Robert duvall's acting is tremendous, the subtle way he respects michael's intelligence and the building of his admiration for him as the rightful don of the family.
Robert Duvall played sooo good as Consigliere. He could make the Corleone family listen to him. Even Sonny had to listen, and then Michael took up the glove - and the rest is a thrilling history!
One thing I loved about The Godfather was how each son of Vito’s inherited a different part of him. Michael has Vito’s calculated, careful intellect, Sonny has Vito’s charisma and love for family, Tom (while not blood) has Vito’s levelheadedness and polite manner, and Fredo has Vito’s sweetness and familial warmth.
Nah, Fredo was a rat who almost got Michael and his whole family whacked. Michael told him not to go against the family (a warning) and he still goes being the Corleones and almost has Michael’s WIFE and CHILDREN killed. If it was ONLY Michael? Then it’d wouldn’t have been so bad as if the innocent wife and kids getting killed too. Fredo talked about family business to outsiders and that was wrong
The whole film is shot like a painting. In the beginning of the scene, Michael’s face is in the light, but by the last shot, it’s half-dark, half-light. This film is so beautifully shot.
The director of photography, Gordon Willis, was nicknamed “The Prince of Darkness” for obvious reasons. His contribution to the first two Godfather films is beyond measure. Would be completely different film without him as the DP.
@@SopranoPizzaJMFNJ I agree! I suppose I didn’t mention Part 3 only because of how disappointed I was in it as a film overall. But you’re correct. In fact, if anything, I feel as though it was only Willis who managed to bring the same A-game to his work in Part 3 that he did with 1 & 2.
The book gives this scene a bit more context - Sonny wasn't laughing AT Michael, he was laughing because Michael stopped pretending to be a good, All-American boy, and became his brother, his lieutenant - I seem to remember that Sonny says, 'You're a Corleone, after all!'
@@philbelichick24 By Mario Puzo? There are none. Although he wrote 'The Sicilian', which deals with the Sicilian bandit Salvatore Guiliano and Michael's last days in Sicily before he returned to America.
@@davidemelia6296 ahhh okay, i just ordered the Sicilian and will read it after this Book. I looked up the Book series online and it says there are more but not sure how accurate that is. Just got into reading and always thought it was “stupid” but boy, was i wrong…
Ty Alex No, that's not true. They weren't laughing at him. They were laughing because it was such an audacious idea. And that Michael was right. Solozzo underestimated Michael. Tom wasn't laughing because he didn't believe it would work. Then as the plan unfolded Tom began to invision it. Sonny was originally a little flip, but soon got on board. The camera moved in on Michael as he was explaining the plan and they were all dead quiet. Best scene in the whole trilogy. It was the moment Mike became Don Michael Corleone.
In the book they were laughing (especially Sonny) because this college boy persona was BS. They all knew Michael was the toughest Corelone kid, even Sonny knew.
Bro u hit that on point good observation there since Clemenza grew up with Vito and he was there the day when Vito became Vito and I’m sure micheal in that moment did remind him of a young Vito
Sonny also didn't laugh at Michael's plan either, more like he realized Michael starts acting more as Corleone kid, and not some nice college boy persona like he used to.
Yeah the young Vito that Clemenza first met was not a criminal. Honest man who made an honest living and went nowhere near crime. Clemenza watched Vito change right before his eyes when he killed Don Fanucci. I think he's seeing that change in Michael too. Whereas Sonny was always rough around the edges and always wanted that "Corleone" criminal life.
My favorite thing is how Tom is positioned when the camera moves in. The new Don, and his consigliere over his shoulder, supporting him in the shadows.
I watched this movie with my grandpa and he passed away a month ago, every time I come across this video I remember every comment he said, every laugh, every word he used to explain the movie because he watched it dozens of times before, the memories are beautiful but remembering them is painful, miss you grandpa
Everyone here reacts that way for different reasons: - Sonny laughs because Michael finally revealed his dark side - Clemenza laughs because he saw his old friend again, young Vito - Tessio laughs at the Corleone family, trying to survive through its weakest link - Tom doesn't laugh because he loves Michael and knows what he is capable of, but never wanted Michael to get into this life
The reason Sonny laughed was because his younger brother, who had tried not to get involved in the family's life, suddenly said he was going to assassinate two people for the family.
I honestly think the 70s were the true Golden Age of film. This one. Godfather II. Rocky. Jaws. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Star Wars. Patton. The French Connection. Outlaw Josey Wales. Deliverance. Escape From Alcatraz. Blazing Saddles. The Jerk. Monty Python and the Holy Grail..
It’s all about the eyes. The look on Michael’s face when he says: “it’s strictly business”… that’s the transformation into a Don right there! Brilliant scene and astonishing acting by Al Pacino.
Al Pacino is a mediocre, average actor at best..and the luckiest too His two ranges all on the same continuum: sullen and screaming His acting even here is simple, wooden, stollid..he doesn't inspire fear, even respect..not enough presence or charm or charisma..watch him with the sound down..very mediocre
How'd Sonny make his bones? Did Sonny ever do anything but kick Connie's husband's ass. What would have happened after Michael's exile if Sonny hadn't been killed?
Just to think that the studio wanted to fire Al Pacino after the first days of shooting because they thought he didn't have it in him seems like a bad joke.
The irony of all the older men laughing at Michael as they still see him as a kid. They don’t understand what he went through as a Marine infantry captain fighting in the Pacific, where combat was often vicious and at close range. By that point Michael has likely had more experience killing men up close than all the other men in the room combined.
He is applying his military training to solve the problem. Like Sonny, he sees Sollozo as one center of gravity. However, he states that the Don is the Corleone Center of gravity, and without him they're dead. So Michael comes up with his scheme of manuever and details his subordinates task (Hagen gets the story out, Clemenza gets the gun to the location). Michael has it figured out (on screen)in about 5 minutes. In the end, for Michael though it's all personal.
The Godfather might actually be the only movie I can enjoy watching like it's my first time seeing it, not many films can hold my attention again. Such an amazing film.
