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104-402: The Godfather Part II is a 1974 American epic crime film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola , loosely based on the 1969 novel The Godfather by Mario Puzo , who co-wrote the screenplay with Coppola. It is both a sequel and a prequel to the 1972 film The Godfather , presenting parallel dramas: one picks up the 1958 story of Michael Corleone ( Al Pacino ), the new Don of

208-503: A 96% approval rating based on 126 reviews, with an average rating of 9.7/10. The consensus reads, "Drawing on strong performances by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, Francis Ford Coppola's continuation of Mario Puzo's Mafia saga set new standards for sequels that have yet to be matched or broken." Metacritic , which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 90 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Michael Sragow 's conclusion in his 2002 essay, selected for

312-533: A Corleone family tree, a "Godfather" timeline, and footage of the Academy Award acceptance speeches. The restoration was confirmed by Francis Ford Coppola during a question-and-answer session for The Godfather Part III , when he said that he had just seen the new transfer and it was "terrific". After a careful restoration by Robert A. Harris of Film Preserve, the first two Godfather films were released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 23, 2008, under

416-499: A New Year's Eve party where Fredo pretends not to know Ola but later slips. Michael realizes that Fredo is a traitor and orders both Roth and Ola killed. Batista resigns and flees amid rebel advances , and Michael, Fredo and Roth separately escape Cuba. Back home, Hagen tells Michael that his wife Kay miscarried. A Senate committee on organized crime investigates the Corleone family. Pentangeli agrees to testify against Michael and

520-471: A corrupt cop involved in the drug trade and serving as Sollozzo's bodyguard, contending that McCluskey has crossed into their world and is fair game. Sonny agrees and approves the hit. After careful preparation, Michael meets with Sollozzo and McCluskey at an Italian restaurant in The Bronx . He retrieves a handgun that Corleone caporegime Peter Clemenza ( Richard Castellano ) had planted beforehand in

624-489: A disaster. The cross-cutting between Vito and Michael's parallel stories were judged too frequent, not allowing enough time to leave a lasting impression on the audience. Coppola and the editors returned to the cutting room to change the film's narrative structure, but could not complete the work in time, leaving the final scenes poorly timed at the opening. It was the last major American motion picture to have release prints made with Technicolor 's dye imbibition process until

728-469: A foundation named after his father. A decade earlier, he had given custody of his two children to Kay, who has since remarried. He sells his gambling interests to other Mafia families and reorganizes his vast legitimate business holdings as the "Corleone Group". The Holy See has named him a Commander of the Order of Saint Sebastian for his charitable works and large donations to Catholic institutions. At

832-458: A funeral the second time—the tears just don't flow as easily." The film quickly became the subject of a critical re-evaluation. Whether considered separately or with its predecessor as one work, The Godfather Part II is now widely regarded as one of the greatest films in world cinema . Many critics compare it favorably with the original – although it is rarely ranked higher on lists of "greatest" films. On Rotten Tomatoes , it holds

936-479: A game based on The Godfather Part III. Although The Godfather Part II did not surpass the original film commercially, it grossed $ 47.5 million in the United States and Canada. and was Paramount Pictures ' highest-grossing film of 1974, and the seventh-highest-grossing picture in the United States. According to its international distributor, the film had grossed $ 45.3 million internationally by 1994, for

1040-466: A historical or a mythical event and add an extravagant setting, lavish costumes, an expansive musical score , and an ensemble cast , which would make them extremely expensive to produce. The most common subjects of epic films are royalty and important figures from various periods in world history. The term "epic" originally came from the poetic genre exemplified by such works as the Epic of Gilgamesh and

1144-572: A massive scale. Biographical films may be less lavish versions of this genre. They often have a Roadshow theatrical release and are often shot on 70 mm film . Many writers may refer to any film that is "long" (over two hours) as an epic, making the definition epic a matter of dispute, and raise questions as to whether it is a "genre" at all. As Roger Ebert put it, in his "Great Movies" article on Lawrence of Arabia : The word epic in recent years has become synonymous with big-budget B picture . What you realize watching Lawrence of Arabia

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1248-512: A partnership with Fulgencio Batista allowing them to operate casinos in Cuba without interference in exchange for generous payments to the Cuban government. Michael sends his bodyguard to eliminate Roth on New Year's Eve , but Cuban soldiers kill the bodyguard during the attempt. That same night, Fredo unintentionally reveals that he was the mole within the family; Michael confronts Fredo and gives him

1352-649: A reluctant Michael into the Mafia world he has avoided for so long. Arriving at the hospital, he finds his bedridden father unprotected from potential attack. While awaiting Corleone reinforcements, Michael prevents a second assassination attempt on Vito by Sollozzo, then affirms his loyalty to his father. Captain Mark McCluskey ( Sterling Hayden ), a corrupt NYPD captain on Sollozzo's payroll, breaks Michael's jaw before more Corleone button men arrive. As Vito Corleone recuperates, Sollozzo requests that Michael broker

