They're proud of him and they protect his innocence, initially keeping him out of anything dirty, but as the film progresses, his shift from boy scout to mob boss becomes the central focus. Tomato-Sausage SauceĪt the beginning of The Godfather, Don Corleone's youngest son Michael-a World War II veteran with a non-Italian girlfriend (Diane Keaton)-lives outside the family business.
Take the cannoli." It's as grim as it is funny. It's quick and brutal, and the businesslike nature of such "hits" is highlighted when Clemenza, dismissing the assassin brusquely, says, "Leave the gun. Clemenza and a hired assassin drive Paulie into the wilderness of the Meadowlands in New Jersey (the Statue of Liberty is seen gleaming above the waving reeds), and shoot him. Don Corleone must keep everyone in his ranks on track and when it becomes clear that Paulie (John Martino) is a liability, he sends his thug Peter Clemenza (Richard S. Take the cannoli." Cannolis are a staple of Sicilian cuisine and with their delicate pastry and creamy filling it seems almost absurd to see cannolis show up in a scene involving a violent murder. Perhaps the most famous line in The Godfather is one uttered by Don Corleone and later repeated by his son Michael (Al Pacino): "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse." Running a close second is, "Leave the gun. He recovers and at the conclusion of the film, while playing with his grandson in a small garden, scaring the child by putting an orange peel in his mouth and making faces, he suffers a heart attack and quietly dies. Don Corleone, the family patriarch and mob boss portrayed by Marlon Brando, is fruit shopping (oranges included), when two assailants from a rival family gun him down. Oranges, often symbols of life and regeneration, wealth and stability, are a harbinger of death and tragedy throughout the film, as evidenced by their presence in two critical scenes. In fact, The Godfather almost seems incomprehensible without its food and its significance is emphasized throughout the film, beginning with the opening scene, the wedding of Connie Corleone (Coppola's sister, Talia Shire), an extravagant event with plates of lasagna, antipasto salad, and a gigantic white wedding cake that's carried through the crowd of guests.īut food can also be bad news. While the outer world may be new and challenging, sitting down to a family dinner and eating the food of their ancestors is a ritual of comfort. The Corleones work within a strict moral code, unlike the corrupt police who are a threat to the family and their way of life.įood is one of the most powerful ways the audience gets to know the Corleone family, who came to America from Sicily and, like many immigrant families, use food to maintain their traditions.
The Academy Award–winning film was one of the first to depict the Mafia from the perspective of its family values, immersing us so fully in the rhythms and personalities of the Corleones that it's difficult to fully vilify them. But 1972's The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall, was an industry game changer.
G angster movies have been the bread and butter of Hollywood since its earliest days, with stars such as Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney cutting their teeth in Warner Brothers films about bootlegging and organized crime.