When you're young watching movies, you misinterpret practically everything. For example, whenever they called Vito Don Corleone, I thought his first name was Donald.

But wouldn't that be something if an up-and-comer's first name was Don?

Serious question: where did the term 'Don' come from?

It isn't clear where "Don" orginated from. It's a title of respect that some believe to be a derivative form of the spanish title "Dom", meaning "Lord".

So, let's say Fredo had kids, and two generations later, Fredo's descendant is named Donald. Turns out to be a real loser, like his great-grandfather Fredo Corleone. yet everyone calls him "Don Corleone."

They would call him Donnie or something like that. Nobody could look at a descendant of Fredo and call him Don Corleone without laughing.

Sounds like the premise for a terrific story, Buttmunker, definitely a best selling novel...followed by a film of EPIC proportions!

You get right to work on writing that, okay??
Keep us posted with the drafts!

Apple

actually in Spanish the word "Don" is a term for endearment and respect towards older men. For example Don Francisco has been a latin american tv personality for years...dudes name is Francisco not Don...or Don Juan DeMarco...you get the idea..

How about if there were a Johnson family involved in organized crime? I guess the head of that family would be referred to as "Don Johnson".


(edit): Also, the Johnson family's 2 biggest rivals for power would be the Henley family and the Mattingly family.

lol that was funny...

Rounding out the five families would be the the Cornelius and Knotts families.

Although a bit unrelated, for years my husband thought that the Don's favorite hitman was actually named Lou Cabrazzi.

Think of all the union jobs in transportation a "Don" Cornelius would control around the country. After all, he is the engineer of "Soul Train."

"Honorary Family" to James Brown, the "Godfather" of soul.

tony b.

Ha Ha , Now that I think about it, I might have thought the same thing if it wasn't for reading the book.

Christopher Moltisanti thought it was "Louis Brasi"

The Sicilian pretty much answered the question

This thread could be interesting in the fact that I'm sure most people misinterpeted or misunderstood certain elements of the trilogy when they first saw it.