1456-467: A total run time of 583 minutes (9 hours, 43 minutes), not including the set's bonus documentary by Jeff Werner on the making of the films, "The Godfather Family: A Look Inside". The Godfather DVD Collection was released on October 9, 2001, in a package that contained all three films—each with a commentary track by Coppola—and a bonus disc that featured a 73-minute documentary from 1991 entitled The Godfather Family: A Look Inside and other miscellany about

1560-483: A truce, but acting boss Sonny, suspecting a trap, refuses and demands the other Mafia families hand over Sollozzo to the Corleone family or else face war. Michael volunteers to meet Sollozzo in a public place and kill him and McCluskey. Hagen warns that killing McCluskey would violate a long-standing Mafia rule not to kill police officers, and says it would incite deadly backlash from rival Mafia families and law enforcement. Michael argues they can publicly expose McCluskey as

1664-500: A world of crime and violence. Michael asks her to reconsider, but Kay reveals she aborted their unborn son because she refused to bring another of his children into the world. Enraged, Michael hits Kay in the face and severs ties with her, taking custody of Anthony and Mary. Following their mother's death, and at Connie's behest, Michael seemingly forgives Fredo, but it is actually a ploy to draw him in closer in order to have him killed. Soon after, Neri murders Fredo on Michael's orders. At

1768-490: A worldwide total of $ 93 million. Initial critical reception of The Godfather Part II was divisive, with some dismissing the work and others declaring it superior to the first film. Pauline Kael in The New Yorker was an early champion, writing that the film was visually "far more complexly beautiful than the first, just as it's thematically richer, more shadowed, more full." She writes: "Twice I almost cried out at

1872-400: Is a fictional character and the protagonist of Mario Puzo 's 1969 novel The Godfather . In the three Godfather films , directed by Francis Ford Coppola , Michael was portrayed by Al Pacino , for which he was twice-nominated for Academy Awards . Michael is the youngest son of Vito Corleone , a Sicilian immigrant who builds a Mafia empire. Upon his father's death, Michael succeeds him as

1976-456: Is even better than the first film, and has the greatest single final scene in Hollywood history, a real coup de cinéma." The Godfather Part II was featured on Sight & Sound ' s Director's list of the ten greatest films of all time in 1992 (ranked at No. 9) and 2002 (where it was ranked at No. 2. The critics ranked it at No. 4) On the 2012 list by the same magazine the film

2080-453: Is frequently seen drinking water in the first two films—subtle hints that he is a diabetic. ) With Michael still bedridden, Connie gives Vincent consent to assassinate Zasa. Disguised as an NYPD mounted officer, Vincent kills Zasa in the middle of an Italian street festival. Michael is infuriated upon learning of the hit, and demands that no similar orders be issued while he is alive. Michael returns to Sicily for Anthony's operatic debut at

2184-1031: Is married in Little Italy and has an infant son, Sonny . Black Hand extortionist Don Fanucci preys on the neighborhood, costing Vito his grocery store job. He begins stealing for a living with his neighbor Peter Clemenza and has two more children: Fredo and Michael . Clemenza, Vito and Salvatore Tessio sell stolen dresses door-to-door. Fanucci demands payoffs of $ 200 from Vito and his partners. Vito doubts Fanucci's muscle and decides to offer less. He meets Fanucci and offers $ 100, which Fanucci grudgingly accepts. Emboldened, Vito tracks Fanucci back to his apartment and kills him. Vito's reputation spreads, and neighbors ask him to defend them from other predatory figures. In 1922, Vito and his family travel to Sicily to start an olive oil importing business. He and business partner Don Tommasino visit an elderly Don Ciccio. He obtains Ciccio's blessing for their business, then reveals his identity and slices Ciccio's stomach, avenging

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2288-494: Is murdered. After Michael is notified of Sonny's murder, he and Apollonia prepare to move to Siracusa , but she is killed by a car bomb meant for Michael, proving the other Mafia families know where he is hiding. Michael returns to the United States in 1950 and assumes Sonny's role as Vito's heir apparent. After Vito's suspicions are confirmed that Don Emilio Barzini ( Richard Conte ), his main rival in New York City ,

2392-422: Is placed under witness protection . On returning to Nevada, Fredo tells Michael that he did not realize that Roth was planning an assassination. Michael disowns Fredo but orders that he should not be harmed while their mother is alive. Michael attends the committee hearing with Hagen and Pentangeli's brother from Sicily. Pentangeli, after seeing them, retracts his statement implicating Michael in organized crime, and

2496-485: Is that the word epic refers not to the cost or the elaborate production, but to the size of the ideas and vision. Werner Herzog's Aguirre: The Wrath of God didn't cost as much as the catering in Pearl Harbor , but it is an epic, and Pearl Harbor is not. The epic is among the oldest of film genres, with one early notable example being Giovanni Pastrone 's Cabiria , a two-and-a-half hour silent film about

2600-423: Is the mastermind of his shooting and Sonny's murder, he and Michael begin a secret, complex plot to wipe out the other New York Dons. They deliberately allow their rivals to whittle away at Corleone interests to lull them into inaction. Meanwhile, Michael convinces his father that it is time to remove the family from crime. More than a year following his return, Michael reunites with Kay and they marry. He promises her

