The Godfather

:This article is about the film. For the novel, see The Godfather (novel). For other uses, see Godfather.

Main characters and plot

The film begins at the wedding of Don Corleone's (Brando) daughter, Connie, to Carlo. According to tradition, no Sicillian can refuse a request on his daughter's wedding day, so the Don is meeting people and granting various favors. One of the favors is asked by Johnny Fontane, a crooner who wants Corleone's influence to break into the movie business, more specifically, with a movie he'd be perfect in, but can't land the lead role as it is being produced by Jack Woltz, who Johnny had a falling-out with in the past.

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After Don Corleone tells Johnny to rest and let him take care of everything, he reassures him by saying that he's "Gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." The family consiglierie Tom Hagen (Duvall) "persuades" Woltz to cast Fontane in the movie by leaving the head of the producer's prize racehorse in his bed.

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Meanwhile, Michael (Pacino) returns from service in the World War 2. Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo, a known drug agent working for the Tattaglia family, asks Don Corleone for his help in selling narcotics, which Corleone refuses. Luca Brasi, Don Corleone's bodyguard, is sent to obtain information from the Tattaglias, who kill him.

Related Topics:
World War 2 - Narcotics - Bodyguard

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There is then an assassination attempt on Don Corleone, who survives. In response, Michael arranges to kill Solozzo and his chief accomplice, a corrupt police captain named McCluskey, and shoots them both in a Bronx restaurant. Having done that, he flees to Sicily to avoid attention. There, he meets and marries Apollonia, who is later murdered by a car bomb meant for Michael.

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The temperamental Sonny (Caan) prepares to deal with Carlo, who is abusing his wife (Sonny's sister Connie), but Sonny is set up and murdered, an action which drives Don Corleone to seek peace with the warring Five Families. Michael returns home from Sicily and marries Kay (Keaton). The ailing Don Corleone places Michael in charge of the Family, which has plans to leave behind its cover (olive oil importing) and "go legit" in the Las Vegas casino business. Their offers to buy out casino owner Moe Greene (based partly on Bugsy Siegel) are rebuffed. While playing with his grandson, Don Corleone dies from a heart attack.

Related Topics:
Olive oil - Las Vegas - Bugsy Siegel

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Michael assumes full control, arranges for the murders of the heads of the other "five families" while at the baptism of his newborn nephew. The film's climactic scene involves intercutting between the brutal assasinations and the church, all the while Michael recites the traditional vows of baptism. He then has Carlo killed for helping to arrange the muder of Sonny. Connie, hysterical over the death of her husband, tells Kay to stop being so naive and that she must realise what Michael does for a living. Kay questions her husband, but he denies everything.

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At the end of the movie, Michael is shown to be the new Godfather, with people paying their respect to him, and referring to him as Don Corleone. Kay stares at the men, and realises that she has been lied to by Michael.

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