How do you like the new intro? You'll still be seeing the old one from time to time from videos I've already made but not yet published. It will be slowly phased out.
I've always been curious if Carmela Corleone [Morgana King] had a larger role, thatbended up on the cutting room floor. Yes, the film focuses heavily on the male characters. I'm not trying to start a debate about that... it just seems her absence in many scenes creates a void. It was mentioned in this video at least one of here scenes was cut... are there many more? Was it a conscious decision by FFC to highlight in this world, women are peripheral, operating in the background, seen but not heard? There are basically 4 female characters spotlighted they're... Mama, Connie, Kay and Apollonia. Yeah, there's Clemenza's wife on the stoop ... "Don't forget the connoli" .... it's so brief, yet it sets up one of the best memes of the movie. (An aside): Is it just me, or can anyone else, instantly recall the specific report that pistol made firing those 2 shots? The sound mixer did an excellent job, slightly muffled, but echoey sound from inside the car. Mama, Connie, Kay, Apollonia. Apollonia, really was an ornament, representing the past ... little dialogue. Small role. Mama even smaller, except she sang Luna Mezz'o Mare. [Love the translation of that song] So, is there more of Mama. She seems under utilized. Michael wouldn't even kill Fredo ... til she kicked it. That kind of respect, but in the background. Was Morgana King only brought in as Carmela because of the song? Kay and Connie, were the only 2 that made an impact in the story. 1 as a puncher, the other as a punchee.
The scene you're talking with Sonny not sitting in his father's chair symbolized to me his respect for his father that he felt. I always thought that Sonny thought that if he sat in it, it would be like he was saying that his father was going to die from being shot, and he, Sonny, was taking the reigns of power now. He wasn't prepared to let his father go, so he didn't sit in his chair behind his desk.
I think that's a great explanation...or it could be that Sonny respected his father enough to know he wasn't the head of the family yet and knew he didn't deserve to sit in that chair...but it all ties in...in any case Sonny was calm cool and intelligent in the situation..
There is a delicate balance between those two stages of grief - denial and acceptance. He wasn’t ready to let go of his father as patriarch nor was he ready to step into that. Rightfully.
I was recently re-watching this movie and I think you're right Sunny just had great respect for his father. I think he did the right thing by not sitting in that chair. His father was not dead.
Speaking of the depth of Santino, there’s a scene in the movie that went 180° the other direction from the book. In the movie, Santino laughs at Michael for wanting to hit the Turk and the crooked cop. In the book, Santino is laughing because he had been waiting for Michael to step up and be his right hand because he knew Michael had the strength.
I agree. IMO Sonny understood that Michael was a combat veteran and knew enough about the nature of the war in the Pacific that he was no stranger to up-close and personal killing. He also knew that there was no point in involving Fredo in any business beyond managing things that wouldn't require any "rough stuff" and his preference was to rely on a brother over even a proven "outsider" like Luca or Al Neri.
@@tonyjones1560 All that is true, but why would he refer to Michael as a college boy in an ivy league suit? Just breaking balls? In the GF TV saga in the 1970s, Michael is on the cover of Life magazine for his heroism. I wish I could see the GF saga again but it's nowhere to be found.
@@lawrencelewis2592 Yes, I think Sonny was just breaking balls. Remember Clemenza's conversation with Michael as he was preparing him to carry out the Sollozzo hit (in the movie), specifically a comment to the effect of "We were all proud of your being a hero in the war." The circumstances were different but Michael probably had more bodies "on" him than Sonny did...and Sonny knew this. Admittedly, I've made a ton of inferences here but I think they're mostly reasonable. It's not easy to do because it's trying to "square" the book portrayals with the movie portrayals ("book people" are always more "fleshed out"). The "book" Michael wasn't quite the...goody two shoes?...the "movie" guy was.
I agree, as I pointed out elsewhere in these comments. The real Michael, from both the evidence of the book and the film script, would be a frightening character.
Don't forget that, in the movie, Clamenza and then Tessio laugh first, and then Sunny laughs. In part, it seems to be an Italian thing (which is why a quick cut to Tom Hagen reveals Hagen's non-Italian disgust). I think the laugh derives from the irony of "college boy" Michael, who wants nothing to do with the family business, suddenly switching to "I'll kill them both."
A good point is made about the emptiness of the house when Vito got shot. I have talked about this to family and friends after my mom died. Growing up and living in the apartment, I was often alone in it whenever mom went shopping but never noticed it feeling empty because I was there. After she died and my brother and I met in the apartment to look over her belongings, I noticed how empty the apartment felt because I knew she was NOT going to come back to it. It was a completely different feeling.
I would definitely recommend reading the book to anyone who enjoyed the movies. It provides much more context and more character development than what was possible in the film version.
Having watched CineRanter’s thoughtful analysis and read your own comment, I intend to do just that - read the book, which, as a fan of the 3 movies, to my shame, I have not yet done.
@@magnificentmuttley2084 The film is better than the book which is poorly written. It also goes off in unnecessary tangents like the woman Sonny has sex with on Connie's wedding day having an operation on her vagina because she's *so huge* down there that only Sonny can satisfy her... Puzo seems to go on about that *FOREVER.*
OR,, The audio book for lazy people like myself. In fact,, you can listen to it right hear on the, UA-cam . That's right, for free right hear just do a quick search, "audio book, the godfather. " enjoy.
The deleted Sonny scenes definitely added some crucial nuance & depth to the character that really should have been left in the original film. I feel like the scenes were cut for no other reason than to not take the focus away from Michael. I definitely understand why James Caan was upset about it.
There is an interview with Coppola where he explains a clause in his contract with the studio, that the movie can not run more than ninety minutes. He was forced to edit the movie down. That being said when they saw the edited version they realized they couldn’t hold him to the time limit. He had to cut out a lot anyway, to keep control of the film as they were going to send it to their own editors and Coppola would lose creative control.
James Caan was upset at his scenes being cut not because they were “pivotal” or “crucial”, he was upset because they were scenes where he was the main focus. Narcissistic actors- all of them.
Even if sonny knew his father was dead you don’t sit in that chair till you figured everyone felt you deserved it, that would be till after the business at hand is finalized.
At this point his Father is not dead. Sonny didn't sit out of respect. To sit in that chair BEFORE his father died would have spoken without words that he desired his father's death.
The Godfather Saga and Epic Marathons are played on AMC twice a year in my city. I never miss them. All of the deleted scenes are included. It's about 8 hours long. I have been watching the Godfather for 50 years now and it never gets old. I always discover something new.
My favorite one is where Vito gets revenge on every single one back in Sicily. Michael finally getting Fabrisio is a close second. Really helps complete the picture all those deleted scenes.
To me, when I watch The Godfather, I have to take the time out to watch it in its entirety. If I don’t, I feel I’m disrespecting the film. It’s a MASTERPIECE.
@@thomasbaron5367 - It is one of the most overrated films out there. Too long and boring and very little action. People like it because they are fascinated by the mafia crime world. Also it is fake a film. I prefer real life documentaries on the real life drug Lord Pablo Escobar who actually made more money gross per week than General Motors. Vito was making chump change in comparison. In an attempt to change the laws of extradition, Escobar offered to pay Colombia's debt--an estimated 10 billion dollars. He also had a Learjet specifically to fly his cash around.
Corvette Dude mob dons live longer and have a tendency to stay alive and do business more than drug dealers, though. And remember, it’s business first, not prosperity. It’s just basic hustling.
@@calidude1114 Don Corleone was mob boss of the most important city in America (and post WW2, the world). He also controlled the gambling capital of America.. He had powerful friends, including politicians that he carried around in his pocket, like so many nickels and dimes.. He transferred control of his empire to his son Michael, who expanded the family's reach even further and who attacked the heads all of the other families of New York simultaneously.
@@calidude1114 when you talk about the action the mob is as good as it gets and don't forget that!! "Santino corleone" plus when you talk about power and money tell me why a drug lord like escobar has zero power in america? The mob could easily go to mexico or colombia but they cannot go to new york thats the biggest difference
I have a box set copy of the VHS special release from the 70’s called The Godfather “the epic.” It’s so interesting to watch the films edited together in chronological order. The film begins with the funeral of Don Coleone’s father, which is the beginning of part two and states he was born with the name of ( I think) Vito Andolini. Such a cool piece of cinema history.
For a character that was basically THE pivotal character of the film, quite a lot of Sonny footage ended up on the cutting room floor, some of which should not have. Without Sonny, you would have NO plot, or film for that matter. Yes, the film focuses on Michael and is primarily ABOUT him and how he changes over time, BUT....those changes would have never taken place without all the events that Sonny set in motion. And with all due respect to you and your great video work here, I think you're a bit off in your assessment of Sonny's actions upon hearing about his father's shooting. You have to remember, this is a guy who is extremely volatile, who's single greatest weakness is his quick, violent temper. The fact that he's eating a piece of Italian bread, and squeezing the phone, and some other seemingly odd behaviors that you cite, are NOT signs of weakness or lack of leadership skills, but instead CONFIRMATION of them. This guy had to gather all of his strength and will to keep his cool with NO ONE else around at that moment to help him do so, and he DOES it. He does NOT fly off the handle, but rather clear-headedly makes some calls and sets some actions in motion to begin dealing with the situation. This is a scene of a guy who, though he's a world-class hothead, he does manage to remain calm and assume command, which is nothing short of a Herculean effort on his part. And as a mafia warlord, Sonny is second to NO ONE, not even Michael. Just my two cents. And YES, please DO make a video exploring this great character, without whom, there would have been no story. My apologies for this lengthy diatribe.