2704-420: Is their informal adopted brother. In his novel The Godfather , Mario Puzo introduces Michael with the following physical description: “He did not have the heavy, Cupid -shaped face of [his siblings], and his jet black hair was straight rather than curly. His skin was a clear olive-brown that would have been called beautiful in a girl. He was handsome in a delicate way.” Later in the novel, Puzo writes, “Michael

2808-671: The BAFTAs and was nominated at the Oscars . Like its predecessor, Part II remains a highly influential film, especially in the gangster genre. It is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time , as well as a rare example of a sequel that rivals its predecessor. In 1997, the American Film Institute ranked it as the 32nd-greatest film in American film history and it retained this position 10 years later . It

2912-542: The Corleone family , protecting the family business in the aftermath of an attempt on his life; the other covers the journey of his father, Vito Corleone ( Robert De Niro ), from his Sicilian childhood to the founding of his family enterprise in New York City. The ensemble cast also features Robert Duvall , Diane Keaton , Talia Shire , Morgana King , John Cazale , Marianna Hill and Lee Strasberg . Following

3016-484: The Godfather Epic VHS box set, which also told the story of the first two films in chronological order, again with additional scenes, but not redacted for broadcast sensibilities. Coppola returned to the film again in 1992 when he updated that release with footage from The Godfather Part III and more unreleased material. This home viewing release, under the title The Godfather Trilogy 1901–1980 , had

3120-564: The Punic Wars , which laid the groundwork for the subsequent silent epics of D. W. Griffith . The genre reached a peak of popularity in the early 1960s, when Hollywood frequently collaborated with foreign film studios (such as Rome's Cinecittà ) to use relatively exotic locations in Spain, Morocco and elsewhere for the production of epic films such as El Cid (1961) or Lawrence of Arabia (1962). The genre soon spread to other regions of

3224-527: The Teatro Massimo . Suspecting that Altobello may make another attempt on his life, he has Vincent infiltrate Altobello's regime under the pretense of defecting. Michael and Kay tour Sicily together, during which Michael asks for Kay's forgiveness. Kay admits she will always love him, and they begin to rekindle their relationship. Meanwhile, the Immobiliare deal has stalled, supposedly because

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3328-744: The United States Marine Corps the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor . During World War II , he fights in the Pacific War , and is wounded in battle. For his bravery, he received a battlefield commission to the rank of Lieutenant , and was awarded the Silver Star and the Navy Cross . He was discharged as a Captain after V-J Day in the fall of 1945. His heroics during the war were featured in Life magazine. During

3432-459: The director's commentary on the DVD edition of the film released in 2002. Paramount was initially opposed because they believed the audience would not be interested in an addition to a story they had already seen. But the director prevailed, and the film's success began the common practice of numbered sequels. Only three weeks prior to the release, film critics and journalists pronounced Part II

3536-406: The don of the Corleone crime family . In June 2003, Michael Corleone was recognized as the 11th most iconic villain in film history by the American Film Institute , although some critics consider him to be a tragic hero . The British film magazine Empire selected Michael Corleone as the 11th greatest movie character, with Pacino's performance as Michael Corleone widely regarded as one of

3640-643: The "epic" film, encompassing such examples as Ben-Hur , Gone with the Wind and more recently, 300 and the Star Wars films [...] none of these comes from literary epics per se , and there is little that links them with one another. Among those who espouse film genre studies, epic is one of the most despised and ignored genres". Finally, although the American Movie Channel formally defines epic films as historical films, they nonetheless state

3744-514: The Andolinis. In 1958, Don Michael Corleone has several meetings at his Lake Tahoe compound. Johnny Ola, representing Jewish Mob boss Hyman Roth , promises support in taking over a casino. Corleone capo Frank Pentangeli asks for help defending Bronx territory from Roth affiliates, the Rosato brothers. Michael refuses, frustrating Pentangeli. Senator Pat Geary demands a bribe to secure

3848-563: The Century" list in 1999, based on a poll of critics. In January 2002, the film (along with The Godfather ) made the list of the "Top 100 Essential Films of All Time" by the National Society of Film Critics . In 2017, it ranked No. 12 on Empire magazine's reader's poll of The 100 Greatest Movies . In an earlier poll held by the same magazine in 2008, it was voted 19th on the list of 'The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time'. In 2015, it

3952-705: The Church provides an opportunity to take over the large property company, Immobiliare . He is already its largest shareholder, and offers to buy the Vatican's 25 percent share, which will give him controlling interest . He also takes in Sonny's illegitimate son Vincent Mancini ( Andy Garcia ), a soldier in Zasa's crew, as his protégé. Nevertheless, Michael is distressed by Vincent's fiery temper, and disapproves of his romance with Michael's daughter, Mary ( Sofia Coppola ). On

4056-437: The Corleone family as the nation's most powerful crime family and establishes a reputation as being even more cunning and ruthless than his father. A few days later, Connie furiously accuses Michael of murdering Carlo. When challenged by Kay, Michael denies having ordered Carlo's murder. Kay, initially believing Michael, later observes him receiving his capos . Clemenza addresses Michael as "Don Corleone" and kisses his hand in

