The Godfather/Funny

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • In Part II when Frank Pentangeli wants the band at the Communion reception to play a Tarentella, he tries to sing out the beat for the band who have no clue. They seem to get it right at first, until they turn it into "Pop Goes The Weasel" and Pentangeli gives up in exasperation. Hilarious.
  • Pretty much everything Clemenza says as he doles out his wisdom to Michael or the others. Even when he's giving orders to have Mooks like Paulie whacked.
  • Luca Brasi rehearsing a small scripted speech he wrote thanking Don Corleone for inviting him to Connie's wedding. Watching a massive, scary Italian hitman mutter words of thanks over and over is funny enough by itself. But then he flubs the speech once he actually meets with Don Vito.
    • Part of a Throw It In moment. The actor had flubbed his line first - terrified of acting opposite legend Marlon Brando - and Coppola liked it so much he kept that version and added the rehearsal scene later.
  • The fast wit of Jack Woltz as he uses every ethnic slur he can think of when Tom Hagen comes calling about getting a part for Johnny Fontane:

Woltz: Johnny Fontane will never get that movie! I don't care how many dago wop guinea greaseball goombahs come out of the woodwork!
Tom Hagen: I'm German-Irish.
Woltz: Well, let me tell you something, my kraut mick friend...

  • His reason for denying the part for Fontane crosses enough lines into macabre humor:

Woltz: You don't understand. Johnny Fontane never gets that movie. That part is perfect for him. It'll make him a big star. I'm gonna run him out of the movies. And let me tell you why! Johnny Fontane ruined one of Woltz International's most valuable proteges. For three years we had her under contract, singing lessons, dancing lessons, acting lessons. I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars. I was gonna make her a big star! And let me be even more frank, just to show you that I'm not a hard-hearted man, that it's not all dollars and cents. She was beautiful, she was innocent, she was the greatest piece of ass I've ever had, and I've had it all over the world! And then Johnny Fontane comes along with his olive oil voice and guinea charm... and she runs off. She threw it all away just to make me look ridiculous! And a man in my position can't afford to be made to look ridiculous!

    • And then the audience gets Mood Whiplash when we find out what Don Vito does to Woltz's horse.
  • "Leave the gun. Take the canoli."

Back to The Godfather