The whole Concept of "The Godfather" is about a Machi Machivellian Manipulater and Puppet Master who is Cold,Calculating and Dispassionate:its not Personal its BUSINESS! By DEFINITION an emotional dude like Sonny could NEVER be "The Godfather"! You're Welcome!
@@ayrramadan8819 Michael was cold. Vito Corleone was NOT cold. He dealt in basically gambling and loansharking. Things forbidden by the pezzonavanti of the church and govt. Vito Corleone cared deeply about the people he was close to. Michael became suspicious and angry after the death of Sonny and Appollonia. Trusted very few people. Michael became cold, calculating and dispassionate. Not Vito. People helped him get away from killers when he was only 10 years old. He always remembered that. In the first scene of the movie he promises the mortician whose daughter was severely beaten that his vengeance will fall upon them. In the book they got the living shit beat out of them. He promises that he will keep an Italian in-country so his friend's daughter can be married. And he got Johnny Fontane his part in the movie. If the ''big shot'' Jack Wolz would've accepted Vito's terms (union problems will go away and other stuff too) he wouldn't have woken up with a horses head in his bed. You need to read the book instead of giving quick opinions that are not very well thought out. You're Welcome!
@@MegaMkmiller I READ the book Before the movie so there's That! YOUR definition of "cold" might not work for Everyone! Young Vito MURDERS Fanucci for shaking him and his friends down for money they acquired from a burglary! Guess you don't know what happens to people who borrow money from Loan Sharks at rates designed to keep them in debt?! Yeah Vito Corleone was All heart! 😆 Not to mention he had an innocent horse Decapitated to get his bitch ass "godson" a part in a movie! 🙄
@@jimc.goodfellas I took it as reverence to someone you've looked up to your whole life. As someone who has recently lost the patriarch to the family can attest, I could not easily go into his room nor sit on his bed or handle his things. It was out of respect!
There was a scene that was deleted where Sonny says "When it comes to the Action there is no one better than me"..Sonny was a tactical street warrior whose skills were honed in the previous mob war some 10 years earlier. He was very effective then and was equally effective in this war. They killed Luca and Sonny killed Tataglia's son...Also, in the book it was Sonny who not only came up with the idea to take out the heads of the five families, he started to have them tailed to see their routines. Of course he died before he could carry out his plan. The movie did not go into a deep dive on Sonny, had they, it would have been seen just how truly disastrous his demise really was.
Me my ex watched the scene with sunny and the first thing she said when he sat in the other chair is that he loves as well as respects his father so much that he has faith that his father is still alive and will come back to sit in the chair. So he sat in the chair out of faith, admiration and respect for his father. Sunny also intended to fight until his father fully recovered.
That was an excellent overview of that scene . To think that Mama Corleone’s reaction is due to bad acting is ridiculous, it was marvellous as like you say, she’s been waiting for the news for years. Very poignant and James Caan is just excellent.
I agree. I think this is another part of being a Sicilian wife. Don't ask questions; don't be surprised when your husband is attacked or killed. It's probably going to happen, so be ready. Certainly it's not poor acting.
Santino didn’t sit in his Father’s chair out of respect. Also it’s tempting fate to sit in that spot, invites death, like speaking about a horrible disease invites. Any old school Italian would tell you that. In some families when the head of the family dies, their space at the dinner table or favorite chair goes left unused.
8:51 In the book Carmela,Vito's wife was concerned about his change from a normal man to a ruthless crime boss but she tolerated it because Vito was still devoted to their family despite his crimes. And since she was a Catholic she went to mass to pray for Vito's soul every day because she believed that if she didn't he'd go to hell.
@@frankdees507 Another point I want to make is this long debate who was the better woman for Michael. Yes, Apollonia would be the perfect wife for Him. Michael was bored hiding in Sicily. Yes, Michael loved Apollonia but he loved what he saw in her. Apollonia, wasn’t ignorant either. She would never question Michael about business. All she would do is cook and have Michael’s kids and learning English. As for Kay, she wasn’t afraid of Michael. She stood up to him and asked him about his business affairs. Michael told her too much. That was his weakness. Out of the two, Kay was Michael’s true love.
@@dailmcdavid1714 wait … what? Who? The only philanderer was Sonny. As indicated in the book and movie, Sonny swung a big bat and had a large libido with it. Michael was “struck by lightning “ when he saw Appollonia.
I thought “The Godfather Epic” was the mashup of the 1st two movies in chronological order. That one is my absolute FAVORITE way to watch. It is 7hrs long and I make a day of it lol
Also, I held off from watching the deleted scene until after the analysis. And after going back to find the scene and watch it, I'm glad I waited. The weight of the scene was WAAAAAY more felt if you watch your vid first. :D
Would be cool if next year for the 50 year anniversary of The Godfather they put all the films together with all the deleted scenes. That would be incredible. You could even break it up into a mini series.
This version already exists, they just won't sell it as it is STILL an HBO exclusive. They aired it quite a bit in late '16 early '17 and I DVR'd it and now I can never get rid of this DVR. It is about 7hrs long. The Godfather 1 and 2 anyway, which is most of the book. Most of the Vegas/Hollywood/Sonny's mistress is what never made the cut. I don't care about III.
@@debbieking5171 well they actually had a Godfather TV series that ran back in the 70’s on cable that was GF1 and 2 with deleted scenes but I don’t know if it ever released on dvd
I agree with most of the reasons why he didn’t sit in the chair but adding one more. Sonny was the first born and more than likely had a strict father. He knew the rule was don’t eat in father’s den and more importantly don’t sit in his chair.
Excellent analysis. James Caan owns the middle 1/3 of The Godfather. Sonny's death saps the energy out of the picture (which is, of course, the point). The rest of The Godfather is a psychological struggle with clinical violence. Great and interesting, but Sonny is missed. Like a real death in the family.
That’s the reason why 1 is far and away the best movie. Sonny and Vito. James Caan just brought so much to the table. He was undeniable in that role. Ironically enough too, the only two non Italians probably had the greatest impact overall in the first movie.
That's not only true, it's apparently by design. Compared with his father, Vito. Michael Corleone is a cold and remote figure. Even his son Anthony's drawing of Michael (in a car driving away) indicates this.
So much is made of Michael's rise as the new Godfather, but it's clear that the loss of Sonny, Vito's original heir apparent, that almost brings the Corleone family to its knees, at least in the eyes of Barzini and the other family heads. While Michael did eventually reestablish the Corleone family's dominance, it was those few years after Sony's death that it seems that Sonny's death was a loss that weakened the Corleones beyond full recovery.
@@sgcraig2430 yes 100%. I actually like the third movie better than the 2nd because it goes back to the roots of the original which was family. Even tho a lot of the flashbacks in the 2 with Vitos life were tied to family, much of the present with Michael was not. Outside of the Fredo betrayal.
I've seen a version on cable where they include this scene. It is brilliant. In the book, Sunny is not only a lot more intelligent than he's made out to be in the movie, he's considered one of the best wartime bosses ever. He was very close to breaking the other families, forcing them to sue for peace before he was killed because he managed to shut down every money making racket they had with constant pressure and attacks. His love for his sister was his downfall. He actually would have eventually become a great Don, one can assume as he aged he would get his anger and "appetites" under control. In that regard, Sunny was also famous in the book.
I’ve watched 2 versions of the combined triple movie, with lots of added scenes Both were interesting, including the version that changed the order to run in chronological order instead of the original flash backs
I think all the deleted scenes from The Godfather and The Godfather Part II were all incredible. Whether it be the scene when Genco has Vito at his bedside, asking Vito to stay to scare death away. That tells you of his perceived power. I like the deleted scene of Sonny squeezing the phone out of anger then later sits in Vito's study.but won't sit in his father's chair.
Watching the scene in the sun room between Michael & Fredo, if you watch it in Hi-def, when Michael says the lines, "you're not a brother, etc., etc.," cold frost is spewing from Michael's mouth as if he were outside in the winter weather. That cinematic 5star nuance, to me, was greater than the whole shootout scene in the train station of the "Untouchables". The frost from Michael's mouth as he's disavowing Fredo is a triple exclamation point to Fredo's end which happens there before he is physically whacked.
Francis Ford Coppola and Al Ruddy were under extreme pressure from Paramount to cut the running time of the film to allow theater owners to get in two showings per night. So some scenes had to be sacrificed.
The scene I would most like to see restored is the death of Fabrizio, which was actually shot twice and jettisoned twice, (once for I and once for II.) Apollonia’s death was tragic and deeply personal to Michael. It remains an unresolved loose end in the film. Michael’s vengeance hits are otherwise thorough and complete, making this omission highly uncharacteristic of him.
Fabrizio's death was in the GF saga that I saw on TV in about 1979. Haven't seen it since. I think it was part of part 2, not part 1 but I could be wrong.
@@lawrencelewis2592 You’re not wrong. Footage from the second version survived, but unfortunately the first version (from Part 1) is lost. All that’s left is an amazing still photo of Michael in a fedora holding a machine gun-which doesn’t appear in any GF film. Too bad.
A true Sicilian revenge would have been blowing up Fabrizio's wife and kids while he watched, letting him suffer a while and only then killing him in some cruel manner, like burning to death in his pizza oven. If Michael did otherwise he was being merciful.
