Lettieri was another of those brilliant casting choices for GF and II. Although Sollozzo is a pivotal character in terms of what he sets in motion, he was limited to a relatively small screen presence. But Lettieri was so letter-perfect for that role that he's unforgettable. One of Lettieri's assets was that, like Lee Marvin, he combined a coarse, often menacing, appearance with a cultured voice that was alternately smooth and then snarling.
By the way, great comparision using Lee Marvin, especially Marvin in "The Dirty Dozen".