4160-526: The Corleone family will be completely legitimate in five years. Within three years, they have two children, Anthony and Mary . Vito semi-retires in 1954, and Michael becomes operating head of the family. He offers to buy out casino owner Moe Greene 's ( Alex Rocco ) stake in the Las Vegas casino that the Corleones bankrolled, intending to move the family to Nevada as part of his effort to legitimize

4264-508: The Corleone house, nearly killing Michael and Kay. Michael suspects Roth ordered the hit, and believes a mole within the Corleone family aided him. To uncover Roth's involvement, Michael maintains their business relationship, and orders Pentangeli to settle a dispute with Roth's business partners, the Rosato Brothers. When Pentangeli meets with them, they try to kill him, but he survives. Michael, Roth, and Fredo travel to Cuba to forge

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4368-461: The Corleone interests; Greene refuses to sell. Corleone family caporegimes Salvatore Tessio ( Abe Vigoda ) and Clemenza request permission to begin operating their own families in Corleone territory. Michael, with Vito's support, advises them to be patient and wait until the move to Las Vegas is completed. Tessio and Clemenza agree, but are clearly dissatisfied. In 1955, Vito warns Michael that Barzini will likely attempt to assassinate Michael under

4472-585: The Dominican Republic as a movie-making site. Forza d'Agrò was the Sicilian town featured in the film. Unlike with the first film, Coppola was given near-complete control over production. In his commentary, he said this resulted in a shoot that ran very smoothly despite multiple locations and two narratives running parallel within one film. Coppola discusses his decision to make this the first major U.S. motion picture to use "Part II" in its title in

4576-806: The Marines. Only Fredo supports Michael's decision. When Vito arrives off-screen, everyone goes to greet him except Michael, who sits alone. The film closes with Michael sitting alone in the Corleones' Lake Tahoe compound. The Godfather Part III is set in 1979 and 1980. Michael has moved back to New York, abandoned the Nevada estate, and taken great strides to remove the family from crime. He turns over his New York criminal interests to longtime enforcer Joey Zasa ( Joe Mantegna ). Ridden with guilt over his ruthless rise to power, particularly his order to kill Fredo, Michael uses his great wealth to rehabilitate his reputation through numerous acts of charity, administered by

4680-487: The National Film Registry web site, is that "[a]lthough The Godfather and The Godfather Part II depict an American family's moral defeat, as a mammoth, pioneering work of art it remains a national creative triumph." In his 2014 review of the film, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote "Francis Coppola's breathtakingly ambitious prequel-sequel to his first Godfather movie is as gripping as ever. It

4784-655: The Rings , The Godfather Trilogy shares the distinction that all of its installments were nominated for Best Picture; additionally, The Godfather Part II and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King are so far the only sequels to win Best Picture. Al Pacino became the fourth actor to be Oscar-nominated twice for playing the same character . Epic film Epic historical films would usually take

4888-601: The Sicilian " kiss of death ". During the New Year's Eve festivities, victorious rebel forces enter Havana , forcing Batista into exile and ruining Michael's plans. Fredo, afraid of his brother, runs off, while Roth escapes to Miami . Meanwhile, Pentangeli, believing Michael had ordered a hit on him, prepares to testify against him in the Senate's investigation of organized crime . However, Michael has Pentangeli's brother Vincenzo ( Salvatore Po ) brought from Sicily. Just prior to

4992-473: The Wind is the highest-grossing film ever, with two other romantic epics ( Titanic and Doctor Zhivago ) also featuring among the global top ten. So far the most Academy Awards ever won by a single film stands at eleven. This feat has only been achieved by three films: Ben-Hur (1959), Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), all of which are above three hours long and considered epic films. The previous record holder

5096-413: The acts of violence that De Niro's Vito committed. I didn't look away from the images, as I sometimes do in routine action pictures. I wanted to see the worst; there is a powerful need to see it. You need these moments as you need the terrible climaxes in a Tolstoy novel. A great novelist does not spare our feelings (as the historical romancer does); he intensifies them, and so does Coppola." However, while

5200-404: The army barracks where he is held and they discuss how failed conspirators against a Roman emperor could commit suicide to save their families. Pentangeli is later found dead in his bathtub, having slit his wrists. Enforcer Al Neri takes Fredo fishing and shoots him as Michael watches from the compound. Sitting by the lake, Michael recalls Vito's 50th birthday party on December 7, 1941 . While

5304-572: The autumn of 1945, Michael is discharged from the Marines, unaware that Vito secretly arranged for his discharge, using his political influence. Michael returns home to attend his sister Connie's wedding, accompanied by Kay Adams ( Diane Keaton ), his college sweetheart. Michael stays for a few weeks, intending to re-enter college without telling his family. Just before Christmas 1945, Vito is critically wounded in an assassination attempt by drug kingpin Virgil Sollozzo ( Al Lettieri ), pushing