@@lawrencelewis2592 No, it wasn't a "machine gun" but a double barreled sawed off shotgun like his bodyguards carried in Sicily. And as a revenge killing by a Sicilian husband for the death of a wife, it's completely in character for even a Boss like Michael to get his hands dirty killing Fabrizio himself.
Mama Corleone's reaction to Vito's shooting was very accurately protrayed. My grandfather was a Mafia hitman and my grandmother used to say that, when she was told the news that he was killed, it was something she braced herself for all of her married life. If he was late coming home at night, she would wonder, "is this the night?" So her reaction was truly believable. Good point in bringing that out.
@@josefschmeau4682 The orange foreshadowed when something was going to happen with or too the individuals involved in the scene. The best example was the godfather purchasing oranges when he was shot and later in his mouth when he died.
2:26 There's a deleted scene where the family visit Genco on his deathbed and during it Michael and Vito talk with Vito asking what Michael's medals are for and when Michael says they're for bravery Vito says something similar to Sonny's "They're saps because they risk their lives for strangers" from Godfather II's last flashback.
The line that Vito says to Michael after asking him about the medals and Michael says they are for bravery Vito says what miracles do you perform for strangers...awesome classic line
Michael fought to save his country from the evils of Nazism. Ultimately he fought to to defend a country that allowed ihs family to be prosperous. Michael fought to help to not only strangers but also his family. He was no sap.
Just subscribed to your channel, after viewing this video! Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the original’s release! The saga was aired throughout 2016 on HBO, and it was beautiful, long but beautiful! Numerous scenes with Santino’s character, early on! Thanks for posting this gem!
I remember buying my dad the two movies cut chronologically when I was a kid. I wonder if he still has those vhs tapes. I would have no way to play them but still...
Three points: 1. I love the new intro it doesn't break my eardrums and Pesci always cracks me up. 2. The analysis of the omission of this one single scene is brilliant. Wow, I always love learning about a masterpiece. 3. GF3 should have all of its scenes on the cutting room floor. End of story.
@CineRanter - when you said (or even, confessed!) you weren’t going to show the video clip of the deleted scene, you almost lost me right there but I have to say, your delivery of your description of the deleted scene was excellent. You got me hooked and listening for the rest. I understand why you couldn’t include it but it would’ve been great to see that. I totally agree with you (and sympathise with James Caan) as it would’ve enhanced the weight of Sonny’s story and James Caan’s characterisation. I have to admit, to my shame, I have not read Mario Puzo’s novel, now, undoubtedly, a modern classic. As my beloved wife can testify to, just about every time The Godfather is on the TV schedule, I watch it....avidly. Also, the sequels, with equal relish. I agree with you whole-heartedly, each deleted scene SHOULD be available and included in a complete anthology of one of the most watchable and absorbing movie narratives ever produced. Thank you Francis Ford Coppola. No doubt, those with the final say (the studio executives) have control of the final cut, in any production. Not even Mr Coppola can wield that control or have ownership of the complete negative. This is very unfortunate, particularly in this case. Thank you for posting. You are clearly a lover of movies and perhaps a screenwriter yourself, or at least, a frustrated filmmaker. And thank you also for putting your own voice to your video. I hate it when some UA-cam contributors resort to using text-to-voice synthesisers.
Good essay friend ! Yes the Mother had also earned her stripes as the wife of a Costra boss. She was an experienced, consummate Pro too. Scene was well done . Kudos to everybody involved .
I’ve said the same thing regarding this scene. I can’t understand why it wound up on the cutting room floor. That great Italian actor James “I’m actually Irish” Caan may have put together his best work in the movie as he juxtaposed the normally hotheaded Sonny with such subtly powerful acting. Great work on the video. Bada bing!
@@miriampoe5507 The exclamation point hardly being necessary notwithstanding, I appreciate the correction. Though, that doesn’t change the point of my comment.
*I enjoy your videos very much, keep it up. You have cracked my code. Your voice, articulation and topics (especially topics) are superb and exactly what people want. You're going up a good trend.*
WOW, I really enjoyed this video. Sonny was my favorite character in the movie. And I always wished that he had more scenes. OK, I subscribed and hit the notification button. So please do make another video on Sonny, I would love to see it.
It is a shame that the scene was cut. I've never seen this before. It certainly provides more background for the subsequent flow of this part of the plot. It provides more context for Michael's change, and shows that Sonny isn't just a hot-head, but has a chip on his shoulder. His comment about his quality as a leader shows he knows what the Don and others in power think of him. Till Tom entered the scene, I wondered if Tere Livrano, who plays his wife, only nodded her head in response to comments directed at her, because she didn't speak English.
As my father was dying in the hospital (not a mobster), my mother's reaction was extremely poised and without a whole lot of blubbering or crying. She was upset, but calm, and resolved to what would eventually, inevitably happen.
I think you do a good job with your analysis, and the fact finding within your videos… it’s enjoyable, and I keep coming back… keep up the good work and thank you
I saw “The Godfather Saga” back in the day. I was blown away by all the extra scenes. It was amazing. But because it was edited for TV, it was probably all done in 4:3 SD video and with censorship cuts. So I’m sure it requires aground up restoration.
There was no second film, there was only the parts moved to the second half, released as The Godfather II. The intention was to release it as one film, but that quickly became impossible. Also, Corleone is the Andolini family’s native town on Sicily, and is pronounced that way, when done properly, throughout, even after Vito takes it as his surname to hide from those who killed his father and older brother. Cor.le.ON.e, with Italian vowels, not English ones. Eating as a means of separating important events. Do you know any ethnic (especially Southern or Sicilian) Italians? They eat before meetings, they do not eat while discussing business, then after discuss business without eating.
The eating rule is true for traditional Irish too, especially those from the South. If you have something serious you eat, then adjourn from the table and talk with perhaps a drink in another room.
Great video! The book "The Godfather Notebook" is a great source for getting into Coppola's head as he considered material that might not make the movie, even before filming and editing. It seems like he set out at first to try to replicate Puzo's book as much as possible, and in Coppola's Notebook one can see his greatness at work, thinking about how to take long expositions from the book and narrow them down to the simplest scenes and visuals. To me, the scene with Michael and Sonny and the rest of the gang when they're deciding how to hit back after Solozzo and the cop try to kill the Don at the hospital and punch Michael is the best depiction of Sonny's weaknesses as a potential leader of the family, when Sonny doesn't quite get Michael's instinct on how to get back and mocks Michael, but one sees from that scene that Michael has more heart for the long term survival of the family than Sonny. But it is definitely great to see the deleted scenes and see how some of their key points still made the movie in some way with great editing.
Those two guys loved and respected each other. Sonny apologized and Tom forgave him without having to say it. They had shortcomings like all of us but complimented each other well.
It would be nice if it was re-released in theaters for the anniversary. I never had the chance to see it on the big screen. To be fair, I was only 4 at the time!
Watching Sunny's character is one of the reasons why I prefer the first godfather over the 2nd. Can you also make a video on their brother in law. What made him ultimately betray the Corleone's
It was a personal thing with Sonny, who brutally beat him and kept him arms length from family business, which he resented (in Carlo's eyes--he didn't know it was actually Vito's decision). In that beating scene, Caan actually broke one of Russo's ribs.
I saw that scene. It does show a lot without telling, Vito’s wife’s reaction as well as Sonny’s demeanor at this moment in time. He knows there is going to be a war, and just like the last time his father was taken off the field, Sonny is about to set his army in play. I saw the move of him not taking the chair right away as a quiet hope that his father’s absence was only temporary. Sonny would defeat the family’s enemies and his father would recover and continue to lead the family in Machiavellian style. If there was ever a request for a What if novel, it would be a version where Sonny wasn’t killed, but like you said, he is not the protagonist, it’s Michael’s arc from self exile from the family to taking control. There’s a set of clips on UA-cam that show all deleted scenes and they have two back to back showing Michael and Kay playing around in a hotel room and the next scene with Michael asking his father “what about Sonny, what about Sicily?” Showing the complete 180 of that character.
Tessio is in the original Godfather movie. He's dancing at Connie's wedding with a child who is standing on Tessio' s shoes so we meet him at the beginning of the movie.
They did do a movie with ALL of the deleted scenes and in chronological order called "The Godfather Saga", but surely you must know that! And don't say I'm calling you "Shirley"!
A couple of thoughts to add. Carmela Corleone is Sicilian and she knows how to deal with death. Vito's own mother dealt with her husband and son's death by trying to kill the man who killed them. So, it makes sense that she's mentally ready and not falling apart. Sonny getting food is a connection to his mother; she's the one who prepared meals for him most of his life. The kitchen is her territory and that's where he lingers for comfort. The one thing that I think was missing in both novel and movie is the female connection - I realize it's not their story, so I'm not going all feminist gangster but it's a family and Mama Corleone is more important than the one who makes pasta in the background while her husband is plotting the death of the neighborhood. Even if that's her role, we could still see her being very worried or concerned. A slight look up at Vito, Vito's reassuring hand on her shoulder, etc. . . .give us some hints about who she is. That way, when she dies in part II, there's an emotional impact for the audience. That's important because her death lights the fuse for Fredo's nap with the fishes. Sonny's sitting in another chair could also be read as him waiting on the sidelines; he's ready to do his duty but he's respectful enough to wait until his father's death. He's got one foot in and one foot out; he's unsure of what's going to happen. I don't see fear as much as uncertainty about what will happen. Sonny is a hothead, yes, but here he's calculating the possibilities. His family's survival depends on it.