The real crux of this scene is not Michael’s coming out as a leader or following the path of his family; it’s the manner in which he’s doing it. He is willing to do what no-one around him even thinks of or thinks is possible. He shows a ruthlessness and precision that is beyond Sonny, Tom, Clemenza, Tessio. Coppola illustrates this with their initial derision, rejection and laughter. They simply don’t get it because Michael is that much smarter and more dangerous than they are. He does it time and time again throughout Part 1 and 2: Moe Greene, assassinating the five families, depriving his children of a relationship with their mother, murdering his sister’s husband etc.
Michael probably learned about tactics in the Marines and had lived outside the compound for several years. Sonny seemed to discount this; it wasn't his experience.
@@mikestarr6634 He didn't laugh because he thought Michael was being serious. He smiled the second time when he asked him about the newspaper story. It wasn't until Michael pressed the situation that he knew Mike was totally serious.
Three of the greatest of our generation all in one scene. Iconic movie that will be popular and worth watching 100 years from now. RIP James Caan, you will be missed by many
I love the way Sonny looks at Michael before Clemenza’s chuckling gets him to crack up. It’s such a mixture of love, admiration, and genuine anticipation, like a solemn giddiness as he sees his brother finally drop the good guy act and “become his arm” as he puts it in the novel
They all forgot that Michael had already been in Living Hell a.k.a World War II including Pearl Harbor. So that dark side was there from the very beginning and when his father's life was put at stake it was revealed immediately.
Michael wasn't just some "college boy". Michael Corleone was a highly decorated Marine captain who'd seen heavy combat in the Pacific. Most of the Marines Michael had served with had been killed in action, but Michael, through luck and cunning, had survived. Now Michael's going to promote himself to general and command a different army in a different war.
I would call Michael's proposal one of the most compellingly transitional, revealing & pivotal scenes in movie history. The scene in which the good all American schoolboy & decorated war hero finally becomes a Sicilian Corleone through & through. Michael just definitively crossed that threshold. In terms of character development this scene was extremely pivotal & revealing, as much as any in movie history. What a powerful shift in character, or this unlocking of what had always stirred deep down inside Don Corleone's favorite son. It was finally unleashed. That deeply Machiavellian, calculating Sicilian that had always streamed through Michael's bloodlines, finally tapped into & harnessed. He had, for all intents & purposes, finally become a Corleone (he was now a de facto part of their criminal empire). Perfection, this scene!
The transformation isn’t quite complete at this stage. He still has to shit or get off the pot. He achieves that when he’s in the toilet at the restaurant.
The book said that the plan was a mistake. It forced Michael to flee the country and thus lost years of tutelage by the don. But if this was a mistake, what was the proper play. On the other hand, everyone is playing checkers, Sonny, Tom, Michael, even Sollozzo. It was Barzini who was playing chess. he manipulated everyone and no one realized he was involved.
In the book it said it WAS necessary in a tactical sense but as a long-term strategy, as Don Vito and Genco Abbandando were geniuses at planning, it was a mistake. It was stated that they needed to wait until Vito was fully recovered. All they had to do was wait it out and weather the storm, but Solozzo kept pushing, forcing their hand and ending up gunned down. Im almost betting Barzini wanted Solozzo gone so he can take control of the drug business and the money it would get, with the Tattaglia's getting a piece of it for their assistance, and Vito saw it, but accepted that defeat, knowing that to win the war, he would need to lose a few battles along the way. Then once Michael got home, he spent 3 years with Vito and Tom going over the family business, odds are as Tom wasnt a Sicilian, he most likely trained him under the legal aspects and front companies, assets and wealth, and Vito went over the illegal assets in gambling and unions, plus how the mafia hierarchy works. Once he had it all down, then he needed his father as counsel. He knew his short-comings at thinking long-term. Remember, he listened to Tom and Sonny, and even Sonny said it himself, he was good at short-term strategy, and Tom knew how to keep the peace but wasnt a wartime Consigliere unlike Vito being a wartime Godfather. He knew the ins and outs best to handle what would come next.
This scene is just like the scene when young Vito told his friends he will take care of fanuchhi the bully, his friends didn't take him seriously, but that's what make him the Don
Sonny is talking to Mike like he's a school boy. But considering Mike being a WWII vet he's probably seen and done things Sonny cant even imagine. "Shooting at them from a mile away" lol!
According to the Godfather wiki, he was awarded the Navy Cross for his bravery in Guadalcanal and Peleliu, two of the worst battles for marines in the entire war. He saw more blood and bodies in one day than anyone else in that room would see in their entire lives.
You're the first person in decades to actually vocalize what I've always thought. Michael, in the book, I believe went to an Ivy League institution for his education. As is pointed out in the movie, he is a WWII combat veteran MARINE. On top of that, correct me if I'm mistaken, he is an officer, which would mean he has literally STUDIED war and battles. Of course he would know just how to handle that situation.
No CGI...no big ass dramatic effects or loud music. Just magnificent acting and superb camera work. I love how they all gather around Michael slowly and he is seen sitting there...alone the captain of the ship, foreshadowing his time to be the BIG dog. That's what you learn to love about this movie every moves at a methodical pace not one scene wasted everything flows into the next. The Godfather...greatest movie of all times. And btw I just farted
Tou're right. Good movies are what it's all about. No amount of special effects really matter. Good, but relatively inexpensive movies, are what will save the movie insustry.
I think in the beginning it was just business Michael knew that this is what needed to be done in order for his family to be safe.. But the after the attempt on his life in Sicily which ended up killing his wife and the killing of his older brother sonny business went straight out the door
If you read the book. It was the opposite. Michael says it’s personal. Everything is personal. Everything Michael did or ordered was personal. At least according to the boom. Which explains the character a lot better imo.
"It's strictly business". And with those words a man begins to lose his humanity. When he says it...it's like the floodgates open for the character. His eyes become completely different...he had warm eyes at the wedding...and all that light and love just slowly drains out of them over the course of the story. Freakin' tragic.
@@45ginola “stop being dramatic” it’s literally a movie, drama is at its core. You think Pacino wasn’t trying to portray exactly what the comment above says? You can see his eyes the rest of the movie. He’s no longer warm and humble, he’s completely focused and no longer has any mercy. Actors work their asses off to convey such things.
I love when Michael says he’ll kill them both, you see Sonny with this bewildered look on his face, then you hear Clemenza star to giggle and then Tessio is out right laughing.