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5408-532: The basis of their enormous scope and the sweeping panorama of their settings such as How the West Was Won or East of Eden that do not have the typical substance of classical epics but are directed in an epic style. When described as "epic" because of content, an epic movie is often set during a time of war or other societal crisis, while usually covering a longer span of time sometimes throughout entire generations coming and passing away, in terms of both

5512-469: The bathroom and kills Sollozzo and McCluskey by shooting them at point-blank range. This ignites the New York underworld's first Mafia war in a decade. Michael escapes to Sicily and spends two years under Corleone ally Don Tommasino's ( Corrado Gaipa ) protection. Michael falls in love with and marries a young local woman named Apollonia Vitelli ( Simonetta Stefanelli ). Back in the United States, Sonny

5616-414: The birthday flashback sequence, but the actor, feeling mistreated by the board at Paramount , failed to show up for the single day's shooting. Coppola then rewrote the scene that same day. Richard S. Castellano , who portrayed Peter Clemenza in the first film, also declined to return, as he and the producers could not reach an agreement on his demands that he be allowed to write the character's dialogue in

5720-602: The brothers to flee. Hagen blackmails Geary into cooperating with the Corleones by having him framed for the death of a prostitute. Roth invites Michael to Havana to invest in his activities under the Batista government. Michael expresses reservations about the government's response to the Cuban Revolution . Later Roth becomes angry when Michael asks who ordered the Rosatos to kill Pentangeli. Michael and Ola attend

5824-478: The casino license and insults Michael's Italian blood. That night Michael narrowly escapes an assassination attempt. Suspecting a traitor in the family, he leaves consigliere Tom Hagen in charge and goes into hiding. Michael separately tells Pentangeli and Roth that he suspects the other of planning the hit, and arranges a peace meeting between Pentangeli and the Rosatos. At the meeting the brothers attempt to strangle Pentangeli. A police officer drops in, forcing

5928-443: The ceremony, Michael and Kay have an uneasy reunion after nine years. Kay supports their son Anthony's (Franc D'Ambrosio) ambition to reject the "family business" and become an opera singer, and tells Michael that both she and Anthony know the truth about Fredo's death. Michael had previously wanted Anthony to either finish law school or join the family business, but now consents to Anthony going his own way. Michael's new connection to

6032-421: The chronological shifts of its narrative "a structural weakness from which the film never recovers". Gene Siskel gave the film three-and-a-half out of four, writing that it was at times "as beautiful, as harrowing, and as exciting as the original. In fact, The Godfather, Part II may be the second best gangster movie ever made. But it's not the same. Sequels can never be the same. It's like being forced to go to

6136-567: The conspirators) has hired an assassin named Mosca ( Mario Donatone ) to kill him. Mosca murders Tommasino, and Michael vows before his old friend's casket to sin no more. Vincent reports that Lucchesi, working with Altobello, is behind the assassination attempts on Michael. Weary of the bloody, lonely life of a Don, Michael retires, making Vincent his successor, but not before giving him permission to retaliate. In return, Vincent agrees to end his relationship with Mary. That night, Michael, reconciled with Kay and Anthony, watches his son's performance in

6240-495: The critically ill Pope Paul VI must personally approve it. Michael learns that the Immobiliare deal is an elaborate swindle concocted by Immobiliare chairman Licio Lucchesi ( Enzo Robutti ), who schemed with Vatican Bank head Archbishop Gilday ( Donal Donnelly ) and accountant Frederick Keinszig ( Helmut Berger ) to embezzle a fortune from the Vatican Bank, using Michael's "investment" to cover their tracks. Hoping to salvage

6344-509: The deal, Michael seeks Don Tommasino's assistance. He directs Michael to Cardinal Lamberto ( Raf Vallone ), the future Pope John Paul I . With Lamberto's prodding, Michael makes his first confession in 30 years, tearfully breaking down as he admits to ordering Fredo's murder. Lamberto tells Michael he deserves to suffer for his terrible sins, but that there is hope for his redemption. John Paul I dies soon after being elected pope, poisoned by Gilday. Michael learns that Altobello (in league with

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6448-449: The epic film may be combined with the genre of science-fiction and cite Star Wars as an example. Stylistically, films classed as epic usually employ spectacular settings and specially designed costumes, often accompanied by a sweeping musical score, and an ensemble cast of bankable stars . Epics are usually among the most expensive of films to produce. They often use on-location filming, authentic period costumes , and action scenes on

6552-426: The epic is often credited to their ability to appeal to a wide audience. Several of the highest-grossing films of all-time have been epics. James Cameron 's 1997 film Titanic , which is cited as helping to revive the genre, grossed $ 1.8 billion at cinemas worldwide to become the highest-grossing film—a record it held for twelve years. If inflation is taken into account, then the historical romantic epic Gone with

6656-402: The events depicted and the running time of the film. Such films usually have a historical setting, although speculative fiction (i.e. fantasy or science fiction ) settings have become common in recent decades. The central conflict of the film is usually seen as having far-reaching effects, often changing the course of history. The main characters' actions are often central to the resolution of

6760-546: The family in favor of Michael, and that he withheld key information about the Senate investigation. Michael disowns Fredo and tells his personal assassin Al Neri ( Richard Bright ) that nothing is to happen to his brother while their mother is alive — the implication being that Neri is to kill Fredo after she dies. Meanwhile, Kay decides to leave Michael and take their children with her, believing Michael will always live in

