The Godfather Part II

It is both a sequel and a prequel to the 1972 film The Godfather, presenting parallel dramas: one picks up the 1958 story of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), the new Don of the Corleone family, protecting the family business in the aftermath of an attempt on his life; the prequel covers the journey of his father, Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro), from his Sicilian childhood to the founding of his family enterprise in New York City. The ensemble cast also features Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Morgana King, John Cazale, Mariana Hill, and Lee Strasberg.

Following the success of the first film, Paramount Pictures began developing a follow-up, with many of the cast and crew returning. Coppola, who was given more creative control, had wanted to make both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather that would tell the story of the rise of Vito and the fall of Michael. Principal photography began in October 1973 and wrapped up in June 1974. The Godfather Part II premiered in New York City on December 12, 1974, and was released in the United States on December 20, 1974, receiving divisive reviews from critics; its reputation, however, improved rapidly, and it soon became the subject of critical re-appraisal. It grossed $48 million in the United States and Canada and up to $93 million worldwide on a $13 million budget. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, and became the first sequel to win Best Picture. Its six Oscar wins also included Best Director for Coppola, Best Supporting Actor for De Niro and Best Adapted Screenplay for Coppola and Puzo. Pacino won Best Actor at the BAFTAs and was nominated at the Oscars.

Like its predecessor, Part II remains a highly influential film, especially in the gangster genre. It is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, as well as the rare example of a sequel that may be superior to its predecessor. In 1997, the American Film Institute ranked it as the 32nd-greatest film in American film history and it retained this position 10 years later. It was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 1993, being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. The Godfather Part III, the final installment in the trilogy, was released 16 years later in 1990: while Part III received positive reviews from critics, it was noted as a decline in quality from the previous two films.

In 1901, nine-year-old Vito Andolini flees his country after his whole family is killed in Corleone, Sicily when his father insults local Mafia chieftain Don Ciccio. Vito escapes to New York City and is registered on arrival as “Vito Corleone”. In 1917, Vito lives in New York with his wife, Carmela, and their infant son, Sonny. He loses his job due to the interference of Don Fanucci, a local Black Hand extortionist. His neighbor Peter Clemenza asks Vito to hide a bag of guns; as thanks, Clemenza enlists Vito’s help in stealing a rug, which he gives to Carmela.

The Corleones have three more children: sons Fredo and Michael, and daughter Connie. Meanwhile, Vito, Clemenza, and new partner Salvatore Tessio make income by stealing goods and reselling them door-to-door. This enterprise attracts the attention of Fanucci, who extorts them. Vito convinces his skeptical partners that he will talk Fanucci into accepting a smaller payment. During a neighborhood festa, Vito pays an incredulous Fanucci a much smaller amount than Fanucci demanded and is offered a job as an enforcer. Vito later kills Fanucci in his apartment. Vito becomes a formidable and well-respected community member by helping locals in exchange for “favors”.

In 1922, Vito and his family visit Sicily, during which he and his business partner Don Tommasino visit Don Ciccio, ostensibly to ask for Ciccio’s blessing on their olive oil business. Ciccio asks for the name of Vito’s father; Vito reveals his identity and stabs Ciccio to death, avenging his family.

Michael

In 1958, during his son’s First Communion party at Lake Tahoe, Michael has a series of meetings in his role as the don of the Corleone crime family. Frank Pentangeli, a Corleone capo, is dismayed that Michael refuses to help defend his Bronx territory against the Rosato brothers, who work for Hyman Roth, a Jewish Mob boss and long-standing Corleone business partner. Senator Pat Geary expects a bribe in exchange for helping Michael obtain casino gaming licenses and insults Italians generally and the Corleones specifically. Michael predicts that Geary will aid him with the licenses but will not be paid. That night, a failed assassination attempt at his home prompts Michael to suddenly depart after confiding in consigliere Tom Hagen that he suspects a traitor within the family.

Michael suspects Roth planned the assassination, but falsely tells Roth he suspects Pentangeli. In New York City, under Michael’s instructions, Pentangeli attempts to make peace with the Rosatos, but they try to kill him. The attempt fails when a police officer enters the bar where the Rosatos are trying to kill Pentangeli, resulting in the Rosatos fleeing and a brief street shootout where Corleone soldier Willie Cicci is wounded.

In Nevada, Tom Hagen is called to a Carson City brothel run by Michael’s older brother Fredo, where Geary has been implicated in the death of a prostitute. Unaware that Michael arranged the “problem”, Geary accepts Tom’s offer to take care of it in return for Geary’s political support.

A sickly Roth, Michael, and several of their partners travel to Havana to discuss their future Cuban business prospects under the cooperative government of Fulgencio Batista. Michael becomes reluctant to continue operating in Cuba given the ongoing Cuban Revolution. On New Year’s Eve, Fredo pretends not to know Johnny Ola, Roth’s right-hand man, but later inadvertently reveals they know each other, leading Michael to realize that Fredo is the traitor. Michael orders hits on Ola and Roth; his enforcer strangles Ola with a coat hanger but is killed by Cuban soldiers as he tries to smother Roth. Batista resigns and flees Cuba due to rebel advances. During the ensuing chaos, Michael, Fredo, and Roth separately escape Cuba. Back home, Michael is told that his wife Kay has miscarried.

In Washington, D.C., a Senate committee on organized crime is investigating the Corleone family, but Geary staunchly defends them. Pentangeli agrees to testify against Michael, who he believes had betrayed him to the Rosatos, and is placed under witness protection. On returning to Nevada, Fredo tells Michael that he did not know that Roth had intended to kill him, but that he resents being regarded as stupid by the family and feels that he should have taken over the family after their father’s death. Michael disowns Fredo, but gives orders that he is not to be harmed while their mother is alive. Michael sends for Pentangeli’s brother from Sicily, and Pentangeli, after seeing his brother in the hearing room, retracts his previous statement indicting Michael in organized crime; the hearing dissolves in an uproar. Kay reveals to Michael that she actually had an abortion, not a miscarriage, and that she intends to leave him and take their children. Outraged, Michael strikes Kay, banishes her from the family, and takes sole custody of the children.

Carmela dies some time later, and Michael hurries to wrap up loose ends. At the funeral, Michael appears to forgive Fredo at Connie’s behest, but exchanges a glance with Corleone enforcer Al Neri suggesting that Fredo is to be killed. Kay visits her children; as she is saying goodbye, Michael arrives and closes the door on her. Roth is forced to return to the United States after being refused asylum and entry to Israel. On Michael’s orders, Roth is assassinated by Corleone caporegime Rocco Lampone during an interview at Miami International Airport; Lampone is killed in turn by a federal agent while attempting to flee the scene. At Pentangeli’s compound, Hagen visits and the two discuss how failed plotters against the Roman emperor often committed suicide in return for clemency for their families; Pentangeli is later found dead in his bathtub, having slit his wrists. At the family compound, Michael calls his son Anthony away before he can join Fredo and Neri for a fishing excursion on the lake. Michael then watches from his den as Neri shoots Fredo dead.

Michael reminisces about Vito’s 50th birthday party on December 7, 1941, the same day Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. While the family waits to surprise Vito, Michael announces that he has dropped out of college and joined the Marines, angering Sonny and surprising Hagen. Fredo is the only member of the family who supports his decision. Vito is heard opening the door and everyone leaves the room to welcome him while Michael sits alone.

In the present day, Michael sits alone at the family compound looking out over the lake.