The final family scene in Godfather II

[YOhio]

is one of my favorites of the whole trilogy.

Sonny introduces Carlo to the whole family, the singular event that changes the entire family structure. Carlo is the insider that fascilitated Sonny's death, which forced Michael to take the role of Don. In this scene Michael is the fresh-faced kid, full of duty to his country announcing his enlistment in the military. The only person supporting this choice is Fredo, who Michael later has murdered. We also see Tessio, then a loyal caporegime who later betrays the family and is presumably murdered.

A bright line is drawn between Michael and the rest of the family. While the rest of the family is downstairs singing to The Godfather, Michael remains in the dining room smoking a cigarette. The viewer is then taken to a shot of present-day Michael sitting alone in a park. No friends or family.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by YOhio

is one of my favorites of the whole trilogy.

Sonny introduces Carlo to the whole family, the singular event that changes the entire family structure. Carlo is the insider that fascilitated Sonny's death, which forced Michael to take the role of Don. In this scene Michael is the fresh-faced kid, full of duty to his country announcing his enlistment in the military. The only person supporting this choice is Fredo, who Michael later has murdered. We also see Tessio, then a loyal caporegime who later betrays the family and is presumably murdered.

A bright line is drawn between Michael and the rest of the family. While the rest of the family is downstairs singing to The Godfather, Michael remains in the dining room smoking a cigarette. The viewer is then taken to a shot of present-day Michael sitting alone in a park. No friends or family.

G1 and G2 are in my Top 10 and actually probably Top 5. Ive seen them both countless times.

The scene you describe is so powerful because he realizes he has become more ruthless, violent, and vengeful than his father ever was. He is the ultimate Machiavellian figure in cinematic history (a true "Prince" of Darkness, I think) and this scene encapsulates all his failures into one short brief, brutal realization. What is most amazing about it is that it occurs with absolutley zero explicit dialogue about the topic...all of it implied. Good observations, YOhio.

Some of my favorite lines from G2:

"I remember she was laughing...."

"Yeah....a buffer...the family had a lot of buffers...."

"My father's name was Antonio Andolini....and this is for you!"

and perhaps the scariest line he uttered in both movies...

"Do you expect me to let you go? Do you expect me to let you take my children from me? Don't you know me? Don't you know that that's an impossibility? That that could never happen? That I'd use all my power to keep something like that from happening? Don't you know that?"

PS The only thing I disagree with is Tessio. When Tom can't get Sally off the hook (for old time's sake), he is driven away in car, presumably on a "one way trip." But we find out 10 years later on TV that he actually must have escaped, joined the police force, and worked under a guy named Barney Miller. Kind of Tessio's way of redeeming himself from an earlier life of crime.

[YOhio]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

PS The only thing I disagree with is Tessio. When Tom can't get Sally off the hook (for old time's sake), he is driven away in car, presumably on a "one way trip." But we find out 10 years later on TV that he actually must have escaped, joined the police force, and worked under a guy named Barney Miller. Kind of Tessio's way of redeeming himself from an earlier life of crime.

Interesting. I knew there was a Godfather mini-series on TV, but have never seen it.

The quotes you mentioned were great. Another powerful moment in the movie was the one with no dialogue from Michael. Kay is visiting with the children when he comes back from a trip. Connie is rushing Kay out the back door when Michael walks in. The tension is thick, and you expect him to start a fight somehow. Instead he walks over and shuts the door in the face of the mother of his children. Without emotion and completely ruthless.

Another great line:

Michael: I saw a strange thing today. Some rebels were being arrested. One of them pulled the pin on a grenade. He took himself and the captain of the command with him. Now, soldiers are paid to fight; the rebels aren't.
Hyman Roth: What does that tell you?
Michael: It means they could win.

[TripletDaddy]

Speaking of Godfather trivia, one of our clients is the company the owns various hotel chains, including the St Regis. If you are ever in NYC, go to the STR. It is just off 5th Avenue (in midtown, a good distance from the Museum of Sex).

I stayed there mostly because it is the scene where Copolla did some key filming for G1....Moe Green gets shot in the eye downstairs in the St Regis barbershop (in fact, when you watch it in the movie, you can see the STR logo on the door), Clemenza kills Stracci and soldier in the elevator of the STR, and Willy Cicci kills Cuneo in the revolving door...which is the main entrance to the STR. Also, Michael and Kay eat dinner in the hotel room, which was also filmed in the STR.

[Coach McGuirk]

aw man. on the front page it says "The Final Family Scene in..." I thought for sure we were finally going to get a good discussion of The Wilderness Family. So disappointed.

[TripletDaddy]

My only observation of Wilderness Family is that it is a super movie that touches the heart of family togetherness.

[Coach McGuirk]

you obviously have not read the back cover

"Breathtakingly Beautiful."
- New York Post

and number 12 grossing movie of 1975 right behind "The Apple Dumpling Gang"



1. Jaws
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
3. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
4. Shampoo
5. Dog Day Afternoon
6. The Return of the Pink Panther
7. Three Days of the Condor
8. Funny Lady
9. The Other Side of the Mountain
10. Tommy
11. The Apple Dumpling Gang
12. The Adventures of the Wilderness Family
13. The Hindenburg
14. Lucky Lady
15. Let's Do It Again