The epic version played on HBO so it had to be official and it's the 1st 2 films with every single deleted scene and it is 7 hours long chronologically, you have to watch Coda for 3
One deleted scene that never made it is no surprise. The o e at Waltz's house when Hagan sees the young girl. No way any Hollywood Producer is going to leave that in the film and let the cat out of the bag. In fact they kept the secret for another 46 years
@@Dman3827 Woltz had an underaged teen hidden in his mansion that was probably there against her will and who was used for exactly what you fear. ua-cam.com/video/13EmjpXQ8_w/v-deo.html
@@GRice999 The mother was with her and it was pretty obvious that the mother had "fed" her daughter to Wolz. A similar thing happened in the real Hollywood, but I'm not mentioning any names!
He didn't sit in the chair out of respect for Don Vito. He knows that the only way for it to become his chair is when he knows for sure that he father is dead, not one second sooner. RESPECT
You should correct your introduction. Freddo was never considered to lead the family. And Michael did not want that at all, neither did Vito. He stepped up when the circumstances required it. In reality, he was only preparing Sonny for that role.
thanks for doing what you do!!👍🏾 i’ve been watching the Godfather since I was 19 years old lol.. I even still have The Complete epic black case with The three cassette tapes in that beautiful black case!! wow your so right!!👍🏾 I hope they put all of the deleted scenes in if they decide to do anything else with the Godfather so important keep doing what you do.. thanks so much..
Sonny was actually the right guy during his time as Don. He wasn’t at Michael’s level, but he did a fairly good job in the initial part of war. He kept things upbeat during a dark time and kept the Corleones in the game. His Impulsiveness cost him his life, but he did a good job as a transitionary Don before Michael took the reigns.
Tatalia's son was murdered during that time with Sonny at the helm. It isnt shown but it's stated. I believe Bruno Tatalia was one of the men who killed Luca Brazii. So Sonny successfully put a hit on him.
9:50 Very interesting exposition. But I don't agree with why Sonny doesn't sit in Vito's chair. I think it signifies that he is not thinking about taking his father's place. He was focused on doing the right thing by his father. He looks at the throne of power, then pulls up another chair and starts dialing.
Been at the beach brang the original godfather trilogy with me and it had the specials disc with all of them just watched them all the other day perfect timing it also taught me who Genco was I wasn’t sure what character he was in the 2nd movie or if he had even died yet! The Godfather Trilogy with deleted scenes is on Amazon but it’s $50-$90
Please do make a video detailing Sonny, it’s so interesting hearing about these characters in such detail from the novel like you did with Al Neri and Luca Brasi. I know most of the stuff about Sonny and how he became involved in the family business but not really his role in the first novel during the war
I Have seen the full version, were everything in it, and I mean all the deleted scenes. of the Godfather. It was shown once in the 80,s on the BBC, in the night. The vhs times. And I never taped it.
I'd always wondered why Tessio didn't fall under suspicion with the family after the incident at the hospital. It was Tessio's men who were guarding Vito at the hospital. If they had been forced to leave by McKluskey why didn't they inform Sonny and Tom?
Maybe their phones Tom and Sonny's were busy but, I think it is implied (by McKluskey outside of the hospital before he socks Mike) that Tessio's men had been arrested or at least detained.
Michael not attending Clemenza's funeral was very disrespectful. Paul Castellano should have known better, than to not go to the funeral of Neill Dellacroce. It's been stated, by Gravano himself, as the icing on the cake, in green lighting his assassination. Perhaps, but very similar situation.
@@KC______ Plus Michael arrived just after Tessio's men were removed. It makes sense that McCluskey wouldn't want to give them a chance to make any phone calls until after the dirty deed was done.
Is there a version of the Godfather 1 and Godfather 2 (personally, Godfather 3 is not my favorite movie but would include it in my request if necessary) that includes ALL, and I am emphasizing ALL) of the deleted scenes? And if so, how and where can I get a copy?
I seriously believe they should paste all the deleted scenes where it belonged in the movie , wouldn't mind even if the movie is 5 hrs long ...ready to watch it .
He doesn't sit in his father's chair because so far as he knows, his father is still alive and it would be presumptuous and disrespectful of him to sit in it. This scene showed that for all his faults, all his impatience, all his impetuosity, Sonny had class. At least as much class as a Mobster can have.
I had the Godfather Epic VHS tape set when I was in high school, I had to order it directly from Francis Coppola's website. As cool as it was to see all the additional content, something was lost when it was recut into chronological order. All the young Vito scenes from GF2 were moved to the beginning and played in order, then GF1, then the late 50s parts of GF2, then GF3. You lose the juxtaposition of young Vito's rise to power driven by the need to support his family with Michael's attempts to consolidate his power eventually destroying his family. My favorite of the deleted scenes in addition to the ones you mentioned was at the start of the party in GF2 Fredo pulls up with his awful wife in a beautiful 300SL Gullwing coupe. She's drunk and acting out and you really see how tormented Fredo is. On the one hand he has the trappings of an extremely enviable life...gorgeous wife, hot car. But his wife goes to embarrass him at every turn, which stands out even more against his material wealth. Even with everything, he isn't afforded any respect. I guess it was a little too similar to a later scene when his wife drunkenly flirts with other men...but it always stuck with me.
How do you like the new intro? You'll still be seeing the old one from time to time from videos I've already made but not yet published. It will be slowly phased out.
The only one that kinda sucked was the birthday party I wished Brando would’ve showed up to make it a bit more memorable in my opinion
The intro is fine.You could make an intro like that but related to the movie or tv show you would talk in a video
where is the original sound from?
Do you know Bobby Luisi ? 😎 Also you should check out #NARCOS or #NARCOSMEXICO ? 😎
I've always been curious if Carmela Corleone [Morgana King] had a larger role, thatbended up on the cutting room floor. Yes, the film focuses heavily on the male characters. I'm not trying to start a debate about that... it just seems her absence in many scenes creates a void.
It was mentioned in this video at least one of here scenes was cut... are there many more?
Was it a conscious decision by FFC to highlight in this world, women are peripheral, operating in the background, seen but not heard?
There are basically 4 female characters spotlighted they're... Mama, Connie, Kay and Apollonia. Yeah, there's Clemenza's wife on the stoop ... "Don't forget the connoli" .... it's so brief, yet it sets up one of the best memes of the movie.
(An aside): Is it just me, or can anyone else, instantly recall the specific report that pistol made firing those 2 shots? The sound mixer did an excellent job, slightly muffled, but echoey sound from inside the car.
Mama, Connie, Kay, Apollonia.
Apollonia, really was an ornament, representing the past ... little dialogue. Small role.
Mama even smaller, except she sang Luna Mezz'o Mare. [Love the translation of that song]
So, is there more of Mama. She seems under utilized. Michael wouldn't even kill Fredo ... til she kicked it. That kind of respect, but in the background. Was Morgana King only brought in as Carmela because of the song?
Kay and Connie, were the only 2 that made an impact in the story. 1 as a puncher, the other as a punchee.
The scene you're talking with Sonny not sitting in his father's chair symbolized to me his respect for his father that he felt. I always thought that Sonny thought that if he sat in it, it would be like he was saying that his father was going to die from being shot, and he, Sonny, was taking the reigns of power now. He wasn't prepared to let his father go, so he didn't sit in his chair behind his desk.
I think that's a great explanation...or it could be that Sonny respected his father enough to know he wasn't the head of the family yet and knew he didn't deserve to sit in that chair...but it all ties in...in any case Sonny was calm cool and intelligent in the situation..
There is a delicate balance between those two stages of grief - denial and acceptance. He wasn’t ready to let go of his father as patriarch nor was he ready to step into that. Rightfully.
I was recently re-watching this movie and I think you're right Sunny just had great respect for his father. I think he did the right thing by not sitting in that chair. His father was not dead.
In Star Trek, Scotty would never sit in Captain Kirk's chair, even when he was in command. Same thing.
Reins
Speaking of the depth of Santino, there’s a scene in the movie that went 180° the other direction from the book. In the movie, Santino laughs at Michael for wanting to hit the Turk and the crooked cop. In the book, Santino is laughing because he had been waiting for Michael to step up and be his right hand because he knew Michael had the strength.
I agree. IMO Sonny understood that Michael was a combat veteran and knew enough about the nature of the war in the Pacific that he was no stranger to up-close and personal killing. He also knew that there was no point in involving Fredo in any business beyond managing things that wouldn't require any "rough stuff" and his preference was to rely on a brother over even a proven "outsider" like Luca or Al Neri.
@@tonyjones1560 All that is true, but why would he refer to Michael as a college boy in an ivy league suit? Just breaking balls? In the GF TV saga in the 1970s, Michael is on the cover of Life magazine for his heroism. I wish I could see the GF saga again but it's nowhere to be found.
@@lawrencelewis2592 Yes, I think Sonny was just breaking balls. Remember Clemenza's conversation with Michael as he was preparing him to carry out the Sollozzo hit (in the movie), specifically a comment to the effect of "We were all proud of your being a hero in the war." The circumstances were different but Michael probably had more bodies "on" him than Sonny did...and Sonny knew this. Admittedly, I've made a ton of inferences here but I think they're mostly reasonable. It's not easy to do because it's trying to "square" the book portrayals with the movie portrayals ("book people" are always more "fleshed out"). The "book" Michael wasn't quite the...goody two shoes?...the "movie" guy was.
I agree, as I pointed out elsewhere in these comments. The real Michael, from both the evidence of the book and the film script, would be a frightening character.
