Greatest scene from Godfather (I or II)? (SPOILERS)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

I have the DVD set and the movies have been on cable again recently, refreshing me on how great these films are. My vote is with the Louis' restaurant assassinations where Michael completes his initiation into the family. Everything, from the juxtaposition of the Italian and English, and the subway noise building to a crescendo as Michael prepares to do the deed, is awe inspiring in this scene.

I love the other choices, but the Fanucci killing, with the stalking across the roofs of Little Italy, was the only one from II that I thought had the epic scope of the scenes from the first movie (except maybe the collapse of the Batista regime at the New Year's Eve party).

[kodi]

1. opening and closing scenes of GF I

opening....."I believe in America"

closing......as kate looks over her shoulder and the door begins to close she sees michael has become the Godfather in fact.

those two scenes bookend the entire film, the entire arc of all three films.

the impact on american culture of those films is indicated by the myriad sayings from them now in the common venacular.

you have to take off your shoes to count them.

only Casablanca comes close, and maybe Apocalypse Now

anyone ever see the send up that Second City TV did on the Godfather? it is hilarious.... with don guy caballero fighting a gang war over network tv stations.

[Gothic Sponge]

2. "I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart..."

[drhilarius]

9. That gets my vote, too.

The anguish, pain, and conflict in that scene is almost unbearable.

[lpbk2713]

3. Vito returns to his home town and brings gifts from America.

Olive oil and a knife.

[edbermac]

4. Baptism scene in One; Fredo's "I'm your older brother scene" in Two

You're my kid brother and you take care of ME??

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

10. That's pretty heartrending. Especially Michael's response. 'When you

visit our mother, I want to know a day in advance.'

[swag]

5. Related

"I don't want my brother coming out of the bathroom with just his dick in his hands."

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

11. The whole sequence leading up to the Sollozzo killing is masterful.

From the drawing room where Mike hatches the plan, to the takeout Chinese dinner, waiting for a call, to the actual event.

[Scurrilous]

6. Fredo...

...out on the lake, saying his Hail Mary. Then BANG!

[LeftyDarthBrodie]

7. The Baptism scene

This segment of "The Godfather" made Coppola a great director. Taking out the other bosses made Michael the number one man in the NY mob.

[Floogeldy]

8. You're obviously a big fan of MURDER scenes.

Whatever.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

12. The murder scenes happen to be the notable scenes in these

films.

[Floogeldy]

13. Uh . . . no.

I can think of more notable scenes that do not demonstrate murder.