The Godfather was the greatest film of the twentieth century, a masterpiece of cinematic story telling. The cast had chemistry and that made the film work. You can watch it 50 times and everytime the viewer dicovers a nuance not picked up in previous watchings.
The camera work was impeccable, the camera followed sonny and Tom (as a result of him engaging with sonny)for the first half of the scene, mirroring and highlighting sonny's erratic nature, with Michael on the periphery. And subtly switches to Michael and focuses on him, also highlighting his stable and withdrawn nature by zooming in slowly and cutting every other person out, indicating the transfer of power from sonny to him, also they did this thing where the camera is almost always on the person speaking. Genius.
I love how what Michael says is correct. On paper they get rid of a problem since he could momentarily be a fall guy so it works out. It's great that he insists its just business when in reality it is indeed personal
This is such an important scene because it is the first time Michael does his power posture pose while sitting. A pose that is repeated throughout the saga
Absolutely love in this scene how everyone laughs. Everyone except Tom. He understands the gravity and severity of the situation, as well as the sincerity of Michaels offer, which severely contradicts the fact Vito doesn’t want Mike mixed up in things. He sees the shift right then and there
Tom was kinda worried cuz he and father spoke on occasion about his future. had other plans for Michael. Vito didn’t want him involved with family. business. Beautifully shown when Tom tells Vito it was Michael who killed Solazzo, he’s visibly heartbroken and motions everyone to leave the room.
Tom was more like disappointed: Mike don't tell me you are with them too... (Tom had considered that they should wait and not to kill anyone because another families would be after them and without Done they would put themselves in really vulnerable position. And then Michael comes out with the plan to kill them BOTH)
The really funny part..? is that Michael (barring Clemenza) had probably killed more people than everyone else in the room! Angry Mobsters are dangerous, yes - but NOTHING is worse than a pissed off Marine, w/an ax to grind.
I love how Tommy is trying to calm Sonny down and make him think instead. I know Tommy isn't a War Consigliere, but he is a genius and knows when to pick fights, like a chess player.
It also shows that Sonny was able to control his urge to strike back, at least when he had time to think about it. When he got the distress call from his sister, it was a psychological attack on him for which he only knew to react immediately.
He’s not very good then. Remember, he was wrong from the beginning about who was really backing Sollozzo. Even on the ride home after the big meeting, he STILL thought it was Tattaglia. Vito gave him that look like 😒 “Tattaglias a pimp… He NEVER could’ve outfought Santino”
This is the perfect transformation. He starts out as a good hearted college who prefers to stay out of the mess. But when his family is targeted, he realizes the danger that awaits him. So he has no choice but to take command. And what really sells it is that they all laugh at him.
Poor Michael, all he really wanted to do was to stop attempts on his fathers life, and protect the rest of his family. If only he knew of the consequences later on.
i literally had goosebumps watching this scene at the very first time. the moment michael speaks about his plan, you can feel a powerful authority in his voice and in his words. it's the moment that tells you that he's going to be the next Don.
Same! I just watched a yt video explaining this scene and now it's like the first time I'm watching this! I have read the books couple of times but still this scene gave me the chills
@@allwynxavier- I read the The Sicilian. I thought you were referring to the books written by the guy .....was it Mark.... in which case I should tell you that Coppola called them "crap".
The contrast between Sonny and Michael and Tom saw it. Michael’s demeanor was all about business and logic of reason, while Sonny's was all about emotion. Tom was swayed by the former, and he knew that he was looking at Vito’s successor at the time.
I always found it interesting how they said that it isn't war where you kill them a mile away. Michael was a Marine meaning if he fought it was in the Pacific. He got very close to the Japanese in that theatre.
Reading the comments and smiling with appreciation. Yes, this was a great scene. In a movie with SO MANY great scenes. They come at you one after the other until you're just overwhelmed. There are a lot of great movies out there. But this one might be the best ever.
I've watched this movie so many times, and it takes me in the guts every single time i watch it or a part of it like this scene, i get into it as if it's the first time, it has always the same effect on me, definitely my fav movie.
Tom doesn't laugh because out of everyone in the room he knew, Michael just did what his Dad did not want him to do, and the first time he opens his mouth? Its THE solution and he knows it.
I’ve watched just about every best picture ! This movie is so far above the rest to me. Absolute perfection and this scene is the greatest of all time!!!
"That's not personal, Sonny. That's strictly business" at the end sounds like a total lie. All Michael's actions in this movie had nothing with business but personal vendetta: they severely wounded his father nearly killed him simply for business, they killed his elder brother, they killed his beloved wife who had Absolutely Nothing with that!
The only time Tom raised his voice to the family was when he was trying to convince Sonny not to go over the deep end. There is a lot we can unpack from this scene, but that detail really stands out to me.
THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO talented people today in the film industry who could make this today - zero - none - todays top talent is below mediocre whether its the music industry or film - this scene is so brilliant and when the camera slowly zooms in on Michael - wow - brilliant, the camera work, the staging the dialogue, the performances
2:54 to 4:15 is one long shot. I didn't realize that before. everything about that scene is amazing, down to where the actors are standing, sitting. and the slow zoom in.. man
I hated...HATED how many times my dad made us watch this growing up. (Was only one tv in the house in the living room) I grew up finally appreciate it when I was forced to actually watch it while getting my hair done..and man...I thank him!! I show everyone I can about this movie and as you can see, I come back and watch clips ... brilliant movie...thanks dad!
“ They might … they just might “…. Simple lines , huge implications! In that moment , Mile is thinking ahead and the rest are “ old school “ except for Tom … it almost forecast who’s going to survive, and who’s going to be left behind. Robert Duvall is the secret weapon in this movie!
I was 18 when I went to the cinema to watch this movie, mostly because of peers pressure. I took a radio with me to be able to listen to an important ball game at the same time. My ball game was more relevant and I found the movie slow and boring at times. It was not until I crossed paths with the book, some months later, book that belonged to my brother, that I started to understand, how stup I had been and how great the whole story was. I read the book time and time again, until the pages started to literally fall. Nowadays, I lament with all my heart that there was never a fourth part.
I know Brando is phenomenal in this film and the other actors are great. However, I have always felt that Jimmy Caan never got the credit he deserved. Just an all-time brilliant supporting performance.