6864-575: The family waited for Vito, Michael announced that he had dropped out of college and joined the Marines , angering Sonny and surprising Hagen. Only Fredo supported his decision. When Vito arrived, Michael sat alone at the table while the others welcomed him. Mario Puzo started writing a script for a sequel in December 1971, before The Godfather was even released; its initial title was The Death of Michael Corleone . Francis Ford Coppola 's idea for

6968-493: The family's operations in New York, Clemenza having died a few years before. While Michael's many enemies and growing obsession with revenge keep him tethered to the criminal underworld, he still plans to finally legitimize the family by negotiating with Hyman Roth ( Lee Strasberg ), his father's former business partner, over controlling casino operations in Cuba . Hours after Anthony's First Communion party, assassins open fire on

7072-490: The film to his Great Movies canon, noting he "would not change a word" of his original review but praising the work as "grippingly written, directed with confidence and artistry, photographed by Gordon Willis   ... in rich, warm tones." He praises the score: "More than ever, I am convinced it is instrumental to the power and emotional effect of the films. I cannot imagine them without their Nino Rota scores. Against all our objective reason, they instruct us how to feel about

7176-431: The film's cinematography and acting were immediately acclaimed, many criticized it as overly slow-paced and convoluted. Vincent Canby of The New York Times viewed the film as "stitched together from leftover parts. It talks. It moves in fits and starts but it has no mind of its own   ... The plot defies any rational synopsis." Stanley Kauffmann of The New Republic cited what he called "gaps and distentions" in

7280-435: The film, though this claim was disputed by Castellano ' s widow in a 1991 letter to People magazine. The part in the plot originally intended for the latter-day Clemenza was then filled by the character of Frank Pentangeli, played by Michael V. Gazzo. Coppola offered James Cagney a part in the film, but he refused. James Caan agreed to reprise the role of Sonny in the birthday flashback sequence, demanding he be paid

7384-502: The film: the additional scenes originally contained in The Godfather Saga ; Francis Coppola's Notebook (a look inside a notebook the director kept with him at all times during the production of the film); rehearsal footage; a promotional featurette from 1971; and video segments on Gordon Willis's cinematography, Nino Rota's and Carmine Coppola's music, the director, the locations and Mario Puzo's screenplays. The DVD also held

7488-460: The films. Now listen very carefully to the first notes as the big car drives into Miami. You will hear an evocative echo of Bernard Hermann ’s score for Citizen Kane , another film about a man who got everything he wanted and then lost it." This film is the first sequel to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. The Godfather and The Godfather Part II remain the only original/sequel combination both to win Best Picture. Along with The Lord of

7592-547: The first film's success, Paramount Pictures began developing a follow-up, with many of the cast and crew returning. Coppola, who was given more creative control, had wanted to make both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather that would tell the story of Vito's rise and Michael's fall. Principal photography began in October 1973 and wrapped up in June 1974. The Godfather Part II premiered in New York City on December 12, 1974, and

7696-407: The flashbacks "give Coppola the greatest difficulty in maintaining his pace and narrative force. The story of Michael, told chronologically and without the other material, would have had really substantial impact, but Coppola prevents our complete involvement by breaking the tension." Though praising Pacino's performance and lauding Coppola as "a master of mood, atmosphere, and period", Ebert considered

7800-419: The greatest performances in cinematic history. Born on March 23, 1920, to Mafia don Vito Corleone ( Marlon Brando ) and his wife Carmela ( Morgana King ), Michael has two older brothers, Santino "Sonny" Corleone ( James Caan ) and Frederico "Fredo" Corleone ( John Cazale ), and a younger sister, Constanzia "Connie" Corleone ( Talia Shire ). The family consigliere , Tom Hagen ( Robert Duvall ),

7904-446: The hearing dissolves in an uproar. Kay tells Michael that she had an abortion and intends to leave him and take their children. Michael strikes her in rage and banishes her alone. Michael's mother dies, and he hurries to wrap up loose ends. Roth returns to the United States after being refused entry to Israel . Corleone caporegime Rocco Lampone assassinates him at the airport and is shot dead trying to escape. Hagen visits Pentangeli at

8008-433: The hearing, Vincenzo and Frank exchange glances. Understanding the threat, Pentangeli recants his earlier sworn statements, throwing the hearings into chaos and effectively destroying the government's case against Michael. Fredo confesses to Michael that Roth's right-hand man, Johnny Ola ( Dominic Chianese ), had promised to reward him for information about Michael. Fredo also says that he resents being "passed over" to head

8112-502: The late 1990s. The Godfather Part II premiered in New York City on December 12, 1974, and was released in the United States on December 20, 1974. Coppola created The Godfather Saga expressly for American television in a 1975 release that combined The Godfather and The Godfather Part II with unused footage from those two films in a chronological telling that toned down the violent, sexual, and profane material for its NBC debut on November 18, 1977. In 1981, Paramount released

