November 29 - The Godfather, Part II

This movie has a scene that happens today – November 29. I hope you enjoy this movie and watch it tonight.

THE GODFATHER, PART II                    

In 1901 Sicily, the local Mafia Boss Don Ciccio kills Vito Andolini’s father and brother. After his mother is murdered after trying to kill Ciccio, Vito flees to America, changing his surname to Corleone. In 1958 Don Michael Corleone, head of the Corleone crime family, meets with Senator Pat Geary to discuss a fourth gambling license for a newly purchased casino. Geary wants a big payoff, but Michael is willing to pay nothing.  Frank Pentangeli is upset when Michael won’t let him deal with the Rosato brothers who are causing difficulties for the family back in New York. The Rosatos work for Jewish gangster Hyman Roth, with whom Michael is working a deal. An attempted hit on Michael fails. In 1917 New York Vito Corleone works at a grocery store, but is fired to make room for the nephew of Don Fanucci. Michael hides guns for Peter Clemenza and in return is allowed to get part of the proceeds from a robbery. On November 29, 1958 [1:00:11 to 1:05:04] Michael Corleone has a meeting with Hyman Roth in Miami in which Michael tells Roth that Pentangeli tried to have him killed. Later Michael tells Pentangeli that Roth tried to have him killed. The Rosatos try to kill Pentangeli. Senator Geary ends up in a brothel run by Michael’s brother Fredo with a dead prostitute and has to accept the help offered by Tom Hagen (who is Michael’s lawyer). In Havana Michael becomes convinced that the rebels will win and so does not turn over $2 million delivered by Fredo to Roth that was to be invested in Cuban deals. Michael learns that Fredo betrayed him to Roth. Michael’s attempt to have Roth killed fails. The rebels attack Havana and Michael flees. He later learns from Tom Hagen that Michael’s wife Kay has miscarried and that Roth is in Miami. 1920 Vito Corleone and his associates are directed to pay protection money to Don Fanucci. Vito earns Fanucci’s respect and pays him less than Fanucci wanted. Michael then follows Fanucci to his apartment and kills him.  The Senate crime committee thinks it has in Pentangeli a witness who will enable them to get Michael, but at a hearing after seeing his brother in the audience, Pentangeli denies his sworn statements and says Michael is innocent. In the 1920’s Vito Corleone has become a feared Mafia boss. Fredo confesses to Michael that he betrayed him and Kay tells Michael her miscarriage was actually an abortion. Vito Corleone returns to Sicily and kills Don Ciccio. Michael’s mother dies. Tom Hagen tells Pentangeli that his family will be safe if he kills himself. Hyman Roth, after unsuccessfully seeking asylum in Israel, Argentina and Panama returns to the USA to be arrested for tax evasion, but is murdered. Pentangeli kills himself and Michael has Fredo killed. Michael thinks back to Pearl Harbor day when he tells his brothers that he has left college to join the marines.

An epic film. However, at least for me it just doesn’t have the oomph of The Godfather. For some reason you really can’t put your finger on it just falls flat. 

The game they are watching is described as Notre Dame vs. SC at 1:03:26-28. The year is given as 1958 at 11:08. The Notre Dame - Southern California game that year was this date as per The USA Today College Football Encyclopedia ed by Bob Boyles and Paul Guido (Skyhorse Publishing, New York, 2008) at page 123 

Producers - Francis Ford Coppola, Gray Frederickson and Fred Roos

Director - Francis Ford Coppola

Screenplay - Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo

Awards – The movie won the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (De Niro), Best Art-Direction-Set Decoration and the Best Original Dramtic Score Oscars. The film was also nominated for the Best Actor (Pacino), Best Supporting Actor (Gazzo), Best Supporting Actor (Strasberg), Best Supporting Actress (Shire), and Best Costume Design at the 47^th Academy Awards.

Runtime – 3 hours 20 minutes

Released – December 20, 1974

Starring –

Al Pacino as Michael Corleone

Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen

Diane Keaton as Kay Adams-Corleone

Robert De Niro as Young Vito Corleone

John Cazale as Fredo Corleone

Talia Shire as Connie Corleone

Lee Strasberg as Hyman Roth

Michael V. Gazzo as Frank Pentangeli

Morgana King as Carmela Corleone

G. D. Spradlin as Senator Pat Geary

Richard Bright as Al Neri

Marianna Hill as Deanna Corleone

Gastone Moschin as Don Fanucci

Troy Donahue as Merle Johnson

Dominic Chianese as Johnny Ola

Amerigo Tot as Michael's bodyguard

Joe Spinell as Willi Cicci

Bruno Kirby as Young Peter Clemenza

Frank Sivero as Young Genco Abbandando

Maria Carta as the mother of Vito Corleone

Giuseppe Sillato as Don Francesco Ciccio

Roman Coppola as Young Santino Corleone

John Megna as Young Hyman Roth

Julian Voloshin as Sam Roth

Larry Guardino as Vito's uncle

Danny Aiello as Tony Rosato

John Aprea as Young Salvatore Tessio

Leopoldo Trieste as Signor Roberto

Salvatore Po as Vincenzo Pentangeli

Harry Dean Stanton as FBI agent