I'm obsessed with the film. I've lost count how many times I've watched it. Still not read the book even though it's been on my bookshelf for years. After reading some of the comments I'm going to read it now.
Everyone is mostly talking about Michael in this scene, but 2:43 that look Sonny gives Tom after tom literally chews him out is great. He almost looks embarrassed like his dad yelled at him in front of his friends.
My favorite scene from the trilogy...The moment Sonny realizes the brilliance in simplicity of Michael's plan is one of the great acting moments in the history of cinema... The moment right before that when Michael blinks is nothing less than magic, it caps the sentence with a gravitas that could not possibly have been contrived, it was felt.
😂Michael killed more people and saw more death than any of the people in room and they treating him like a rookie! He’s a war veteran and a goddamn hero 😂
This is great cinematography. It’s awesome how the camera is on Sonny grinning while we listen to Clemenza start giggling when Michael says he’ll kill them both. I love that.
Robert duvall's acting is tremendous, the subtle way he respects michael's intelligence and the building of his admiration for him as the rightful don of the family.
Robert Duvall played sooo good as Consigliere. He could make the Corleone family listen to him. Even Sonny had to listen, and then Michael took up the glove - and the rest is a thrilling history!
Robert Duvall is one of the greatest actors ever. He has been fantastic in every role he has ever done. Tom Hagan is one of his best roles.
Yes, Him and Mike all the way.
I've never seen a bad Duvall performance on screen
@@4zafinc Lonesome Dove, Open Range, Broken Trail - he got interested in playing cowboys.
One thing I loved about The Godfather was how each son of Vito’s inherited a different part of him. Michael has Vito’s calculated, careful intellect, Sonny has Vito’s charisma and love for family, Tom (while not blood) has Vito’s levelheadedness and polite manner, and Fredo has Vito’s sweetness and familial warmth.
Fredo has familial warmth up until the time he chooses to betray his family (albeit warmly!).
Fredo had sweetness and warmth; TWO AT A TIME
@@briankgruber right😂
Nah, Fredo was a rat who almost got Michael and his whole family
whacked. Michael told him not to go against the family (a warning) and he still goes being the Corleones and almost has Michael’s WIFE and CHILDREN killed. If it was ONLY Michael? Then it’d wouldn’t have been so bad as if the innocent wife and kids getting killed too. Fredo talked about family business to outsiders and that was wrong
astute af
The whole film is shot like a painting. In the beginning of the scene, Michael’s face is in the light, but by the last shot, it’s half-dark, half-light. This film is so beautifully shot.
I mean to say, the photography illuminates Michael’s descent into darkness.
This is a perfect assessment.
The director of photography, Gordon Willis, was nicknamed “The Prince of Darkness” for obvious reasons. His contribution to the first two Godfather films is beyond measure. Would be completely different film without him as the DP.
@@paulnice1968 Gordon Willis and his brilliance cannot be overestimated. The look he created for the third film was even more breathtaking IMO.
@@SopranoPizzaJMFNJ I agree! I suppose I didn’t mention Part 3 only because of how disappointed I was in it as a film overall. But you’re correct. In fact, if anything, I feel as though it was only Willis who managed to bring the same A-game to his work in Part 3 that he did with 1 & 2.
In 1000 years of History of cinema, this movie will remain in list of all-time top 10 movies.
No
@@bbrother92yes
@@DivestedConfessions films as medium would be dead
No doubt, this movie will always be the GOAT
@@bbrother92 yeah
it will still be spoken of though
The book gives this scene a bit more context - Sonny wasn't laughing AT Michael, he was laughing because Michael stopped pretending to be a good, All-American boy, and became his brother, his lieutenant - I seem to remember that Sonny says, 'You're a Corleone, after all!'
reading the book at the moment and you’re right. The book is a great read so far! Do you know what book comes after “The Godfather” book?
@@philbelichick24 By Mario Puzo? There are none.
Although he wrote 'The Sicilian', which deals with the Sicilian bandit Salvatore Guiliano and Michael's last days in Sicily before he returned to America.
@@davidemelia6296 ahhh okay, i just ordered the Sicilian and will read it after this Book. I looked up the Book series online and it says there are more but not sure how accurate that is. Just got into reading and always thought it was “stupid” but boy, was i wrong…
@@philbelichick24 Omerta and the last Don are good Mario puzo books
The book is at different level...
Very telling that everyone laughs at Michael...except Tom. Tom knew, he knew what Michael was capable of.
@Joe King 🤣
Ty Alex
No, that's not true. They weren't laughing at him. They were laughing because it was such an audacious idea. And that Michael was right. Solozzo underestimated Michael. Tom wasn't laughing because he didn't believe it would work. Then as the plan unfolded Tom began to invision it. Sonny was originally a little flip, but soon got on board. The camera moved in on Michael as he was explaining the plan and they were all dead quiet. Best scene in the whole trilogy. It was the moment Mike became Don Michael Corleone.
Right Tom knew that was a good plan
@@mauricehawkins1147 No, he actually was against it at first. Read the books.
In the book they were laughing (especially Sonny) because this college boy persona was BS. They all knew Michael was the toughest Corelone kid, even Sonny knew.
I don't think Clemenza was laughing for the same reason as Sonny was. Clemenza laughed at the shock of how he is reminded of Vito at that instant.
It's the other way around, according to the book at least.
Good point!
Bro u hit that on point good observation there since Clemenza grew up with Vito and he was there the day when Vito became Vito and I’m sure micheal in that moment did remind him of a young Vito
Sonny also didn't laugh at Michael's plan either, more like he realized Michael starts acting more as Corleone kid, and not some nice college boy persona like he used to.
Yeah the young Vito that Clemenza first met was not a criminal. Honest man who made an honest living and went nowhere near crime. Clemenza watched Vito change right before his eyes when he killed Don Fanucci. I think he's seeing that change in Michael too. Whereas Sonny was always rough around the edges and always wanted that "Corleone" criminal life.
My favorite thing is how Tom is positioned when the camera moves in. The new Don, and his consigliere over his shoulder, supporting him in the shadows.
That's my favourite shot too. It's very powerful and says so much.
