AlthoughThe Godfatheris often cited as one of thegreatest movies of all time, the original script for the project actually looked very different from the final version that was put to screen. Director Francis Ford Coppola was very open to improvisation, allowing the actors to get into their characters’ minds and do things that he hadn’t written. This resulted in some ofthe film’s most iconic and memorable moments, proving just how deeplyThe Godfather’s cast understood their characters.
Although theending ofThe Godfatherwas heavily scripted and fine-tuned by Coppola, the rest of the story was very open to adaptation throughout the filming process. Although the film was based on Mario Puzo’s famous novel, Coppola wanted to allow for some creative liberties that would make his cinematic adaptationmore accessible to general audiences- which is exactly what these improvised moments did. Without them,The Godfatherwouldn’t have felt as natural and free-flowing as it does.
How Much Screen Time Marlon Brando Actually Has In The Godfather
Despite Marlon Brando’s Oscar win for Best Actor in The Godfather as Vito Corleone, he only surprisingly has limited screen time in the classic film.
7Luca Brasi Practicing His Speech To Don Corleone
The Scene Was Added Retroactively
However, not all of the on-set additions toThe Godfatherwere a result of intentional improv. For example, the scene in which Luca Brasi is seen practicing his speech to Don Corleone was actually included as a result of actor Lenny Montana being too nervous to deliver his lines properly; the editors didn’t have enough footage of Luca delivering his speech confidently, so they added this scene to explain retroactively thathe’s nervous and unable to speak clearly.James Caan revealed this in an interviewwhere he also admitted that Montana was very similar to Brasi’s character.
This scene is hugely effective in setting up Don Corleone as a character before he even appears on-screen: having Brasi seem so nervous and apprehensive about the meeting immediately gets the audience invested, raising questions about the dangerous character that’s about to be introduced. The scene may have been an accident, but it actually contributes strongly to the many reasons that Vito is such a fascinating character - it sets up some ofVito Corleone’s most iconic traitsbefore the character comes into the story.
6"Leave The Gun, Take The Cannoli"
The Original Line Was Much Simpler
The Godfatherwon several Oscars, including those awarding its screenplay - but many of the film’s most beloved lines weren’t actually written by Coppola at all. The scene where Richard Castellano delivers his iconic “leave the gun, take the cannoli” line was a result of the actor’s imagination; the line was written as “leave the gun,” but Castellano reportedlychanged it after a suggestion from his wife. The result is one of the film’s funniest moments, inserting some much-needed humor into a story that, up to that point, is incredibly dark and bleak.
There aren’t many outright comedic moments intheGodfathertrilogy, but this quick throwaway line has definitely become one of them. It effectively breaks up the tension of the scene, using humor to display how terrible and devoid of morals these characters can be.The Godfathersometimes comes under fire for being too violent or endorsing crime, but scenes like this prove exactly how condemnatory of these characters Coppola’s screenplay actually is.
5Don Corleone Holding A Cat
The Animal Was There By Accident
It’s one of the most iconic images from the entire Godfather trilogy, but the decision to have Don Corleone stroking a cat when he’s first introduced wasn’t in the first script at all. Coppola admitted during an interview withTIME: “The cat in Marlon’s hands was not planned for. I saw the cat running around the studio, and took it and put it in his hands without a word.” From there, Brando was forced to act out the entire monologue with a cat on his lap - and it immediately gave the character so much depth and presence that Coppola decided to keep it in.
The decision to keep this scene was one of Coppola’s best, and it’s small details like these that contribute strongly toThe Godfather’s status as one of the greatest movies ever made.
This scene has become synonymous with Don Corleone as a character, as it works perfectly to contrast his ruthlessness and intimidation with a more sensitive side. It presents him as reasonable and human despite his willingness to kill and torture, which is exactly what makes himsuch a terrifying but fascinating character. The decision to keep this scene was one of Coppola’s best, and it’s small details like these that contribute strongly toThe Godfather’s status as one of the greatest movies ever made.
