The Godfather: Part II (1974)

The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Writers:

Francis Ford Coppola (screenplay by), Mario Puzo (screenplay by)

Stars:

Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall

Top Rated Movies #3 | Won 6 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 20 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Al Pacino	...	Michael
Robert Duvall	...	Tom Hagen
Diane Keaton	...	Kay
Robert De Niro	...	Vito Corleone (as Robert DeNiro)
John Cazale	...	Fredo Corleone
Talia Shire	...	Connie Corleone
Lee Strasberg	...	Hyman Roth
Michael V. Gazzo	...	Frankie Pentangeli
G.D. Spradlin	...	Senator Pat Geary
Richard Bright	...	Al Neri
Gastone Moschin	...	Fanucci (as Gaston Moschin)
Tom Rosqui	...	Rocco Lampone
Bruno Kirby	...	Young Clemenza (as B. Kirby Jr.)
Frank Sivero	...	Genco
Francesca De Sapio	...	Young Mama Corleone (as Francesca de Sapio)

Storyline

The continuing saga of the Corleone crime family tells the story of a young Vito Corleone growing up in Sicily and in 1910s New York; and follows Michael Corleone in the 1950s as he attempts to expand the family business into Las Vegas, Hollywood and Cuba.

---

Plot Keywords:

revenge | corrupt politician | bloody body of child | mafia | 1950s | 

---

Taglines:

All the power on earth can't change destiny.

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian Spanish Latin Sicilian

Release Date:

20 December 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

Son of Godfather

Filming Locations:

2045 N. Hibiscus Drive, North Miami, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$57,300,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, The Coppola Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

202 min 220 min (The Godfather Trilogy 1901-1980 VHS Special Edition)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

November 2005: Voted #5 in Total Film's 100 Greatest Movies Of All Time list.

---

Goofs

The Chairman of the Senate Investigating Committee asks Michael, "Is it true that in the year 1950, you devised the murder of the heads of the so-called Five Families in New York?" But at the party in the opening scenes, which takes place in 1958, Kay reminded Michael that, seven years previously, he had promised her that "within five years, the Corleone family will be completely legitimate." If that conversation took place in 1951, then the murders the Chairman referred to, which came afterwards, could not possibly have happened in 1950. In fact, since Michael refers to his son (who was neither born nor even conceived in 1951) being three years old shortly before the murders, it is probable that the murders did not occur before 1955.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: The godfather was born Vito Andolini, in the town of Corleone in Sicily. In 1901 his father was murdered for an insult to the local Mafia chieftain. His older brother Paolo swore revenge and disappeared into the hills, leaving Vito, the only male heir, to stand with his mother at the funeral. He was nine years old.
[gunshots and screams]
Woman: [subtitled from Italian] They've killed the boy! They've killed young Paolo! They've killed your son Paolo!

---

Crazy Credits

This is the only Godfather film not to feature a standalone title screen against a black background. Instead, the title appears over Michael Corleone's chair after he gets up out of it.

---

Alternate Versions

The 2008 Coppola Restoration features the modern Paramount logo in use from that time, tinted in the iconic Godfather golden hue.

---

Connections

Referenced in Jeopardy!: Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational Quarterfinal 7 (2010)

---

Soundtracks

For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

The Greatest Film Ever Made

The original Godfather is a brilliant work. It is in a sense a voyeuristic delight, allowing us to see the mafia from the inside - we become part of the family. It single-handedly change the world's view of organized crime, and created a cast of sympathetic characters, none of whom have a shred of common morality. It was the highest grossing movie of its time and Brando created a cultural icon whose influence resonates as strong today as it did in 1972.

As extraordinary an achievement as this is, Part II is even better. It easily receives my nod as the best picture ever made. I have seen it at least 20 times, and each time its 200 minutes fly by.

The movie uses flashbacks to brilliantly weave two tales. The main story is the reign of Michael Corleone as the world's most powerful criminal. Now reaping the benefits of legalized gambling in Las Vegas, Michael is an evident billionaire with an iron fist on a world of treachery.

Behind this, Director Francis Ford Coppola spins the tale of the rise of Michael's father, Vito, to the center of the New York mafia. It is these scenes that make the film a work of art. Without spoiling, I will simply say the Robert DeNiro as the young Vito is the best acting performance of all time, a role for which he won a richly deserved Oscar.

The screenplay is full of delicious little underworld nuggets ("Keep your friends close .....", "I don't want to kill everyone, just my enemies"), while it blows a dense, twisted plot past you at a dizzying and merciless pace. The cinematography is depressing and atmospheric. The score continues in the eerie role of its predecessor, foretelling death and evil.

All of this makes the movie great and infinitely watchable. But it's what's deeper inside this film ... what it is really about ... that is its true genius.

The Godfather Part II is not really a movie about the mafia, it is a movie about a man's life long struggle. Michael controls a vast empire that is constantly slipping out of his hands. He grows increasingly distrustful and paranoid, and even shows signs that he hates his own life. Michael almost seems to resent the fact that he is a natural born crime lord, a man who puts the family business ahead of everything.

The great Don Michael Corleone can never come to terms with one simple fact.... his father's empire was built on love and respect, Michael's empire is built on fear and violent treachery.

See this movie. It's three-and-a-half hours very well spent.