Don't forget that, in the movie, Clamenza and then Tessio laugh first, and then Sunny laughs. In part, it seems to be an Italian thing (which is why a quick cut to Tom Hagen reveals Hagen's non-Italian disgust). I think the laugh derives from the irony of "college boy" Michael, who wants nothing to do with the family business, suddenly switching to "I'll kill them both."
A good point is made about the emptiness of the house when Vito got shot. I have talked about this to family and friends after my mom died. Growing up and living in the apartment, I was often alone in it whenever mom went shopping but never noticed it feeling empty because I was there. After she died and my brother and I met in the apartment to look over her belongings, I noticed how empty the apartment felt because I knew she was NOT going to come back to it. It was a completely different feeling.
Your mother was head of a mafia family?
I felt that when my “mother “ grandmother died.. once her apartment was empty I just broke apart
I drive by my grandmas house in Mandan ND when I’m in town. Not the same without her…..
I would definitely recommend reading the book to anyone who enjoyed the movies. It provides much more context and more character development than what was possible in the film version.
Having watched CineRanter’s thoughtful analysis and read your own comment, I intend to do just that - read the book, which, as a fan of the 3 movies, to my shame, I have not yet done.
@@magnificentmuttley2084 The film is better than the book which is poorly written.
It also goes off in unnecessary tangents like the woman Sonny has sex with on Connie's wedding day having an operation on her vagina because she's *so huge* down there that only Sonny can satisfy her...
Puzo seems to go on about that *FOREVER.*
I finished it last night. Puzo likes writing about sex.
@@ppuh6tfrz646 Dr Jules the swashbuckling abortionist.
OR,, The audio book for lazy people like myself. In fact,, you can listen to it right hear on the, UA-cam . That's right, for free right hear just do a quick search, "audio book, the godfather. " enjoy.
The deleted Sonny scenes definitely added some crucial nuance & depth to the character that really should have been left in the original film. I feel like the scenes were cut for no other reason than to not take the focus away from Michael. I definitely understand why James Caan was upset about it.
There is an interview with Coppola where he explains a clause in his contract with the studio, that the movie can not run more than ninety minutes. He was forced to edit the movie down. That being said when they saw the edited version they realized they couldn’t hold him to the time limit. He had to cut out a lot anyway, to keep control of the film as they were going to send it to their own editors and Coppola would lose creative control.
@@buddyrichable1 That sucks.
They should've cut the dance scene w Connie down and shortened another few as to allow this deleted one with Santino.
The Godfather was brilliant as is, but these deleted scenes are very interesting
Yes, I completely agree with your assessment.
James Caan was upset at his scenes being cut not because they were “pivotal” or “crucial”, he was upset because they were scenes where he was the main focus. Narcissistic actors- all of them.
I think that Sonny did not sit in Don Corleone's chair out of respect. That was HIS chair, nobody sits in it but him.
My first thought also. Particularly when you are not sure if he is dead or alive. That would feel improper in any family, any business.
He did it out of respect for his fawtha
Even if sonny knew his father was dead you don’t sit in that chair till you figured everyone felt you deserved it, that would be till after the business at hand is finalized.
At this point his Father is not dead. Sonny didn't sit out of respect. To sit in that chair BEFORE his father died would have spoken without words that he desired his father's death.
Sonny respected his dad and Don Vito
The Godfather Saga and Epic Marathons are played on AMC twice a year in my city. I never miss them. All of the deleted scenes are included. It's about 8 hours long. I have been watching the Godfather for 50 years now and it never gets old. I always discover something new.
When are they televised?
He didn’t sit in the chair out of love and respect for his father
The golfer?
His FAWWWTHAA
Because all them gurls don't make you a man
My favorite one is where Vito gets revenge on every single one back in Sicily. Michael finally getting Fabrisio is a close second. Really helps complete the picture all those deleted scenes.
The scene of Vito killing the old man in Sicily and escaping in the car is referenced in Boardwalk Empire when Nucky goes to Ireland.
I believe Fredo could have gone off by himself and ran a successful and respectable chain of Mickey Mouse themed nightclubs.
No doubt. 😁
he could of run them 2 at a time!!!
plenty of cocktail waitresses!!!!!
@@shaneanderson4329 Yes, two extra on shift, at all times. Cause Freddy, was always ready!
In the novel, Fredo was a complete fuck up
Yes, please dive into Sonny’s character more! He’s one of my favorite characters in the GF series.
MORE SONNY!!!
Yessss!
Godfather 1 is sonnys movie his the best
Most of us love part 1 because of sonny
Yes indeed!! I always wanted to know how/why Don Corleone had a Jewish son. 😮😅😂
To me, when I watch The Godfather, I have to take the time out to watch it in its entirety. If I don’t, I feel I’m disrespecting the film. It’s a MASTERPIECE.
The Godfather: The Complete Epic is a masterpiece on a whole other level
@@thomasbaron5367 - It is one of the most overrated films out there. Too long and boring and very little action. People like it because they are fascinated by the mafia crime world. Also it is fake a film. I prefer real life documentaries on the real life drug Lord Pablo Escobar who actually made more money gross per week than General Motors. Vito was making chump change in comparison. In an attempt to change the laws of extradition, Escobar offered to pay Colombia's debt--an estimated 10 billion dollars. He also had a Learjet specifically to fly his cash around.
Corvette Dude mob dons live longer and have a tendency to stay alive and do business more than drug dealers, though. And remember, it’s business first, not prosperity. It’s just basic hustling.
@@calidude1114 Don Corleone was mob boss of the most important city in America (and post WW2, the world). He also controlled the gambling capital of America.. He had powerful friends, including politicians that he carried around in his pocket, like so many nickels and dimes.. He transferred control of his empire to his son Michael, who expanded the family's reach even further and who attacked the heads all of the other families of New York simultaneously.
@@calidude1114 when you talk about the action the mob is as good as it gets and don't forget that!! "Santino corleone" plus when you talk about power and money tell me why a drug lord like escobar has zero power in america? The mob could easily go to mexico or colombia but they cannot go to new york thats the biggest difference
I have a box set copy of the VHS special release from the 70’s called The Godfather “the epic.” It’s so interesting to watch the films edited together in chronological order. The film begins with the funeral of Don Coleone’s father, which is the beginning of part two and states he was born with the name of ( I think) Vito Andolini. Such a cool piece of cinema history.
For a character that was basically THE pivotal character of the film, quite a lot of Sonny footage ended up on the cutting room floor, some of which should not have. Without Sonny, you would have NO plot, or film for that matter. Yes, the film focuses on Michael and is primarily ABOUT him and how he changes over time, BUT....those changes would have never taken place without all the events that Sonny set in motion. And with all due respect to you and your great video work here, I think you're a bit off in your assessment of Sonny's actions upon hearing about his father's shooting. You have to remember, this is a guy who is extremely volatile, who's single greatest weakness is his quick, violent temper. The fact that he's eating a piece of Italian bread, and squeezing the phone, and some other seemingly odd behaviors that you cite, are NOT signs of weakness or lack of leadership skills, but instead CONFIRMATION of them. This guy had to gather all of his strength and will to keep his cool with NO ONE else around at that moment to help him do so, and he DOES it. He does NOT fly off the handle, but rather clear-headedly makes some calls and sets some actions in motion to begin dealing with the situation. This is a scene of a guy who, though he's a world-class hothead, he does manage to remain calm and assume command, which is nothing short of a Herculean effort on his part. And as a mafia warlord, Sonny is second to NO ONE, not even Michael. Just my two cents. And YES, please DO make a video exploring this great character, without whom, there would have been no story. My apologies for this lengthy diatribe.
It was not a lengthy diatribe. It explains a lot of things, Very well put Sir.
The whole Concept of "The Godfather" is about a Machi Machivellian Manipulater and Puppet Master who is Cold,Calculating and Dispassionate:its not Personal its BUSINESS! By DEFINITION an emotional dude like Sonny could NEVER be "The Godfather"! You're Welcome!
Some people laugh at that moment when he bites his fist after seeing Connie, but I think it fits him very well.
@@ayrramadan8819 Michael was cold. Vito Corleone was NOT cold. He dealt in basically gambling and loansharking. Things forbidden by the pezzonavanti of the church and govt. Vito Corleone cared deeply about the people he was close to. Michael became suspicious and angry after the death of Sonny and Appollonia. Trusted very few people. Michael became cold, calculating and dispassionate. Not Vito. People helped him get away from killers when he was only 10 years old. He always remembered that. In the first scene of the movie he promises the mortician whose daughter was severely beaten that his vengeance will fall upon them. In the book they got the living shit beat out of them. He promises that he will keep an Italian in-country so his friend's daughter can be married. And he got Johnny Fontane his part in the movie. If the ''big shot'' Jack Wolz would've accepted Vito's terms (union problems will go away and other stuff too) he wouldn't have woken up with a horses head in his bed. You need to read the book instead of giving quick opinions that are not very well thought out. You're Welcome!
@@MegaMkmiller I READ the book Before the movie so there's That! YOUR definition of "cold" might not work for Everyone! Young Vito MURDERS Fanucci for shaking him and his friends down for money they acquired from a burglary! Guess you don't know what happens to people who borrow money from Loan Sharks at rates designed to keep them in debt?! Yeah Vito Corleone was All heart! 😆 Not to mention he had an innocent horse Decapitated to get his bitch ass "godson" a part in a movie! 🙄
I believe Sonny wasn’t afraid of the throne… I think he didn’t sit in the chair, because Vito isn’t confirmed dead.
right .I almost never question "why" when I see deleted scenes ,but this one, I had to. it's still the old man's chair, alright.
