Favourite Supporting Character from Godfather I/II

I think that covers everyone who might conceivably receive votes, plus at least two or three marginal characters who won’t. From Kael’s original review of II: "There must be more brilliant strokes of casting here...and more first-rate acting in small parts, than in any other American movie." I agree; I don’t expect anyone else on here will. Anyway, have at it, my Kraut-Mick friends.

So hard to choose, what a great bunch of memorable characters. Roth, I think - Don Fanucci brings the laughs but he is just too ridiculous here.

Which clemenza are you named for?

I'm the Middle-Aged Clemenza...Not sure who I'll vote for. Clemenza and Pentangeli are larger-than-life and immediately likeable; Woltz and Moe Greene are unforgettable bluster; Roth and Geary are shadier and more despotic; McCluskey falls about halfway between bluster and shadiness. I'll vote for one of those seven. I couldn't justify putting a single woman on the list, although I guess a case could be made for Apollonia. Now I think I want to vote for the 90-year-old guy who sings the song at the wedding.

If you were trying to subtly influence my vote with that "Kraut-Mick" friend comment, congratulations: Marley it is. Could've easily voted for Strasberg or Kirby or Spradlin. Really, what an assortment of faces/voices!

Virgil Sollozzo. He gets a pretty decent chunk of screentime, and in it he comes across as a methodical badass. I always love watching the scenes he's in.

I was going to vote for Roth as I always think of his character and it was a terrific performance. However, I rather surprisingly opted for Frankie Pentangeli on a whim as his performances were unbelievable too; "Sono stanko, sono abeliato, Cico, a parta!" - classic insolence to Michael Corleone's face. And who can forget his strangulation in a bar that was interrupted by a policeman coming in, Michael's little chat with him in his father's old den, and then his little visit from Tom Hagen when they puffed on cigars and spoke about how affairs were taken care of in Ancient Rome. What a star he was. Rude, aggressive, conniving, violent, sentimental and entertaining - everything you look for in a supporting actor.

I'm not a theatre guy, but I know that Michael V. Gazzo was also a playwright of some standing...Sollozzo's most sinister moment: the weirdly lit close-up where he says, "Yeah, well, let me worry about Luca."

Virgil Sollozzo. He gets a pretty decent chunk of screentime, and in it he comes across as a methodical badass. I always love watching the scenes he's in.

― If You Ain't Gonna Wash It, I Ain't Gonna Eat It (Cattle Grind), Monday, April 26, 2010 6:30 PM (11 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

OTM. And so slippery, too, esp. in his final scene. "What guarantees can I give you? I'm the one who is hunted!" Plus, he gave me a line I use in real life, whenever I'm in a group of people but have to talk about something technical with another person: "X and I are going to talk Sicilian."

he's essentially a bad guy in a movie full of bad guys that makes you forget the bad guys you're rooting for are bad guys because he's such a bad guy

Marley should probably get it for reprising the role in an SCTV spoof in which he railed against the theft of his protégée by one Johnny Pavarotti.

Although apparently in the SCTV version the character he plays is called Leonard Bernstein.

Pancakes misquoting Sollozzo I'm pretty sure.

Clemenza and Pentangeli are larger-than-life and immediately likeable

This is part of what's smoothly appalling about the first movie in particular (and Coppola largely acknowledges this) -- Clemenza wacks people but aaaay, he makes a nice big bowl of sauce! Whatta guy!

We argued about The Godfather a few years ago, when I posted under my own name, so I know this isn't going to lead anywhere, but isn't some dimensionality to a villian a good thing? I don't think Clemenza would be nearly as interesting if we didn't see that other side of him. As for Coppola's misgivings...I think I read an interview where he seemed especially proud of the recent Vincent Gallo film, and I know he's very big on Tucker; I'm not sure he's the best judge of his own work.

I put Tucker in his top 3.

Well, maybe I need to take a second look; Jeff Bridges is always good, but otherwise I remember it as being quite ordinary. The point I'm making, though, is that Coppola says a lot of things about his films--he's far more voluable than most directors--and I wouldn't put too much stock in any of it as far as evaluating the films.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

I think that Vincent Gallo movie is his best movie outside of the first Godfather and One from the Heart.

Also finally caught Richard Castellano's Oscar nominated supp turn in Lovers and Other Strangers and wondered why he got singled out.

Moe Greene in a walk.

I vote for Roth, a fantastic performance.

I'm voting Luca Brasi.

I've thought about this question for days. I did research; I interviewed every surviving cast member; I went to Cicily; I left the gun; I took the Cannoli. In the end, I'm voting for Moe. He only has one scene (technically two, if you count where he gets shot) that lasts about a minute. I can't think of another character in any other movie that makes such an impression with so little screen time. He just blows into the room and takes over. His bit about Fredo banging cocktail waitresses two at a time is in the running for the film's funniest line. The horn-rimmed glasses are perfect. And his death lingers on in II in Roth's great this-is-the-business-we've-chosen speech. (I do have a hard time picturing Moe as "a man of vision.") Bonus SCTV connection: in the first couple of years, Harold Ramis's station manager was named Moe Green (no "e").

Boy, I didn't like Tetro at all. I found the Leonardo DiCaprio lookalike a major distraction, but don't think another actor would have made any difference. The only Coppola film I like after Apocalypse Now--there are many I haven't seen--is Dracula.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I didn't see this poll, and would have voted for Senator Geary, played to oleaginous perfection by G.D. Spradlin.

Love Geary--he's such a consummate phony. His best line is in Michael's office, during the dedication that opens II, where he contemptuously hisses his suddenly correct pronounciation of "Corleone." Spradlin's pretty great in North Dallas Forty, too...You've still got lots of time to help rescue my American Graffiti poll, which is dying a slow, silent death down below.

Lucy Mancini was dissed by the film

http://the-toast.net/2014/10/09/please-dont-forget-american-classic-godfather-important-subplot-big-vagina/

Gaping plot hole

Barzini is dead. So is Phillip Tattaglia. Moe Greene. Stracci. Cuneo. Today I settled all family business.

pour one out for Bruno Tattaglia, this guy had a great face. kind of a shame he was just in the one scene (albeit a super crucial and fantastic one.)

https://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/godfather/images/5/5c/Vlcsnap-2010-06-30-21h27m36s97.png/revision/latest?cb=20170805124735

https://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/godfather-fanon/images/e/e2/Bruno_Tattaglia.png/revision/latest?cb=20120917234632

^his facial expression change after Solozzo thrusts a knife in Brasi's hand is chilling.

not to mention a great moment when you realize why his hand is lingering on top of Brasi's for longer than it should.

Just got through Al Martino's Collector Series in the car over a couple of days. Don't like his '50s stuff much--very operatic. He hits his stride with "Spanish Eyes," one of the better mid-'60s MOR hits, I'd say, as a generation gets pushed aside. When you get into the '70s, he covers "Speak Softly Love," the Godfather theme. (The lyrics have nothing to do with Tattaglia, the causeway, or cannoli.) The second-last song is a cover of "Volare," which seemed strange--the 25 songs are programmed chronologically--but it's a disco version from 1975, with chunka-chunka guitar.

I think once will be enough.