8216-494: The legendary exploits of the novel's main character, Salvatore Guiliano (In the novel, the spelling of Salvatore Giuliano 's name was intentionally changed by Puzo to "Guiliano".), and is eager to meet him, but Giuliano is murdered before the meeting can take place. Michael appears in Mark Winegardner 's sequel novels The Godfather Returns and The Godfather's Revenge . In Godfather Returns , set roughly during

8320-535: The night Michael announces he is dissolving his gambling empire, Zasa wipes out most of The Commission in a helicopter attack in Atlantic City . Michael escapes with help from Vincent and Neri. Michael realizes that his old friend Don Altobello ( Eli Wallach ) is the brains behind the attempt on his life. Traumatized by the attack, Michael suffers a diabetic stroke , briefly incapacitating him. (Francis Ford Coppola reveals in his audio commentary that Michael

8424-406: The opera Cavalleria Rusticana . Meanwhile, Vincent has Lucchesi, Gilday, and Keinszig murdered, while Connie murders Altobello with a poisoned cannoli . After the performance, Mosca shoots Michael, wounding him, and a second bullet hits Mary, killing her. Mary's death breaks Michael's spirit, and he screams in agony over her body. In an epilogue scene set in 1997, an elderly Michael dies alone in

8528-445: The other New York Mafia heads: Barzini, Philip Tattaglia ( Victor Rendina ), Carmine Cuneo ( Rudy Bond ), and Victor Stracci (Don Costello), as well as Greene. The plot unfolds on the same day Michael stands as godfather to Connie's newborn son, Michael Francis Rizzi. Later the same day, he has Tessio and Carlo Rizzi ( Gianni Russo ), Connie's abusive husband who conspired in Sonny's murder, executed. In one stroke, Michael re-establishes

8632-473: The pretense of negotiating peace between the families, using a disloyal contact within the Corleone regime. Whoever approaches Michael about the meeting, Vito explains, will be the traitor within the family. Shortly thereafter, Vito dies of a heart attack while playing with his grandson Anthony in his tomato garden. At Vito's funeral, Tessio tells Michael that Barzini wants to arrange a meeting, confirming Vito's prediction. Michael sets his plan in motion to murder

8736-684: The same amount he received for the entire previous film for the single scene in Part II , which he received. Among the actors depicting Senators in the hearing committee are film producer/director Roger Corman , writer/producer William Bowers , producer Phil Feldman, and actor Peter Donat . The Godfather Part II was shot between October 1, 1973, and June 19, 1974. The scenes that took place in Cuba were shot in Santo Domingo , Dominican Republic . Charles Bluhdorn , whose Gulf+Western conglomerate owned Paramount, felt strongly about developing

8840-513: The same courtyard where he married Apollonia. In the December 2020 release of The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone , a recut of the third film, the final scene is re-edited to portray Michael sitting alone in the courtyard without him dying. Michael is a secondary character in Puzo's novel The Sicilian , which takes place during his first exile in Sicily. He learns from Clemenza about

8944-409: The same manner that he did with Michael's father. Kay realizes Connie's accusations were true, and that Michael has become a powerful Don becoming his father's successor in every way. In the novel, Kay leaves Michael, but Hagen persuades her to return. The Godfather Part II is set in 1958 and 1959. The Corleone family has relocated to Nevada, while capo Frank Pentangeli ( Michael V. Gazzo ) runs

9048-467: The same time, Michael sends Hagen to persuade Pentangeli to commit suicide to spare his family, and has caporegime Rocco Lampone ( Tom Rosqui ) kill a heavily guarded Roth at Idlewild Airport upon his return to the US. The film ends as Michael recalls a surprise birthday party for his father on December 7, 1941. In a flashback scene, Michael informs the family that he has dropped out of college to enlist in

9152-447: The script and was not coming. Coppola spent an entire night rewriting it before giving it to Pacino for his review. Pacino approved it and the production went forward. The film's original budget was $ 6 million but costs increased to over $ 11 million, with Variety ' s review claiming it was over $ 15 million. Several actors from the first film did not return for the sequel. Marlon Brando initially agreed to return for

9256-443: The sequel would be to "juxtapose the ascension of the family under Vito Corleone with the decline of the family under his son Michael   ... I had always wanted to write a screenplay that told the story of a father and a son at the same age. They were both in their thirties and I would integrate the two stories   ... In order not to merely make Godfather I over again, I gave Godfather II this double structure by extending

9360-399: The societal conflict. In its classification of films by genre, the American Film Institute limits the genre to historical films such as Ben-Hur . However, film scholars such as Constantine Santas are willing to extend the label to science-fiction films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars . Lynn Ramey suggests that "Surely one of the hardest film genres to define is that of

9464-657: The story in both the past and in the present". Coppola met with Martin Scorsese about directing the film, but Paramount refused. Coppola also, in his director's commentary on The Godfather Part II , mentioned that the scenes depicting the Senate committee interrogation of Michael Corleone and Frank Pentangeli are based on the Joseph Valachi federal hearings and that Pentangeli is a Valachi-like figure. Production, however, nearly ended before it began when Pacino's lawyers told Coppola that he had grave misgivings with