I watched this movie with my grandpa and he passed away a month ago, every time I come across this video I remember every comment he said, every laugh, every word he used to explain the movie because he watched it dozens of times before, the memories are beautiful but remembering them is painful, miss you grandpa
Sorry for your lost
He's always with you, I know how you feel
He was a king 🙏🏻
Sorry for it! I’m sure he was a super cool man :)
@@leo_mas_922 thanks, he was indeed
Everyone here reacts that way for different reasons:
- Sonny laughs because Michael finally revealed his dark side
- Clemenza laughs because he saw his old friend again, young Vito
- Tessio laughs at the Corleone family, trying to survive through its weakest link
- Tom doesn't laugh because he loves Michael and knows what he is capable of, but never wanted Michael to get into this life
Tessio is traitor right? They killed him in the end yeah? Why didnt he warn the sollozo ane the McCorruptCop
True, Tom is the only other one that really knows what went down in ww2.
Wrong, wrong and wrong.
@@PhyrexJ You're mad
The reason Sonny laughed was because his younger brother, who had tried not to get involved in the family's life, suddenly said he was going to assassinate two people for the family.
I love that Tom Hagen always shouts at Sonny.
sometimes you need to be loud to get through to your hot headed brother, I'm talking from personal experience
🤣🤣🤣🤣 me too...he never backed down from him. They were peers growing up, so he always felt comfortable with him.
@@ciaranmcguinness8900Amen
"Sollozzo might not even be in the car, Sonny!"
They really are brothers. Only brothers talk like that.
It's when he sits in that chair like that, you know something's changed.
... and the camera is closing in ... 3:34 - 4:41
I still can't believe this film was 70s. What a masterpiece
Funny that Francis Ford Coppola had recently been fired after co-writing "Patton". The man is an artist.
I honestly think the 70s were the true Golden Age of film.
This one. Godfather II. Rocky. Jaws. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Star Wars. Patton. The French Connection. Outlaw Josey Wales. Deliverance. Escape From Alcatraz. Blazing Saddles. The Jerk. Monty Python and the Holy Grail..
@@patrickc3419Taxi Driver.
Because people didn't have talent in the 70s???
The 70s were a great movie decade. Certainly better than this one.
It’s all about the eyes. The look on Michael’s face when he says: “it’s strictly business”… that’s the transformation into a Don right there! Brilliant scene and astonishing acting by Al Pacino.
I see this as Marine captain Corleone reluctantly but securely resurfacing.
The way the camera slowly moves in for the closeup making him the center of the scene.🎞🎥
It really gives the chills
Nay just a usurper
Al Pacino is a mediocre, average actor at best..and the luckiest too
His two ranges all on the same continuum: sullen and screaming
His acting even here is simple, wooden, stollid..he doesn't inspire fear, even respect..not enough presence or charm or charisma..watch him with the sound down..very mediocre
This is the key pivotal scene of the entire franchise. While not "official", here Michael becomes the godfather.
How'd Sonny make his bones? Did Sonny ever do anything but kick Connie's husband's ass. What would have happened after Michael's exile if Sonny hadn't been killed?
@@Brocktoon68 You do understand, this is fiction, made up by Puzzo and Coppola?
What would happen is whatever Puzzo and Coppola wrote.
Yes!
and the jaw bruise makes him speaks like brando which reinforces the transition
Very subtle. Michael's jaw is swollen. He sounds nearly like his Dad there.
woww, great catch!
oh wow yes thats really subtle. what a masterpiece.
Looks like a French Bulldog 🇫🇷
And his mannerisms....
And by the end of the movie, he does become his dad.
Pacino's eyes when he finishes by saying it's only business are pure death.
That's what it always was to Mike
Just to think that the studio wanted to fire Al Pacino after the first days of shooting because they thought he didn't have it in him seems like a bad joke.
The irony of all the older men laughing at Michael as they still see him as a kid. They don’t understand what he went through as a Marine infantry captain fighting in the Pacific, where combat was often vicious and at close range. By that point Michael has likely had more experience killing men up close than all the other men in the room combined.
And yet that's never overly mentioned! Which blows my mind.
Always bugged me that him being a marine wasn't explored one bit...
@@mimir4965 I think the fact that he actually pulled it off speaks volumes
What an interesting point of view. Never thought about that angle.
He is applying his military training to solve the problem. Like Sonny, he sees Sollozo as one center of gravity. However, he states that the Don is the Corleone Center of gravity, and without him they're dead. So Michael comes up with his scheme of manuever and details his subordinates task (Hagen gets the story out, Clemenza gets the gun to the location). Michael has it figured out (on screen)in about 5 minutes.
In the end, for Michael though it's all personal.
The Godfather might actually be the only movie I can enjoy watching like it's my first time seeing it, not many films can hold my attention again. Such an amazing film.
Amen!
The real crux of this scene is not Michael’s coming out as a leader or following the path of his family; it’s the manner in which he’s doing it. He is willing to do what no-one around him even thinks of or thinks is possible. He shows a ruthlessness and precision that is beyond Sonny, Tom, Clemenza, Tessio. Coppola illustrates this with their initial derision, rejection and laughter. They simply don’t get it because Michael is that much smarter and more dangerous than they are. He does it time and time again throughout Part 1 and 2: Moe Greene, assassinating the five families, depriving his children of a relationship with their mother, murdering his sister’s husband etc.
Such a great, insightful comment!!! I love Michael
To be fair, Tom was the only one who didn't laugh. Probably because he and Michael were the two smartest and saw the big picture.
Michael probably learned about tactics in the Marines and had lived outside the compound for several years. Sonny seemed to discount this; it wasn't his experience.
Connie's husband had to be dealt with.
@@mikestarr6634 He didn't laugh because he thought Michael was being serious. He smiled the second time when he asked him about the newspaper story. It wasn't until Michael pressed the situation that he knew Mike was totally serious.
Now that is a man who knows exactly what he wants and what he should do.
The slow zoom of the camera onto Michael in the chair is pure genius storytelling
Especially with hagen in the background, his right hand man.
Francis said this is the moment he wanted signify that al was the don now!
and it mimics the opening scene of the movie with Vito. Sitting back, calm, smart, a true leader
2:26...'If anything in this life is certain; if history has taught us anything, it's that you can kill anyone.' -Michael Corleone
"Where does it say you can't kill a cop?"
