Well, speaking of car windows:
When Michael is being driven around Cuba in a '57 Mercury Montclair, the bodyguard rolls up the window when little kids approach the car trying to sell newspapers. But later, when the police stop the car to arrest a guerilla, you see power window controls on the driver's side door.

FFC was a fanatic about details, and that car is an example of perfection: It's in relatively good shape, and has the original cream and turquoise factory paint, but the bumper is kind of lopsided, indicating hard use. It also has a tinny, European sounding horn--exactly what a Latino driver of that era would have added to an American car.

During the II flashback scene, Tessio states that 30,000 men signed up (presumably for the Army) this morning. What morning? As Sonny states, the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor on Pop's birthday - December 7. By my reckoning, it would have been 2PM on Sunday in New York. Again, what morning? Even if the morning in question was that Sunday, what recruiting office woul dbe open?

That whole scene fascinates me. I understand that Brando was suppose to be in it but pulled a "no-show"? The script was hastily rewritten to accommodate his absence so some details were fuzzy? Also, why wasn't Morgana King in the flashback scene? That scene could have been so much greater... not that it wasn't good as is.

I did a quick search, found a website that said the New Orleans office opened on December 7, but of course that would have been afternoon, too, and it also said only 15 guys signed up that day. Maybe he heard that 30,000 Japanese enlisted?

Vito's influence on all the men in the scene was powerful and, ultimately, destructive. Having him as an invisible spectre really emphasizes how his legacy is still impactful years later. It also shows how he was the central force holding a very disparate group of people together - something nobody else could manage.

I think having Vito actually there would have made the scene less powerful.

Don't we hear Vito's voice as they (the family) start singing: for he's a jolly good fellow? Was that Brando?

Don't you think that Sonny uses Tessio more as an errand boy? He orders Tessio to recruit men after Vito is shot; he sends Tessio to see what was delivered at the gate; he orders Tessio to escort Mike to Louie's. Clemenza appears to be used by Sonny for more important matters such as training Michael and explaining to Michael the strategy for the Sollozzo meeting.

Well I'd say Tessio was pretty important in picking up Michael after the double hit.

That is a job that any competent soldier could have done.

This could be a remnant of what's in the book. Tessio's at much more of a distance from the main family at the start of the book (as I've written before, he's not even mentioned at the wedding), so it could be that in bulking up the character for the movie Puzo and Coppola gave Tessio a lot of the little transactional stuff that has to be assigned to some character when you have a limited cast.

A lot of Clemenza's "importance" came from the fact that Richard Castellano was the biggest star (besides Brando) in the cast at that time. His role in the movie was beefed up because of that. The novel tended to show Tessio as being smarter. Tessio's role was somewhat lessened in the movie.

At the funeral, Tom asks Mike "Do you know how their gonna come at you?"

After "You're out Tom", how is it that Tom seems to be in the know now?

I think even though "Tom was out" he was still in the know in most family matters and would know how the family traitor would come at Michael. It seems Tom was one of the most trusted "sons" of Vito in my opinion.

Just like how they are seated at the funeral, I know it was for the movie sake, but that would also show Tom was thought of as a son in all matters.

Kind of like how even though Michael had nothing to do in the family matters, after Vito was shot he was there in the meeting figuring how who needed to be killed even though he was not in the family yet per se. (the 1st meeting I mean, where Sonny said Paulie had to be killed)

Oli, Michael was The Great Manipulator. He used Tom whenever he needed him (i.e., after Vito died, and Michael needed Tom as consigliere; after the Tahoe shooting, when Michael needed Tom because he was the only one he could trust). At other times, Tom was just "my lawyer."

Ya'll probably have noticed this and I'd like to get your opinions.

When Michael meets with Geary and he discloses that he knows about the intended move against the Tropagala, Mike looks over at Tom with a "how the hell did he find out" kind of look. In response, Tom looks a little sheepish as if it was his fault. Mike looks at Tom that same way as Geary is leaving and Tom looks back in the same sheepish way.

Do ya'll think that the looks indicate that Mike is blaming Tom and that To, in return, feels guilty?

This is the first time I noticed this, but during the Connie's wedding, when Barzini arrives, a young Carmine Lupartazzi is right behind him smoking a cigar. Also at Connie's wedding, when Sonny is sitting at the table and picks up the cigarette, he drops ash on his tux. And when Michael murders McClusky, he shoots him the neck first, and the camera pans out, yet you can clearly see the bullet hole to his head, with a little trickle of blood in this shot, prior to the camera cutting back to the close up, the bullet hole not being there now, Michael shoots him again and it comes back.

Yes, that was poor film cutting. Another example: when Sonny is killed, you see bullet holes appear on his '41 Lincoln Connie, then disappear, then appear again.

True TB. But, did you notice that when Michael talks to Johnny about the casinos, Johnny's commitment is to Vito, not Michael or the Corleones. Also, Michael says that the favor he's asking of Johnny is for Vito, not him. Revealing.

Yes. "You know I'd do anything for my godfather."

A few things:

When they all meet after Vito is shot:

Sonny tells Michael to call Luca. Michael goes right to the phone and starts to dial. How does he know the phone number? He's been away for years and even if he wasn't, how would he know?

Also, Tom says to Sonny "If your father dies ..." Why "your"? Why not "If Pop dies ...."?

Luca had a vanity telephone number: 1-800-MURDER.


Tom was punctilious about not being overly familiar with or about Vito--partly because he was acting in his official capacity as consigliere. Also, the novel tells us that Vito told Tom never to forget his own father, so I assume Vito thought it would be disrespectful of Tom's father if Tom called Vito "Pop."

When Michael and Kay pass the newsstand and then return to it, it appears to be unmanned - no vendor. Thus, it appears that Michael steals the newspaper.

Was it a self-serve newspaper stand?

Yea I always wondered that too. Nobody was even there....lol

Also, at the end of II, Michael is wearing a wedding ring.

I believe that Sonny says to Mike "try Luca again" implying that Mike had already called Luca and so would know the number.
My favorite part of this scene is when they open the package and Tessio says "it's a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brazzi sleeps with the fishes", the way Mike just hangs up the phone is great.

Clemenza said that, not Tessio.

Good catch. It's funny,as many times as I've watched that scene,I never really listened to the voice. I assumed that it was Tessio because he handed Sonny the package. They don't show anyone's face while the line is delivered.
I swear up until now,I would have bet that it was Tessio. That's why I love this board.As many times as I've seen the movies and the Epic,there's still stuff I learn from the posters here.

There was a long debate over this point some years ago here on the GBB. Many assumed it was Tessio who spoke that line simply because he was the one holding the vest. And it is amazing how many members noticed small details that most others may not have picked up on.

Hagen has the biggest part of the line in the book. I never would have guessed that, though I've read it uncountable times.