I saw it as a reverence, a respect for him, to not sit in his chair, even in those circumstances
@@jimc.goodfellas I took it as reverence to someone you've looked up to your whole life. As someone who has recently lost the patriarch to the family can attest, I could not easily go into his room nor sit on his bed or handle his things. It was out of respect!
Exactly. Out of respect.
Isn't this the same chair Michael was sitting in when he came up with the plan to kill the two at the meeting.
There was a scene that was deleted where Sonny says "When it comes to the Action there is no one better than me"..Sonny was a tactical street warrior whose skills were honed in the previous mob war some 10 years earlier. He was very effective then and was equally effective in this war. They killed Luca and Sonny killed Tataglia's son...Also, in the book it was Sonny who not only came up with the idea to take out the heads of the five families, he started to have them tailed to see their routines. Of course he died before he could carry out his plan. The movie did not go into a deep dive on Sonny, had they, it would have been seen just how truly disastrous his demise really was.
Yep, it's true. He WAS the one who masterminded that plan. Sonny is far from the dimwitted brute that a lot of people think he was.
VERY n4mative!
Thank u
Wasn't that covered in the books?
@@geraldstephens6612 Yeah..
Sonny couldn't prevent broadcasting what he was thinking. That's why he bit the pipe.
Me my ex watched the scene with sunny and the first thing she said when he sat in the other chair is that he loves as well as respects his father so much that he has faith that his father is still alive and will come back to sit in the chair. So he sat in the chair out of faith, admiration and respect for his father. Sunny also intended to fight until his father fully recovered.
Seems like a good girl. Smart
Exactly!
Right to the point but the character's name was Sonny
That was an excellent overview of that scene . To think that Mama Corleone’s reaction is due to bad acting is ridiculous, it was marvellous as like you say, she’s been waiting for the news for years. Very poignant and James Caan is just excellent.
I agree. I think this is another part of being a Sicilian wife. Don't ask questions; don't be surprised when your husband is attacked or killed. It's probably going to happen, so be ready. Certainly it's not poor acting.
Santino didn’t sit in his Father’s chair out of respect. Also it’s tempting fate to sit in that spot, invites death, like speaking about a horrible disease invites. Any old school Italian would tell you that. In some families when the head of the family dies, their space at the dinner table or favorite chair goes left unused.
Exactly. Respect for his father, and determination that Vito be avenged above all else.
For God's sake whatever you do don't let a bird get in the house, talk about old Italian superstitions, man people will just faint.
Those were the old school cultural ways!
@@dukecraig2402 non e' vero, cumpa
@@glenbellefonte9620
It's very real with the old Italian woman here in America, they believe that it means a family member in the household will die.
8:51 In the book Carmela,Vito's wife was concerned about his change from a normal man to a ruthless crime boss but she tolerated it because Vito was still devoted to their family despite his crimes. And since she was a Catholic she went to mass to pray for Vito's soul every day because she believed that if she didn't he'd go to hell.
Carmela was a Typical Sicilian Wife But she knew what her Husband was involved in Crime. She was not dumb or stupid.
@@travismclaurin9419 True. As the wife of a ruthless crime boss, tolerating it was her only option. She was not an American woman like Kay
@@frankdees507 Another point I want to make is this long debate who was the better woman for Michael. Yes, Apollonia would be the perfect wife for Him. Michael was bored hiding in Sicily. Yes, Michael loved Apollonia but he loved what he saw in her. Apollonia, wasn’t ignorant either. She would never question Michael about business. All she would do is cook and have Michael’s kids and learning English. As for Kay, she wasn’t afraid of Michael. She stood up to him and asked him about his business affairs. Michael told her too much. That was his weakness. Out of the two, Kay was Michael’s true love.
@@travismclaurin9419 especially with his philandering she was more prettier than his mistress
@@dailmcdavid1714 wait … what? Who? The only philanderer was Sonny. As indicated in the book and movie, Sonny swung a big bat and had a large libido with it. Michael was “struck by lightning “ when he saw Appollonia.
Almost 50 years. Incredible.
Over 50 now
@@biswasronit yes the book. Movie turn fifty next year though it might have been filmed in 1971
Tempus fugit.
I thought “The Godfather Epic” was the mashup of the 1st two movies in chronological order. That one is my absolute FAVORITE way to watch. It is 7hrs long and I make a day of it lol
Also, I held off from watching the deleted scene until after the analysis. And after going back to find the scene and watch it, I'm glad I waited. The weight of the scene was WAAAAAY more felt if you watch your vid first. :D
The GODFATHER saga is the greatest movies of all-time.
Agree
Absolutely
It insists on itself
You probably didn't se godfather lll
@@carljung99 3 was a great film as well.
Would be cool if next year for the 50 year anniversary of The Godfather they put all the films together with all the deleted scenes. That would be incredible. You could even break it up into a mini series.
This version already exists, they just won't sell it as it is STILL an HBO exclusive. They aired it quite a bit in late '16 early '17 and I DVR'd it and now I can never get rid of this DVR. It is about 7hrs long. The Godfather 1 and 2 anyway, which is most of the book. Most of the Vegas/Hollywood/Sonny's mistress is what never made the cut. I don't care about III.
Is that why it has not been released on DVD? If it ever is I would buy it in a minute.
@@debbieking5171 well they actually had a Godfather TV series that ran back in the 70’s on cable that was GF1 and 2 with deleted scenes but I don’t know if it ever released on dvd
They NEVER. should have made no. 3...terrible film!
@@christopherjohnson2171 So strange that HBO wouldn't put it on their own streaming service, which is all about gathering as much content as possible
I never thought of walking into my home in 93 the morning after my Papa died this way but was. It was quiet… and devoid of life. No one there but me
I agree with most of the reasons why he didn’t sit in the chair but adding one more. Sonny was the first born and more than likely had a strict father. He knew the rule was don’t eat in father’s den and more importantly don’t sit in his chair.
Excellent analysis. James Caan owns the middle 1/3 of The Godfather. Sonny's death saps the energy out of the picture (which is, of course, the point). The rest of The Godfather is a psychological struggle with clinical violence. Great and interesting, but Sonny is missed. Like a real death in the family.
That’s the reason why 1 is far and away the best movie. Sonny and Vito. James Caan just brought so much to the table. He was undeniable in that role. Ironically enough too, the only two non Italians probably had the greatest impact overall in the first movie.
@@BostonsF1nest I agree The Godfather 2 lacks the warmth and familiar relationships that were present in the first film.
That's not only true, it's apparently by design. Compared with his father, Vito. Michael Corleone is a cold and remote figure. Even his son Anthony's drawing of Michael (in a car driving away) indicates this.
So much is made of Michael's rise as the new Godfather, but it's clear that the loss of Sonny, Vito's original heir apparent, that almost brings the Corleone family to its knees, at least in the eyes of Barzini and the other family heads.
While Michael did eventually reestablish the Corleone family's dominance, it was those few years after Sony's death that it seems that Sonny's death was a loss that weakened the Corleones beyond full recovery.
@@sgcraig2430 yes 100%. I actually like the third movie better than the 2nd because it goes back to the roots of the original which was family. Even tho a lot of the flashbacks in the 2 with Vitos life were tied to family, much of the present with Michael was not. Outside of the Fredo betrayal.
I've seen a version on cable where they include this scene. It is brilliant. In the book, Sunny is not only a lot more intelligent than he's made out to be in the movie, he's considered one of the best wartime bosses ever. He was very close to breaking the other families, forcing them to sue for peace before he was killed because he managed to shut down every money making racket they had with constant pressure and attacks. His love for his sister was his downfall. He actually would have eventually become a great Don, one can assume as he aged he would get his anger and "appetites" under control. In that regard, Sunny was also famous in the book.
Yep the godfather sage when on AMC shows most of the deleted scenes, including Michael dealing with Fabrizio
I’ve watched 2 versions of the combined triple movie, with lots of added scenes
Both were interesting, including the version that changed the order to run in chronological order instead of the original flash backs
I watch that also on HBO it was seven hours long both 1 and 2
Is it still on HBO? I'm interested in watching.
Love The Godfather films ..keep making videos about em and we'll keep watching em
I think all the deleted scenes from The Godfather and The Godfather Part II were all incredible. Whether it be the scene when Genco has Vito at his bedside, asking Vito to stay to scare death away. That tells you of his perceived power. I like the deleted scene of Sonny squeezing the phone out of anger then later sits in Vito's study.but won't sit in his father's chair.
Watching the scene in the sun room between Michael & Fredo, if you watch it in Hi-def, when Michael says the lines, "you're not a brother, etc., etc.," cold frost is spewing from Michael's mouth as if he were outside in the winter weather. That cinematic 5star nuance, to me, was greater than the whole shootout scene in the train station of the "Untouchables". The frost from Michael's mouth as he's disavowing Fredo is a triple exclamation point to Fredo's end which happens there before he is physically whacked.
Francis Ford Coppola and Al Ruddy were under extreme pressure from Paramount to cut the running time of the film to allow theater owners to get in two showings per night. So some scenes had to be sacrificed.
The scene I would most like to see restored is the death of Fabrizio, which was actually shot twice and jettisoned twice, (once for I and once for II.) Apollonia’s death was tragic and deeply personal to Michael.
It remains an unresolved loose end in the film.
