

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