The Annotated Godfather: The Complete Screenplay with Commentary on Every Scene, Interviews, and Little-Known Facts

by Jenny M. Jones

  MICHAEL

  A man has to choose what he will be. I believe that.

  DON CORLEONE

  What else do you believe in?

  MICHAEL doesn’t answer.

  DON CORLEONE

  Believe in a family. Can you believe in your country? Those pezzonovante of the state who decide what we shall do with our lives? Who declare wars they wish us to fight in to protect what they own? Do you put your fate in the hands of men whose only talent is that they tricked a bloc of people to vote for them? Michael, in five years the Corleone family can be completely legitimate. Very difficult things have to happen to make that possible. I can’t do them anymore, but you can, if you choose to.

  MICHAEL listens.

  DON CORLEONE

  Believe in a family; believe in a code of honor, older and higher. Believe in roots that go back thousands of years into your race. Make a family, Michael, and protect it. These are our affairs, sono cosa nostra. Governments only protect men who have their own individual power. Be one of those men … you have the choice.

  FADE OUT.

  GOOFS, GAFFES, AND BLOOPERS

  Eagle-eyed Godfather fanatics have noticed that the flag on the exterior of the bank building displays fifty stars, instead of the correct number for the time period: forty-eight (Alaska and Hawaii were added as states in 1959).

  THE NUTS AND BOLTS: PRODUCTION DETAIL

  The exterior of the bank was filmed at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The interior shooting location was the boardroom of the Penn Central Railroad in Grand Central Terminal, 32nd floor.

  CAST AND CREW: RUDY BOND

  Rudy Bond (Ottilio Cuneo) had appeared with Marlon Brando in two of his most famous films: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and On the Waterfront (1954).

  Speculation is that the character of Vito Corleone was really a combination of Vito Genovese and Joe Profaci.

  FADE IN:

  EXT DAY: BANK BUILDING

  An impressive bank building in the financial center of New York.

  INT DAY: BOARDROOM

  The boardroom of a bank, daylight shines in the windows. EMILIO BARZINI sits at a conference table. We HEAR:

  DON CORLEONE

  Don Barzini, I want to thank you for helping me organize this meeting here today.

  The VIEW PASSES to the impressive array of MEN seated around the table, on which there are bottles of wine, cigars, and bowls of nuts and fruit.

  DON CORLEONE

  And also the other heads of the Five Families, from New York, New Jersey. Carmine Cuneo from the Bronx, and from Brooklyn—Philip Tattaglia—and from Staten Island, we have with us Victor Stracci. And all the other associates that came as far as from California, Kansas City, and all the other territories of the country. Thank you.

  HAGEN seats DON CORLEONE at the table, pours him a glass of water, and then sits in the background.

  DON CORLEONE

  How did things ever get so far? I don’t know. It was so unfortunate, so unnecessary. Tattaglia lost a son. And I lost a son. We’re quits. And if Tattaglia agrees, then I’m willing to let things go on the way they were before.

  BARZINI

  We’re all grateful to Don Corleone for calling this meeting. We all know him as a man of his word—a modest man, he’ll always listen to reason.

  “This is a scene of SUBTEXT; everything everyone says is the tip of the iceberg: in actuality, they are curious to see how worn or strong the Don is; who seems to be allied with him; where the loyalties and cooperations lie.”

  —Coppola’s notebook

  TATTAGLIA

  Yes, Don Barzini. He’s too modest. He had all the judges and politicians in his pocket. He refused to share them.

  DON CORLEONE

  When? When did I ever refuse an accommodation? All of you know me here. When did I ever refuse, except one time? And why? Because I believe this drug business is gonna destroy us in the years to come. I mean, it’s not like gambling or liquor. Even women, which is something that most people want nowadays and is, too, forbidden to them by the pezzonovante of the Church. Even the police departments, that’ve helped us in the past with, uh, gambling and other things, are gonna refuse to help us when it comes to narcotics. And I believed that then, and I believe that now.

  ITALIANISMS

  Pezzonovante means someone who is powerful, a big shot.