4:52
love how the only times Tom actually gets angry, its at Sonny, they really are brothers 🤣
Three of the greatest of our generation all in one scene. Iconic movie that will be popular and worth watching 100 years from now. RIP James Caan, you will be missed by many
I love the way Sonny looks at Michael before Clemenza’s chuckling gets him to crack up. It’s such a mixture of love, admiration, and genuine anticipation, like a solemn giddiness as he sees his brother finally drop the good guy act and “become his arm” as he puts it in the novel
They all forgot that Michael had already been in Living Hell a.k.a World War II including Pearl Harbor. So that dark side was there from the very beginning and when his father's life was put at stake it was revealed immediately.
Michael Corleone, best character development ever.
Definitily , sucks that he didn't won an oscar for godfather part 2.
This movie will be enjoyed for a 100 years
Oh totally
Already been 50 and it’s STILL top tier. 48 years to go
No, for as long as there are films and people to watch them.
@@notreallydavidyou must be young and dumb.
1,000 if humanity lasts
Michael wasn't just some "college boy". Michael Corleone was a highly decorated Marine captain who'd seen heavy combat in the Pacific. Most of the Marines Michael had served with had been killed in action, but Michael, through luck and cunning, had survived.
Now Michael's going to promote himself to general and command a different army in a different war.
Michael had definitely killed much more people than Sonny Clemenzo and Tessio combined 😅 some "College Boy"
I would call Michael's proposal one of the most compellingly transitional, revealing & pivotal scenes in movie history. The scene in which the good all American schoolboy & decorated war hero finally becomes a Sicilian Corleone through & through. Michael just definitively crossed that threshold. In terms of character development this scene was extremely pivotal & revealing, as much as any in movie history. What a powerful shift in character, or this unlocking of what had always stirred deep down inside Don Corleone's favorite son. It was finally unleashed. That deeply Machiavellian, calculating Sicilian that had always streamed through Michael's bloodlines, finally tapped into & harnessed. He had, for all intents & purposes, finally become a Corleone (he was now a de facto part of their criminal empire). Perfection, this scene!
The transformation isn’t quite complete at this stage. He still has to shit or get off the pot. He achieves that when he’s in the toilet at the restaurant.
The book said that the plan was a mistake. It forced Michael to flee the country and thus lost years of tutelage by the don. But if this was a mistake, what was the proper play.
On the other hand, everyone is playing checkers, Sonny, Tom, Michael, even Sollozzo. It was Barzini who was playing chess. he manipulated everyone and no one realized he was involved.
In the book it said it WAS necessary in a tactical sense but as a long-term strategy, as Don Vito and Genco Abbandando were geniuses at planning, it was a mistake. It was stated that they needed to wait until Vito was fully recovered. All they had to do was wait it out and weather the storm, but Solozzo kept pushing, forcing their hand and ending up gunned down.
Im almost betting Barzini wanted Solozzo gone so he can take control of the drug business and the money it would get, with the Tattaglia's getting a piece of it for their assistance, and Vito saw it, but accepted that defeat, knowing that to win the war, he would need to lose a few battles along the way.
Then once Michael got home, he spent 3 years with Vito and Tom going over the family business, odds are as Tom wasnt a Sicilian, he most likely trained him under the legal aspects and front companies, assets and wealth, and Vito went over the illegal assets in gambling and unions, plus how the mafia hierarchy works.
Once he had it all down, then he needed his father as counsel. He knew his short-comings at thinking long-term. Remember, he listened to Tom and Sonny, and even Sonny said it himself, he was good at short-term strategy, and Tom knew how to keep the peace but wasnt a wartime Consigliere unlike Vito being a wartime Godfather. He knew the ins and outs best to handle what would come next.
This scene is just like the scene when young Vito told his friends he will take care of fanuchhi the bully, his friends didn't take him seriously, but that's what make him the Don
Michael joined the family when they attempted to kill his father. So for him it was business and personal.
The way Michael sits as he lays out the plan to kill Sollozzo was a great foreshadow of what he’ll become.
Yep. The scene is perfect in tone and cinematography.
Sonny is talking to Mike like he's a school boy. But considering Mike being a WWII vet he's probably seen and done things Sonny cant even imagine. "Shooting at them from a mile away" lol!
A marine. All that training put him good stead. Also an officer.
According to the Godfather wiki, he was awarded the Navy Cross for his bravery in Guadalcanal and Peleliu, two of the worst battles for marines in the entire war. He saw more blood and bodies in one day than anyone else in that room would see in their entire lives.
@@marksheiman1538 A mustang at that.
@@fabsmaster5309 the Pacific theatre, yeah Michael would have seen things Sonny could only have nightmares about
You're the first person in decades to actually vocalize what I've always thought. Michael, in the book, I believe went to an Ivy League institution for his education. As is pointed out in the movie, he is a WWII combat veteran MARINE. On top of that, correct me if I'm mistaken, he is an officer, which would mean he has literally STUDIED war and battles. Of course he would know just how to handle that situation.
No CGI...no big ass dramatic effects or loud music. Just magnificent acting and superb camera work. I love how they all gather around Michael slowly and he is seen sitting there...alone the captain of the ship, foreshadowing his time to be the BIG dog. That's what you learn to love about this movie every moves at a methodical pace not one scene wasted everything flows into the next. The Godfather...greatest movie of all times. And btw I just farted
Tou're right.
Good movies are what it's all about. No amount of special effects really matter. Good, but relatively inexpensive movies, are what will save the movie insustry.
It's such hipster bullshit .....running down CGI is the only critique you have.
I know you did.
I think in the beginning it was just business Michael knew that this is what needed to be done in order for his family to be safe.. But the after the attempt on his life in Sicily which ended up killing his wife and the killing of his older brother sonny business went straight out the door
Still business... with a nice dose of personal revenge.
If you read the book. It was the opposite. Michael says it’s personal. Everything is personal. Everything Michael did or ordered was personal. At least according to the boom. Which explains the character a lot better imo.
@@month32 yeah. Revenge is business. If he stays silent, orhers will think he is weak.
That’s the irony of the series: “business” was the excuse. It’s ALLLL personal.
Great series!