9568-421: The story. William Pechter of Commentary , while admiring the movie, regretted what he saw as its archness and self-importance, calling it an "overly deliberate and self-conscious attempt to make a film that's unmistakably a serious work of art," and professing to "know of no one except movie critics who likes Part II as much as part one." A mildly positive Roger Ebert awarded three out of four and wrote that

9672-492: The third film) for a limited theatrical run and home media release on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the premiere of The Godfather . The disc editions were released on March 22, 2022. A video game based on the film was released for Windows , PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in April 2009 by Electronic Arts . It received mixed or average reviews and sold poorly, leading Electronic Arts to cancel plans for

9776-422: The time of Godfather Part II , Michael battles with a new rival, disgruntled Corleone capo Nick Geraci, while attempting to legitimize the family. In The Godfather's Revenge , set a few years after the second film, he moves to protect his criminal empire against Geraci and the machinations of a powerful political dynasty, while dealing with the collapse of his marriage and his guilt over having Fredo murdered. In

9880-677: The title The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration . The Blu-ray Disc box set (four discs) includes high-definition extra features on the restoration and film. They are included on Disc 5 of the DVD box set (five discs). Other extras are ported over from Paramount's 2001 DVD release. There are slight differences between the repurposed extras on the DVD and Blu-ray Disc sets, with the HD box having more content. Paramount Pictures restored and remastered The Godfather , The Godfather Part II , and The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (a re-edited cut of

9984-551: The works of the Trojan War Cycle . In classical literature, epics are considered works focused on deeds or journeys of heroes upon which the fate of many people depends. Similarly, films described as "epic" typically take a historical character, or a mythic heroic figure. Common subjects of epics are royalty , gladiators , great military leaders, or leading personalities from various periods in world history. However, there are some films described as "epic" almost solely on

10088-627: The world, such as India where it's flourishing Bollywood industry produced the landmark Mughal-E Azam (1960), which is widely considered as one of the greatest films of all time and a milestone in Asian epics. This boom period of international co-productions is generally considered to have ended with Cleopatra (1963), The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) and Doctor Zhivago (1965). Nevertheless, films in this genre continued to appear, with one notable example being War and Peace , which

10192-423: Was Gone with the Wind (1939), also an epic, with ten awards. Michael Corleone Awards: [REDACTED] Navy Cross [REDACTED] Silver Star (Later upgraded to Navy Cross) [REDACTED] Navy and Marine Corps Medal [REDACTED] Purple Heart [REDACTED] Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal [REDACTED] European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Michael Corleone

10296-423: Was not tall or heavily built but his presence seemed to radiate danger.” Unlike his two older brothers, Michael wants nothing to do with the Corleone "family business", wanting instead to lead a more Americanized life . Vito does not want Michael to join the Corleone criminal empire either, hoping that his favorite son would go into politics. Michael was enrolled at Dartmouth College , but dropped out to enlist in

10400-486: Was ranked at No. 31 by critics and at No. 30 by directors. In 2006, Writers Guild of America ranked the film's screenplay (Written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppla) the 10th greatest ever. It ranked No. 7 on Entertainment Weekly ' s list of the "100 Greatest Movies of All Time", and #1 on TV Guide ' s 1999 list of the "50 Greatest Movies of All Time on TV and Video". The Village Voice ranked The Godfather Part II at No. 31 in its Top 250 "Best Films of

10504-656: Was released in the United States on December 20, 1974, receiving divisive reviews from critics; its reputation, however, improved rapidly, and it soon became the subject of critical re-appraisal. It grossed $ 48 million in the United States and Canada and up to $ 93 million worldwide on a $ 13 million budget. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards , and became the first sequel to win Best Picture . Its six Oscar wins also included Best Director for Coppola, Best Supporting Actor for De Niro and Best Adapted Screenplay for Coppola and Puzo. Pacino won Best Actor at

10608-448: Was released in the former Soviet Union during 1967–1968. Epic films continue to be produced, although since the development of CGI they typically use computer effects instead of an actual cast of thousands. Since the 1950s, such films have regularly been shot with a wide aspect ratio for a more immersive and panoramic theatrical experience. Epic films were recognized in a montage at the 2006 Academy Awards . The enduring popularity of

10712-697: Was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 1993, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The Godfather Part III , the final installment in the trilogy , was released 16 years later in 1990. The film interweaves events some time after The Godfather and the early life of Vito Corleone . In 1901, nine-year-old Vito Andolini emigrates from Sicily to New York City after mafia chieftain Don Ciccio kills his family. An immigration officer registers him as Vito Corleone. By 1917 Vito

10816-694: Was tenth in the BBC 's list of the 100 greatest American films. Many believe Pacino's performance in The Godfather Part II is his finest acting work. It is now regarded as one of the greatest performances in film history. In 2006, Premiere issued its list of "The 100 Greatest Performances of all Time", putting Pacino's performance at #20. Later in 2009, Total Film issued "The 150 Greatest Performances of All Time", ranking Pacino's performance fourth place. The Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa cited it as one of his 100 favorite films. Ebert added

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