  BARZINI

  Times have changed. It’s not like the old days when we can do anything we want. A refusal is not the act of a friend. If Don Corleone had all the judges and the politicians in New York, then he must share them or let others use them. He must let us draw the water from the well. Certainly he can present a bill for such services; after all, we are not Communists.

  Everyone laughs. ZALUCHI stands up.

  ZALUCHI

  I also don’t believe in drugs. For years, I paid my people extra so they wouldn’t do that kind of business. Somebody comes to them and says “I have powder; if you put up three, four-thousand-dollar investment, we can make fifty thousand distributing.” So they can’t resist. I want to control it as a business, to keep it respectable.

  (his hand strikes the table)

  I don’t want it near schools. I don’t want it sold to children. That’s an infamia. In my city we would keep the traffic in the dark people, the colored. They’re animals anyway so let them lose their souls.

  General agreement from THE DONS. DON CORLEONE has listened and assessed.

  DON CORLEONE

  I hoped that we could come here and reason together. And as a reasonable man, I’m willing to do whatever’s necessary to find a peaceful solution to these problems.

  BARZINI

  Then we are agreed. The traffic in drugs will be permitted, but controlled, and Don Corleone will give us protection in the east, and there will be the peace.

  TATTAGLIA

  But I must have strict assurance from Corleone. As time goes by and his position becomes stronger, will he attempt any individual vendetta?

  BARZINI

  Look, we are all reasonable men here; we don’t have to give assurances as if we were lawyers.

  DON CORLEONE

  You talk about vengeance. Is vengeance gonna bring your son back to you? Or my boy to me? I forgo the vengeance of my son. But I have selfish reasons. My youngest son was forced to leave this country because of this Sollozzo business.

  DON CORLEONE stands.

  All right, and I have to make arrangements to bring him back in safety, cleared of all these false charges. But I’m a superstitious man, and if some unlucky accident should befall him—if he should get shot in the head by a police officer, or if he should hang himself in his jail cell, or if he’s struck by a bolt of lightning, then I’m going to blame some of the people in this room. And that I do not forgive.

  (pauses)

  But, that aside, let me say that I swear—on the souls of my grandchildren—that I will not be the one to break the peace we’ve made here today.

  TATTAGLIA stands, nodding, and he and DON CORLEONE embrace at the head of the table, in front of BARZINI. The MEN applaud.

  THE SYMBOLISM OF ORANGES IN THE GODFATHER

  Many Godfather aficionados believe the orange fruit symbolizes or foreshadows death in the film—and with good reason. Consider the following scenes and the end result of the characters depicted within:

  The traitor Tessio is introduced in the film as he throws an orange into the air at the wedding.

  At the wedding, when wife Sandra mentions Sonny’s unmentionables, a bowl of oranges is on the table in front of her.

  A bowl of oranges is prominently displayed on Woltz’s dinner table.

  Don Corleone buys a bag of oranges before he is shot, and then knocks over some oranges as he falls down.

  Fredo stands next to a basket of oranges when visiting his father on his sick bed.

  At the Meeting of the Five Families, there are oranges in the bowls of fruit in front of Tattaglia and Barzini. />
  Vito has an orange peel in his mouth when he has a heart attack and dies.

  Coppola says that he gravitated toward the orange because it’s a versatile prop and reminded him of Sicily, but that the symbolism of the orange wasn’t in the foreground of his mind. The production designer, Dean Tavoularis, has also explained it away. As the set consists primarily of somber and ochre tones, orange is a nice color contrast. It also complements the low-lighting cinematography of Gordon Willis. Still, speculation continues …

  INT NIGHT: THE DON’S LIMO

  THE DON’s black limousine. He sits quietly in the padded rear seat; HAGEN is next to him. It is night. Lights flash by them every so often.

  HAGEN

  When I meet with the Tattaglia people, should I insist that all his drug middlemen have clean records?

  DON CORLEONE

  Mention it, don’t insist. Barzini is a man who’ll know that without bein’ told.