"It's strictly business". And with those words a man begins to lose his humanity. When he says it...it's like the floodgates open for the character. His eyes become completely different...he had warm eyes at the wedding...and all that light and love just slowly drains out of them over the course of the story. Freakin' tragic.
Sad reality, this happens in real life. Some people have no choice in the matter but to play the game only to survive !
Lmao stop being so dramatic. It’s a movie. No change in his eyes.
@@45ginola “stop being dramatic” it’s literally a movie, drama is at its core. You think Pacino wasn’t trying to portray exactly what the comment above says? You can see his eyes the rest of the movie. He’s no longer warm and humble, he’s completely focused and no longer has any mercy. Actors work their asses off to convey such things.
@@officialthomasjames I wasn’t talking to you miss. Relax.
I love when Michael says he’ll kill them both, you see Sonny with this bewildered look on his face, then you hear Clemenza star to giggle and then Tessio is out right laughing.
Actually Sonny looked shocked like holy shit Mike really means to kill that cop
I started grinning hard when i heard clamenzza's giggle 😂😂😂
The Godfather was the greatest film of the twentieth century, a masterpiece of cinematic story telling. The cast had chemistry and that made the film work. You can watch it 50 times and everytime the viewer dicovers a nuance not picked up in previous watchings.
The camera work was impeccable, the camera followed sonny and Tom (as a result of him engaging with sonny)for the first half of the scene, mirroring and highlighting sonny's erratic nature, with Michael on the periphery. And subtly switches to Michael and focuses on him, also highlighting his stable and withdrawn nature by zooming in slowly and cutting every other person out, indicating the transfer of power from sonny to him, also they did this thing where the camera is almost always on the person speaking. Genius.
Not zooming, push in
@@sriharsha5036 thanks.
I love how what Michael says is correct. On paper they get rid of a problem since he could momentarily be a fall guy so it works out. It's great that he insists its just business when in reality it is indeed personal
This is such an important scene because it is the first time Michael does his power posture pose while sitting. A pose that is repeated throughout the saga
Absolutely love in this scene how everyone laughs. Everyone except Tom. He understands the gravity and severity of the situation, as well as the sincerity of Michaels offer, which severely contradicts the fact Vito doesn’t want Mike mixed up in things. He sees the shift right then and there
mentioned in the book.
@@vladtepes97 indeed it is.
Tom was kinda worried cuz he and father spoke on occasion about his future. had other plans for Michael. Vito didn’t want him involved with family. business. Beautifully shown when Tom tells Vito it was Michael who killed Solazzo, he’s visibly heartbroken and motions everyone to leave the room.
@@vladtepes97this scene also reveals why Tom wasn’t a Wartime Consigliere
Tom was more like disappointed: Mike don't tell me you are with them too... (Tom had considered that they should wait and not to kill anyone because another families would be after them and without Done they would put themselves in really vulnerable position. And then Michael comes out with the plan to kill them BOTH)
The smirk Sonny gives Clemenza when he starts laughing at Michael’s plan lololol!!!
The really funny part..? is that Michael (barring Clemenza) had probably killed more people than everyone else in the room! Angry Mobsters are dangerous, yes - but NOTHING is worse than a pissed off Marine, w/an ax to grind.
Like “he’s in” 😂😂😂
It’s so natural. It’s not like Caan now acts 3 emotions, it’s Sonny cracks up with Clemenza over his crazy brother.
I love how Tommy is trying to calm Sonny down and make him think instead. I know Tommy isn't a War Consigliere, but he is a genius and knows when to pick fights, like a chess player.
It also shows that Sonny was able to control his urge to strike back, at least when he had time to think about it.
When he got the distress call from his sister, it was a psychological attack on him for which he only knew to react immediately.
"Tommy"?? Who Are You!! To Take Pleasure In Directly Disrespecting A Member Of This Familia!!!!
He’s not very good then. Remember, he was wrong from the beginning about who was really backing Sollozzo. Even on the ride home after the big meeting, he STILL thought it was Tattaglia. Vito gave him that look like 😒 “Tattaglias a pimp… He NEVER could’ve outfought Santino”
This is the perfect transformation. He starts out as a good hearted college who prefers to stay out of the mess. But when his family is targeted, he realizes the danger that awaits him. So he has no choice but to take command. And what really sells it is that they all laugh at him.
Poor Michael, all he really wanted to do was to stop attempts on his fathers life, and protect the rest of his family. If only he knew of the consequences later on.
In the end loses everything
Al Pacino on that Chair in this scene in The Godfather is one of the greatest in the cinematic history
For some reason sonny was my favorite character he's too much like me. 💯
Man, the acting, writing, story! I can NEVER not stop and watch this if on TV or a clip pops up on RUclips. It’s the best movie ever done IMO
"It's not personal Sonny, it's strictly business."
Always Personal
i literally had goosebumps watching this scene at the very first time. the moment michael speaks about his plan, you can feel a powerful authority in his voice and in his words. it's the moment that tells you that he's going to be the next Don.
Same! I just watched a yt video explaining this scene and now it's like the first time I'm watching this! I have read the books couple of times but still this scene gave me the chills
@@allwynxavier- books ? ....as in plural?
@@dc6461 Yeah . The Sicilian by the same author. It's based on a similar timeline as the Godfather.
@@allwynxavier- I read the The Sicilian. I thought you were referring to the books written by the guy .....was it Mark.... in which case I should tell you that Coppola called them "crap".
The contrast between Sonny and Michael and Tom saw it. Michael’s demeanor was all about business and logic of reason, while Sonny's was all about emotion. Tom was swayed by the former, and he knew that he was looking at Vito’s successor at the time.
I always found it interesting how they said that it isn't war where you kill them a mile away. Michael was a Marine meaning if he fought it was in the Pacific. He got very close to the Japanese in that theatre.
"It's not personnal Sonny, it's only business" this is the line that made him the new head of the family
Reading the comments and smiling with appreciation. Yes, this was a great scene. In a movie with SO MANY great scenes. They come at you one after the other until you're just overwhelmed. There are a lot of great movies out there. But this one might be the best ever.
I've watched this movie so many times, and it takes me in the guts every single time i watch it or a part of it like this scene, i get into it as if it's the first time, it has always the same effect on me, definitely my fav movie.