Michael’s vengeance hits are otherwise thorough and complete, making this omission highly uncharacteristic of him.
Fabrizio's death was in the GF saga that I saw on TV in about 1979. Haven't seen it since. I think it was part of part 2, not part 1 but I could be wrong.
@@lawrencelewis2592 You’re not wrong. Footage from the second version survived, but unfortunately the first version (from Part 1) is lost. All that’s left is an amazing still photo of Michael in a fedora holding a machine gun-which doesn’t appear in any GF film. Too bad.
@@michaelfontanelli2450 Michael holding a machine gun? That sounds so out of context and character.
A true Sicilian revenge would have been blowing up Fabrizio's wife and kids while he watched, letting him suffer a while and only then killing him in some cruel manner, like burning to death in his pizza oven. If Michael did otherwise he was being merciful.
@@lawrencelewis2592 No, it wasn't a "machine gun" but a double barreled sawed off shotgun like his bodyguards carried in Sicily. And as a revenge killing by a Sicilian husband for the death of a wife, it's completely in character for even a Boss like Michael to get his hands dirty killing Fabrizio himself.
Mama Corleone's reaction to Vito's shooting was very accurately protrayed. My grandfather was a Mafia hitman and my grandmother used to say that, when she was told the news that he was killed, it was something she braced herself for all of her married life. If he was late coming home at night, she would wonder, "is this the night?" So her reaction was truly believable. Good point in bringing that out.
Tessio did appear at the wedding before that scene. In fact he was playing with foreshadowing orange (that he would be the one to betray the family.)
He was present during the Salazzo meeting also. How can this guy make that mistake?
What’s with the orange and betrayal
?????
@@josefschmeau4682 The orange foreshadowed when something was going to happen with or too the individuals involved in the scene. The best example was the godfather purchasing oranges when he was shot and later in his mouth when he died.
2:26 There's a deleted scene where the family visit Genco on his deathbed and during it Michael and Vito talk with Vito asking what Michael's medals are for and when Michael says they're for bravery Vito says something similar to Sonny's "They're saps because they risk their lives for strangers" from Godfather II's last flashback.
The line that Vito says to Michael after asking him about the medals and Michael says they are for bravery Vito says what miracles do you perform for strangers...awesome classic line
Michael fought to save his country from the evils of Nazism. Ultimately he fought to to defend a country that allowed ihs family to be prosperous. Michael fought to help to not only strangers but also his family. He was no sap.
Caan and Sonny were both traitors to America.
Yes a video on Sonny's character would be great.
A lot of people don't know that Morgana King who played the older mother was a fantastic night club jazz singer.
This analysis was amazing! A+ job! Soprano references were well received as well! Cheers!
I’d like to see an HD version of the first film with all the deleted scenes in it.
Available. Get it or shut up.
Would love to see a video on Sonny, your analysis always brings an interesting perspective to light
Just subscribed to your channel, after viewing this video! Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the original’s release! The saga was aired throughout 2016 on HBO, and it was beautiful, long but beautiful! Numerous scenes with Santino’s character, early on! Thanks for posting this gem!
I remember buying my dad the two movies cut chronologically when I was a kid. I wonder if he still has those vhs tapes. I would have no way to play them but still...
That’s worth buying a VCR for
You can them converted to digital, or transfer to DVD. I did it years ago
The picture in the beginning of the video with pacino, caan, Brando & the rest, my immediate thought was "look at this fucking lineup"
OHHH! Johnny Sack!
I thought Richie Aprile said that
He didn’t sit in the seat because he
reminded himself that he’s still not the Don yet, it’s his fathers seat to return to when he recovers.
Three points:
1. I love the new intro it doesn't break my eardrums and Pesci always cracks me up.
2. The analysis of the omission of this one single scene is brilliant. Wow, I always love learning about a masterpiece.
3. GF3 should have all of its scenes on the cutting room floor. End of story.
@CineRanter - when you said (or even, confessed!) you weren’t going to show the video clip of the deleted scene, you almost lost me right there but I have to say, your delivery of your description of the deleted scene was excellent. You got me hooked and listening for the rest. I understand why you couldn’t include it but it would’ve been great to see that. I totally agree with you (and sympathise with James Caan) as it would’ve enhanced the weight of Sonny’s story and James Caan’s characterisation. I have to admit, to my shame, I have not read Mario Puzo’s novel, now, undoubtedly, a modern classic. As my beloved wife can testify to, just about every time The Godfather is on the TV schedule, I watch it....avidly. Also, the sequels, with equal relish. I agree with you whole-heartedly, each deleted scene SHOULD be available and included in a complete anthology of one of the most watchable and absorbing movie narratives ever produced. Thank you Francis Ford Coppola. No doubt, those with the final say (the studio executives) have control of the final cut, in any production. Not even Mr Coppola can wield that control or have ownership of the complete negative. This is very unfortunate, particularly in this case. Thank you for posting. You are clearly a lover of movies and perhaps a screenwriter yourself, or at least, a frustrated filmmaker. And thank you also for putting your own voice to your video. I hate it when some UA-cam contributors resort to using text-to-voice synthesisers.
Strongly suggest you read the novel
Good essay friend ! Yes the Mother had also earned her stripes as the wife of a Costra boss. She was an experienced, consummate Pro too. Scene was well done . Kudos to everybody involved .
I’ve said the same thing regarding this scene. I can’t understand why it wound up on the cutting room floor. That great Italian actor James “I’m actually Irish” Caan may have put together his best work in the movie as he juxtaposed the normally hotheaded Sonny with such subtly powerful acting. Great work on the video. Bada bing!
James Caan is Jewish, not Irish!
@@miriampoe5507 The exclamation point hardly being necessary notwithstanding, I appreciate the correction. Though, that doesn’t change the point of my comment.
*I enjoy your videos very much, keep it up. You have cracked my code. Your voice, articulation and topics (especially topics) are superb and exactly what people want. You're going up a good trend.*
I agree wholeheartedly. It's a great solo scene by Caan.
WOW, I really enjoyed this video. Sonny was my favorite character in the movie. And I always wished that he had more scenes. OK, I subscribed and hit the notification button. So please do make another video on Sonny, I would love to see it.
It is a shame that the scene was cut. I've never seen this before. It certainly provides more background for the subsequent flow of this part of the plot. It provides more context for Michael's change, and shows that Sonny isn't just a hot-head, but has a chip on his shoulder. His comment about his quality as a leader shows he knows what the Don and others in power think of him.
Till Tom entered the scene, I wondered if Tere Livrano, who plays his wife, only nodded her head in response to comments directed at her, because she didn't speak English.
As my father was dying in the hospital (not a mobster), my mother's reaction was extremely poised and without a whole lot of blubbering or crying. She was upset, but calm, and resolved to what would eventually, inevitably happen.
I think you do a good job with your analysis, and the fact finding within your videos… it’s enjoyable, and I keep coming back… keep up the good work and thank you
Tom Hagen is actually my favorite character. In but out, strong but longing.
I saw “The Godfather Saga” back in the day. I was blown away by all the extra scenes. It was amazing. But because it was edited for TV, it was probably all done in 4:3 SD video and with censorship cuts. So I’m sure it requires aground up restoration.
There was no second film, there was only the parts moved to the second half, released as The Godfather II. The intention was to release it as one film, but that quickly became impossible.
Also, Corleone is the Andolini family’s native town on Sicily, and is pronounced that way, when done properly, throughout, even after Vito takes it as his surname to hide from those who killed his father and older brother. Cor.le.ON.e, with Italian vowels, not English ones.
Eating as a means of separating important events. Do you know any ethnic (especially Southern or Sicilian) Italians? They eat before meetings, they do not eat while discussing business, then after discuss business without eating.
The eating rule is true for traditional Irish too, especially those from the South. If you have something serious you eat, then adjourn from the table and talk with perhaps a drink in another room.
Great video! The book "The Godfather Notebook" is a great source for getting into Coppola's head as he considered material that might not make the movie, even before filming and editing. It seems like he set out at first to try to replicate Puzo's book as much as possible, and in Coppola's Notebook one can see his greatness at work, thinking about how to take long expositions from the book and narrow them down to the simplest scenes and visuals. To me, the scene with Michael and Sonny and the rest of the gang when they're deciding how to hit back after Solozzo and the cop try to kill the Don at the hospital and punch Michael is the best depiction of Sonny's weaknesses as a potential leader of the family, when Sonny doesn't quite get Michael's instinct on how to get back and mocks Michael, but one sees from that scene that Michael has more heart for the long term survival of the family than Sonny. But it is definitely great to see the deleted scenes and see how some of their key points still made the movie in some way with great editing.
Sonny to Tom: "Pop had Genco, look what I got!"
Tom to Sonny:🥺
Those two guys loved and respected each other. Sonny apologized and Tom forgave him without having to say it. They had shortcomings like all of us but complimented each other well.
Thanks for posting this. It's my first. I do think your comment about exploring Sonny's character is a good one. I'll watch for it.
0:32 The Godfather was released in March 1972 so it's almost 50 rears since release.
It would be nice if it was re-released in theaters for the anniversary. I never had the chance to see it on the big screen. To be fair, I was only 4 at the time!
My favourite deleted scene is "What about Sicily" "What about Sonny" Mike and Vito talking.
Watching Sunny's character is one of the reasons why I prefer the first godfather over the 2nd. Can you also make a video on their brother in law. What made him ultimately betray the Corleone's
It was a personal thing with Sonny, who brutally beat him and kept him arms length from family business, which he resented (in Carlo's eyes--he didn't know it was actually Vito's decision). In that beating scene, Caan actually broke one of Russo's ribs.