  HAGEN

  You mean Tattaglia.

  DON CORLEONE

  Tattaglia’s a pimp. He never could’ve outfought Santino.

  (pauses)

  But I didn’t know it till this day that it was Barzini all along.

  EXT NIGHT: STREET

  THE DON’s car drives off through the night.

  “[Marlon Brando] was a very shrewd guy in terms of quickly sizing people up. He hated phonies, particularly people who tried to pull the wool over his eyes. He would cut the phonies to dead.”

  —Makeup artist Dick Smith

  “Brando was the kind of guy who could spot bullshit immediately.”

  —Producer Albert S. Ruddy

  ADAPTATION AND THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR

  The novel stipulates that a man on death row, Felix Bocchicchio, confesses to the murders of Sollozzo and McCluskey, allowing Michael to return home.

  DISSOLVE TO:

  EXT DAY: NEW ENGLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (FALL 1950)

  We hear CHILDREN LAUGHING and SHOUTING, and see a group of them following their teacher: KAY ADAMS. She seems older, different, but quietly happy with her work and her life.

  She leads the children across the street, past a black limousine parked in the shade.

  KAY

  Come on, Nancy. Keep together, everyone. Ryan? Okay, all right.

  KAY notices MICHAEL stepping out of the rear of the limousine. He wears an austere tailored overcoat and a homburg, and has apparently been waiting for her. We watch her closely; it’s clear she is surprised; she doesn’t know whether to rush into his arms or break out into tears.

  KAY

  How long have you been back?

  MICHAEL

  I’ve been back a year. Longer than that, I think. It’s good to see you, Kay.

  DELETED SCENE

  ADAPTATION AND THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR

  In Puzo’s book, Kay keeps in touch with Mama Corleone, who tells her when Michael has returned home. The scene of Michael and Kay reuniting in New Hampshire was shot in Mill Valley, California, and was added to the film long after principal photography had finished. It is how the movie shows Michael is back in America. The shooting script, however, included this brief scene in which Michael reunites with his father, followed by Michael and his father walking in the garden, discussing the “peace” brokered between the Five Families. The scene was shot but does not appear in the original 1972 release of the film.

  EXTERIOR MALL

  MICHAEL and DON CORLEONE walk through the garden.

  DON CORLEONE

  (gesturing)

  Lettuce, tomatoes, peppers …

  MICHAEL

  Papa, what about Sonny? What about Sicily?

  DON CORLEONE

  I swore that I would never break the peace.

  MICHAEL

  But won’t they take that as a sign of weakness?

  DON CORLEONE

  It is a sign of weakness.

  MICHAEL

  You gave your word that you wouldn’t break the peace. I didn’t give mine. You don’t have to have any part of it. I’ll take all responsibility.

  DON CORLEONE

  (smiling)

  We have a lot of time to talk about it now.

  They move on through the garden.

  DISSOLVE TO:

  EXT DAY: NEW HAMPSHIRE ROAD

  MICHAEL and KAY move slowly down a leaf-cluttered road. A black limo moves behind them, keeping a respectful distance, but always following them as they walk.

  MICHAEL

  I’m working for my father now, Kay. He’s been sick. Very sick.

  KAY

  But you’re not like him, Michael. I thought you weren’t going to become a man like your father. That’s what you told me.

  MICHAEL

  My father’s no different than any other powerful man.

  KAY

  (blinking back tears)

  Hah.

  MICHAEL

  Any man who’s responsible for other people—like a senator or president.

  KAY

  You know how naive you sound?

  MICHAEL

  Why?

  KAY

  Senators and presidents don’t have men killed.

  They stop walking.

  MICHAEL

  Oh, who’s being naive, Kay? Kay, my father’s way of doing things is over, it’s finished. Even he knows that. I mean, in five years the Corleone Family is gonna be completely legitimate. Trust me. That’s all I can tell you about my business. Kay …

  KAY

  (very moved)

  Michael, why did you come here? Why? What do you want with me after all this time? Without even calling and writing.