Tom doesn't laugh because out of everyone in the room he knew, Michael just did what his Dad did not want him to do, and the first time he opens his mouth? Its THE solution and he knows it.
I’ve watched just about every best picture ! This movie is so far above the rest to me. Absolute perfection and this scene is the greatest of all time!!!
When they say "it's business", they actually mean "it's personal". There's no such thing as "only business".
One's goals and ambitions are always personal. The process to successfully achieve them is business.
"That's not personal, Sonny. That's strictly business" at the end sounds like a total lie. All Michael's actions in this movie had nothing with business but personal vendetta: they severely wounded his father nearly killed him simply for business, they killed his elder brother, they killed his beloved wife who had Absolutely Nothing with that!
The only time Tom raised his voice to the family was when he was trying to convince Sonny not to go over the deep end. There is a lot we can unpack from this scene, but that detail really stands out to me.
THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO talented people today in the film industry who could make this today - zero - none - todays top talent is below mediocre whether its the music industry or film - this scene is so brilliant and when the camera slowly zooms in on Michael - wow - brilliant, the camera work, the staging the dialogue, the performances
👍👍👍from Czech Republik🇨🇿.
2:54 to 4:15 is one long shot. I didn't realize that before. everything about that scene is amazing, down to where the actors are standing, sitting. and the slow zoom in.. man
Tom,this is business ,and this man is Takin it very very personal
@Back-Up Channel ?????
Defining moment in the story line and a GREAT scene of cinematography
I hated...HATED how many times my dad made us watch this growing up. (Was only one tv in the house in the living room) I grew up finally appreciate it when I was forced to actually watch it while getting my hair done..and man...I thank him!! I show everyone I can about this movie and as you can see, I come back and watch clips ... brilliant movie...thanks dad!
Best fucking scene is all of cinema! The birth of the new Don. Masterfully executed.
The two actors who stand out in this scene: Al Pacino and Robert Duvall.
THIS was the first glimmer of Michael's potential to be the next Godfather. His foresight and planning here was impeccable.
“ They might … they just might “…. Simple lines , huge implications! In that moment , Mile is thinking ahead and the rest are “ old school “ except for Tom … it almost forecast who’s going to survive, and who’s going to be left behind. Robert Duvall is the secret weapon in this movie!
I was 18 when I went to the cinema to watch this movie, mostly because of peers pressure. I took a radio with me to be able to listen to an important ball game at the same time. My ball game was more relevant and I found the movie slow and boring at times.
It was not until I crossed paths with the book, some months later, book that belonged to my brother, that I started to understand, how stup I had been and how great the whole story was. I read the book time and time again, until the pages started to literally fall. Nowadays, I lament with all my heart that there was never a fourth part.
This is one of my favorite movies all excellent actors al Pacino was so handsome thank you❤❤❤
One of the best scenes in the history of Cinema. It shows the character curve of Michael. It's legendary.
Vito was loved and Michael was feared so this movie showed me as a kid no matter how much people love or fear you they will still try to kill you...
Hagen is slowly becoming my favorite character in this series. So sad they couldn’t do the 3rd movie right
They wouldn't pay Duvall what a movie it would have been
"Business is always personal. Its the most personal thing in the world." - Michael Scott
This is the best scene in the entire series in my opinion. Cinematography, music, acting, dialogue, casting....... all perfect
Curiosity, Al Pacino's parents where from the village in Sicily called Corleone.
God. Any five minutes of this movie are gold.
I know Brando is phenomenal in this film and the other actors are great. However, I have always felt that Jimmy Caan never got the credit he deserved. Just an all-time brilliant supporting performance.
The camera zooms in on Michael... as we learn who he REALLY is.
Brilliant filmmaking.
It’s moments like these that make me cherish cinema
I'm obsessed with the film. I've lost count how many times I've watched it. Still not read the book even though it's been on my bookshelf for years. After reading some of the comments I'm going to read it now.
4:40 This is my favourite part of the dialogue in this scene. How it changes tone. The 3 of them start to joke a little and talk like brothers.
Everyone is mostly talking about Michael in this scene, but 2:43 that look Sonny gives Tom after tom literally chews him out is great. He almost looks embarrassed like his dad yelled at him in front of his friends.
My favorite scene from the trilogy...The moment Sonny realizes the brilliance in simplicity of Michael's plan is one of the great acting moments in the history of cinema... The moment right before that when Michael blinks is nothing less than magic, it caps the sentence with a gravitas that could not possibly have been contrived, it was felt.
When mike says we cant wait,ansd that little huh someone utters.This film is beyond phenomenal its a great piece of art.
Love how Sonny slaps everyone’s ass, first Tom later Mike hahahahah
Great scene. I need to watch the Godfather trilogy again. Regards, Michael M. Kamau, Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa, 29th April 2024.
How's Kenya these days
@@InsaneCopePosse Alright, thank you🙂How about you?🙂How's it going where you are?🙂
Watch the Godfather Saga. It’s the Godfather in chronological order, deleted scenes included. Really good
@@slide5039 Thanks for that, appreciate It🙂
00:10 Gives new meaning to the phrase “car door”.
The acting in this movie, especially in this scene, is the best on film, ever.
it's the #1 all time best movie ... for so many reasons including this scene
“It’s not personal, Sonny.”
Actually, yes, it is personal!
A timeless classic..... the book, the movie, the actors, the director and the dialogues..... timeless lifeskills and wisdom ❤❤❤
That close up of Michael . A legend was born.
Every time I watched it. I learn something new.
One of Michael's strengths is how no one rook him seriously, not even his own family.
Certainly one of the ten best scenes in American film history.
I'm a Red Sox fan. Any time I watch someone hit a home run against the Yankees, I try to laugh EXACTLY like Tessio in this scene. It's good for me.
WTF. That feels so random but I actually appreciate it. 😂 (I might adopt that for my football team here in England)
Bro! Hahaha!!
One film I can return to when can't find another film to watch! A true Epic for sure! Will remain one of the best ever movies for sure.🍀👊👍
😂Michael killed more people and saw more death than any of the people in room and they treating him like a rookie! He’s a war veteran and a goddamn hero 😂
This is great cinematography. It’s awesome how the camera is on Sonny grinning while we listen to Clemenza start giggling when Michael says he’ll kill them both. I love that.