Thank you for this story. I’ve always felt that there was so much more to Sonny then was portrayed in the film.
I saw that scene. It does show a lot without telling, Vito’s wife’s reaction as well as Sonny’s demeanor at this moment in time. He knows there is going to be a war, and just like the last time his father was taken off the field, Sonny is about to set his army in play. I saw the move of him not taking the chair right away as a quiet hope that his father’s absence was only temporary. Sonny would defeat the family’s enemies and his father would recover and continue to lead the family in Machiavellian style. If there was ever a request for a What if novel, it would be a version where Sonny wasn’t killed, but like you said, he is not the protagonist, it’s Michael’s arc from self exile from the family to taking control. There’s a set of clips on UA-cam that show all deleted scenes and they have two back to back showing Michael and Kay playing around in a hotel room and the next scene with Michael asking his father “what about Sonny, what about Sicily?” Showing the complete 180 of that character.
Tessio is in the original Godfather movie. He's dancing at Connie's wedding with a child who is standing on Tessio' s shoes so we meet him at the beginning of the movie.
Tessio was at Connie's wedding, holding an orange, no less!
They did do a movie with ALL of the deleted scenes and in chronological order called "The Godfather Saga", but surely you must know that! And don't say I'm calling you "Shirley"!
🙏🏻 Thank you! Loving all things Godfather! 💌💕
A couple of thoughts to add. Carmela Corleone is Sicilian and she knows how to deal with death. Vito's own mother dealt with her husband and son's death by trying to kill the man who killed them. So, it makes sense that she's mentally ready and not falling apart. Sonny getting food is a connection to his mother; she's the one who prepared meals for him most of his life. The kitchen is her territory and that's where he lingers for comfort. The one thing that I think was missing in both novel and movie is the female connection - I realize it's not their story, so I'm not going all feminist gangster but it's a family and Mama Corleone is more important than the one who makes pasta in the background while her husband is plotting the death of the neighborhood. Even if that's her role, we could still see her being very worried or concerned. A slight look up at Vito, Vito's reassuring hand on her shoulder, etc. . . .give us some hints about who she is. That way, when she dies in part II, there's an emotional impact for the audience. That's important because her death lights the fuse for Fredo's nap with the fishes.
Sonny's sitting in another chair could also be read as him waiting on the sidelines; he's ready to do his duty but he's respectful enough to wait until his father's death. He's got one foot in and one foot out; he's unsure of what's going to happen. I don't see fear as much as uncertainty about what will happen. Sonny is a hothead, yes, but here he's calculating the possibilities. His family's survival depends on it.
The epic version played on HBO so it had to be official and it's the 1st 2 films with every single deleted scene and it is 7 hours long chronologically, you have to watch Coda for 3
What a wonderful video. I was so intrigued. The analysis is great. It's deep. It really kept me interested.
One deleted scene that never made it is no surprise. The o e at Waltz's house when Hagan sees the young girl. No way any Hollywood Producer is going to leave that in the film and let the cat out of the bag. In fact they kept the secret for another 46 years
Yes I remember that!
@@Dman3827 Woltz had an underaged teen hidden in his mansion that was probably there against her will and who was used for exactly what you fear. ua-cam.com/video/13EmjpXQ8_w/v-deo.html
@@GRice999 The mother was with her and it was pretty obvious that the mother had "fed" her daughter to Wolz.
A similar thing happened in the real Hollywood, but I'm not mentioning any names!
@@thomasthomas2418 could it be Natalie Wood or Shirley Temple
Polanski.
He didn't sit in the chair out of respect for Don Vito. He knows that the only way for it to become his chair is when he knows for sure that he father is dead, not one second sooner. RESPECT
You should correct your introduction. Freddo was never considered to lead the family. And Michael did not want that at all, neither did Vito. He stepped up when the circumstances required it.
In reality, he was only preparing Sonny for that role.
thanks for doing what you do!!👍🏾 i’ve been watching the Godfather since I was 19 years old lol.. I even still have The Complete epic black case with The three cassette tapes in that beautiful black case!! wow your so right!!👍🏾 I hope they put all of the deleted scenes in if they decide to do anything else with the Godfather so important keep doing what you do.. thanks so much..
Sonny was actually the right guy during his time as Don. He wasn’t at Michael’s level, but he did a fairly good job in the initial part of war. He kept things upbeat during a dark time and kept the Corleones in the game. His Impulsiveness cost him his life, but he did a good job as a transitionary Don before Michael took the reigns.
reins
Tatalia's son was murdered during that time with Sonny at the helm. It isnt shown but it's stated. I believe Bruno Tatalia was one of the men who killed Luca Brazii. So Sonny successfully put a hit on him.
Sonny sat in another chair out of respect. His father is the Don until he finds out otherwise.
This ☝🏿
Who was that mysterious old bodyguard that follows Micheal in Cuba GF2
His name was Bussetta,a hitman hired from Sicily to be Michaels bodyguard/hitman in Cuba.
@@chrisitalia1 Thanks for replying to my question👍😀👍
@@anjkovo2138 anytime my friend.👍👍👍
9:50 Very interesting exposition. But I don't agree with why Sonny doesn't sit in Vito's chair. I think it signifies that he is not thinking about taking his father's place. He was focused on doing the right thing by his father. He looks at the throne of power, then pulls up another chair and starts dialing.
I bet that Cat didn't realize he/she would be immortalized and live on forever in the greatest film of all time.
Lol who?
@@KC______ ahhhhhhhhhhh... Duh lol.
Absolutely enjoy the way you break down your videos and the scenes. Cant believe I never saw this scene. About to find it now! Thanks.
Been at the beach brang the original godfather trilogy with me and it had the specials disc with all of them just watched them all the other day perfect timing it also taught me who Genco was I wasn’t sure what character he was in the 2nd movie or if he had even died yet! The Godfather Trilogy with deleted scenes is on Amazon but it’s $50-$90
Wait for the 4K 50th Anniversary set coming in 2022. It’ll have everything.
Please do make a video detailing Sonny, it’s so interesting hearing about these characters in such detail from the novel like you did with Al Neri and Luca Brasi. I know most of the stuff about Sonny and how he became involved in the family business but not really his role in the first novel during the war
Could they make a new movie built around all the deleted scenes..
Love your channel 👍🎥💯
Greetings from West/Ireland 🇮🇪
I Have seen the full version, were everything in it, and I mean all the deleted scenes. of the Godfather. It was shown once in the 80,s on the BBC, in the night. The vhs times. And I never taped it.
I'd always wondered why Tessio didn't fall under suspicion with the family after the incident at the hospital. It was Tessio's men who were guarding Vito at the hospital. If they had been forced to leave by McKluskey why didn't they inform Sonny and Tom?
Exactly bruh
Maybe their phones Tom and Sonny's were busy but, I think it is implied (by McKluskey outside of the hospital before he socks Mike) that Tessio's men had been arrested or at least detained.
Thats why the book is the best much more details
Michael not attending Clemenza's funeral was very disrespectful. Paul Castellano should have known better, than to not go to the funeral of Neill Dellacroce. It's been stated, by Gravano himself, as the icing on the cake, in green lighting his assassination. Perhaps, but very similar situation.
@@KC______ Plus Michael arrived just after Tessio's men were removed. It makes sense that McCluskey wouldn't want to give them a chance to make any phone calls until after the dirty deed was done.
Is there a version of the Godfather 1 and Godfather 2 (personally, Godfather 3 is not my favorite movie but would include it in my request if necessary) that includes ALL, and I am emphasizing ALL) of the deleted scenes?
And if so, how and where can I get a copy?
I think that Paramount will release the Godfather epic ,when Al Pacino passes away.
Soon i hope
Scumbag thing to say
I seriously believe they should paste all the deleted scenes where it belonged in the movie , wouldn't mind even if the movie is 5 hrs long ...ready to watch it .
Please write more about Sonny. Thank you.
He doesn't sit in his father's chair because so far as he knows, his father is still alive and it would be presumptuous and disrespectful of him to sit in it. This scene showed that for all his faults, all his impatience, all his impetuosity, Sonny had class. At least as much class as a Mobster can have.
It would be nice to have that Godfather 4 film.
I had the Godfather Epic VHS tape set when I was in high school, I had to order it directly from Francis Coppola's website. As cool as it was to see all the additional content, something was lost when it was recut into chronological order. All the young Vito scenes from GF2 were moved to the beginning and played in order, then GF1, then the late 50s parts of GF2, then GF3. You lose the juxtaposition of young Vito's rise to power driven by the need to support his family with Michael's attempts to consolidate his power eventually destroying his family. My favorite of the deleted scenes in addition to the ones you mentioned was at the start of the party in GF2 Fredo pulls up with his awful wife in a beautiful 300SL Gullwing coupe. She's drunk and acting out and you really see how tormented Fredo is. On the one hand he has the trappings of an extremely enviable life...gorgeous wife, hot car. But his wife goes to embarrass him at every turn, which stands out even more against his material wealth. Even with everything, he isn't afforded any respect. I guess it was a little too similar to a later scene when his wife drunkenly flirts with other men...but it always stuck with me.
You'd think that using a scene from The Godfather to critique The Godfather, would be covered by Fair Use ?
SINsorship
It keepz peephole, n DUH dark.
Love your breakdowns👍😀👍❤