  MICHAEL

  I came here because I need you. Because I care for you.

  KAY

  (crying)

  Please stop it, Michael.

  MICHAEL

  Because I want you to marry me.

  KAY

  (shakes her head)

  It’s too late, it’s too late.

  MICHAEL

  Please, Kay … I’ll do anything you ask, anything to make up for what’s happened to us. Because that’s important, Kay. Because what’s important is that we have each other. That we have a life together. That we have children. Our children. Kay … I need you. And I love you.

  MICHAEL motions for the car and they get in.

  FADE OUT.

  THE NUTS AND BOLTS: PRODUCTION DETAIL

  The office in this scene is the same room as the opening scene, with the same desk—with an updated remodel for the new Don. According to specifications in a preproduction memo, the wallpaper was replaced by paint, and added were an air conditioner, new sofa, small TV set, and wall-to-wall carpeting.

  FADE IN:

  INT DAY: DON’S OFFICE (1955)

  VIEW ON DON CORLEONE, much older, much smaller in size. He wears baggy pants and a warm plaid shirt. He feeds fish while TESSIO, MICHAEL, and CLEMENZA talk offscreen around the desk.

  TESSIO

  Barzini’s people chisel my territory and we do nothin’ about it. Pretty soon there won’t be one place in Brooklyn I can hang my hat!

  MICHAEL

  Just be patient.

  TESSIO

  I’m not askin’ you for help, Mike; just take off the handcuffs.

  MICHAEL

  Be patient.

  TESSIO

  We gotta protect ourselves. Uh, gimme a chance to recruit some new men.

  MICHAEL

  No. I don’t want to give Barzini an excuse to start fighting.

  TESSIO

  Mike, you’re wrong.

  CLEMENZA enters the VIEW.

  CLEMENZA

  Don Corleone, you once said that the day would come when Tessio and me could form our own Family. Till today, I would never think of it. I must ask your permission.

  The VIEW widens, and we see the men in the room also include HAGEN and AL NERI.

  DON CORLEONE

  Michael is now head of the Family and if he gives his permi
ssion, then you have my blessing.

  MICHAEL

  After we make the move to Nevada, you can break off from the Corleone Family and go on your own. After we make the move to Nevada.

  CLEMENZA

  How long will that be?

  MICHAEL

  Six months.

  TESSIO

  Forgive me, Godfather, but with you gone, me and Pete’ll come under Barzini’s thumb sooner or later.

  “Before I used it, no Mafia man ever used the word ‘Godfather’ in that sense. Nobody used it. In Italian family culture, when you’re a little kid, you called all the friends of your parents ‘godfather’ and ‘godmother’ the way in American culture you called all family friends ‘aunt’ and ‘uncle,’ even though they’re not your aunt and uncle … Now the Mafia uses it. Everybody uses it.”

  —Mario Puzo, interviewed by Terry Gross of National Public Radio, on the term “Godfather”, 1996

  CLEMENZA

  And I hate that goddamn Barzini! In six months’ time, there won’t be nothing left to build on.

  DON CORLEONE

  Do you have faith in my judgment?

  CLEMENZA

  Yes.

  DON CORLEONE

  Do I have your loyalty?

  CLEMENZA

  Yes, always, Godfather.

  DON CORLEONE

  Then be a friend to Michael, and do as he says.

  MICHAEL

  There are things being negotiated now that are gonna solve all your problems and answer all your questions. That’s all I can tell you now.

  (addressing CARLO on the couch)

  Carlo, you grew up in Nevada. When we make our move there, you’re gonna be my right-hand man. Tom Hagen’s no longer consigliere. He’s gonna be our lawyer in Vegas. That’s no reflection on Tom, but that’s the way I want it. Besides, if I ever need help, who’s a better consigliere than my father? Well, that’s it.

  MICHAEL sits behind the desk. NERI opens the door; TESSIO, CLEMENZA, and CARLO leave. TESSIO shakes MICHAEL’s hand. As CARLO leaves, THE DON pinches his cheeks affectionately.