4The Godfather’s Opening Wedding Scene Is Heavily Improvised
The Actors Were Given Unique Instructions
The Godfatheropens during the wedding between Connie Corleone and Carlo Rizzi. The event serves as the backdrop for much of the film’s exposition and introductory sequences, but the actual guests and staff at the wedding weren’t given much direction at all. Coppola intended this to be an extremely chaotic and unpredictable opening to the story, which is whymany of the characters are acting erraticas they jump from scene to scene. The director has even revealed that he used this setting as a vehicle in rehearsals for the actors to get into character by having dinner together. (Source)
The result of having such an unscripted opening scene is thatThe Godfatherimmediately feels real and natural; there’s no forced exposition, no dumping of character backstories, and no overwritten scenes. The entire scene flows incredibly well, feeling like a genuine wedding with people acting exactly as their characters would.Vito Corleone has surprisingly little screen timeinThe Godfather, but his presence in this opening scene makes him appear incredibly important because of the chaos and unscripted behavior around him.
3Don Corleone Uses An Orange Peel As Fangs
Brando Wanted A Playful Scene For Corleone
Another scene that expertly serves to humanize Don Corleone in one of his biggest moments of weakness - his interaction with Michael’s son among the orange trees - was also improvised by Marlon Brando. In the scene, Vito places the rind of an orange into his mouth to scare his grandson as a joke, and it’s a brief glimpse into the character’s playful side and a reminder of how dearly he considers family.It comes directly before the character’s death, and it’s hugely effective in showing that Vito isn’t as heartless as his enemies would believe. Without it, it’s difficult to feel any sympathy for the character in his final moments.
This scene is just one of many moments inThe Godfatherthat Marlon Brando added to the script during the process, displaying exactly how in-touch with the character of Vito Corleone he was. The actor understood exactly what made Vito tick, why he acted how he did, and the best ways to depict this on-screen. Despite the intensebackstage drama that would happen onApocalypse Now, Brando and Coppola clearly understood how to work together strongly onThe Godfather.
2Sonny Smashes The Camera
James Caan Didn’t Even Have The Action Planned
Francis Ford Coppola and James Caan were close friends long beforeThe Godfatherentered production, and the director essentially gave the actor free rein to improvise as much as he felt necessary. The result was a much more unpredictable, rash character in Sonny, which never would’ve been possible if he’d been closely scripted. One example of this comes at the beginning of the film whenSonny smashes an FBI agent’s camera and throws money at him. The actor has since admitted that he didn’t know what he would do in the scene until it happened. (Source)
Sonny Corleone is supposed to be a bold, brash character who represents the most dangerous kind of criminal: somebody who doesn’t care about the consequences of his actions and bears no respect for authority. This small moment is a perfect encapsulation of that, displaying exactly how self-centered and emotionally driven he is. His decision to throw money onto the ground is also an effective way of showing how wealthy these characters are - they don’t care about stepping out of line with powerful figures because they believe that money can fix everything.
1Sonny’s “Bada-Bing”
The Phrase Became Synonymous With The Movie
Another example of James Caan’s excellent improv skills can be seen through Sonny’s use of the phrase “bada-bing" - which was completely made up on the spot. Coppola never included this phrase in his original script, butCaan decided that it was fitting for his characterand worked it into several scenes. It quickly became another ofThe Godfather’s iconic character quotes, giving Sonny even more depth and richness beyond what was written on the page. Like most of the improvised lines, this doesn’t necessarily add anything to the story, but it all comes together to makeThe Godfatherfeel more authentic.
This subtle phrase goes a long way in developing Sonny as a character
This small catchphrase is a great way of giving Sonny Corleone more depth as a character: he’s cocky, he’s confident, and he doesn’t really care what other people think about him. Ultimately, this will prove to be the character’s fatal flaw, as his enemies are able to exploit that arrogance to lure him into a trap. This subtle phrase goes a long way in developing Sonny as a character, showing his playful side but also displaying him as somewhat inarticulate and brash. These are the qualities that he’s remembered for throughout the trilogy, and Caan’s use of this phrase displays how well he understands Sonny’s role inThe Godfather.
The Godfather
Cast
The Godfather chronicles the Italian-American Corleone crime family from 1945 to 1955. Following an assassination attempt on family patriarch Vito Corleone, his youngest son Michael emerges to orchestrate a brutal campaign of retribution, cementing his role in the family’s illicit empire.
