Despite being a mobster who committed numerous crimes from blackmail to murder, Vito was a loyal and caring man who was protective and loving towards his family, whom he valued above all else. He was also loyal to his friends, valuing friendship almost as much as family.
Vito was obstensibly a good man before he killed Fanucci but it's implied in the novel that his evil nature was there from the beginning but couldn't reveal itself eariler because Vito didn't have the resources to do so. As soon as he killed Fanucci he then descends, even if perhaps unwillingly, into organized crime.
Vito is “a fair man,” and doesn't believe in handing out help without good reason. He has come to a point in his life of crime where he must ask those who come to him, “Why did you go to the police? Why didn't you come to me first?” Given the power Vito has amassed, it's a fair question.
Though a ruthless, violent criminal, Vito is also a warm, loving father and husband, and the paradox of his character is that it is precisely the warmth of his humanity that makes him appear superhuman. In his later years, Vito comes across as relaxed and playful, even mellow.
We know from a scene in the first film what Vito's hopes for Michael were: He wanted his youngest and brightest son to become someone who pulls the strings in American public life as a powerful politician—a senator or governor.
By helping those he felt were oppressed, Vito differentiated himself from other mob bosses. It was clear that he wasn't the sadistic psychopath type of criminal, like Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo. He was a criminal because this was the life he was born into.
Emilio "The Wolf" Barzini is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather and in its 1972 film adaptation, in which he is portrayed by Richard Conte. The Barzini crime family was inspired by the Genovese crime family.
Despite being a mobster who committed numerous crimes from blackmail to murder, Vito was a loyal and caring man who was protective and loving towards his family, whom he valued above all else. He was also loyal to his friends, valuing friendship almost as much as family.
The two of them surmised that someone in the family would betray Michael in this event by setting up a meeting with Don Emilio Barzini, Vito's main rival and the mastermind behind the Sollozzo scheme. In 1955, he died of a heart attack at age 68, while playing with his grandson Anthony in his garden.
Original question: “What is the weakest Corleone brother?” Obvious answer: Alfredo. The characteristics of all three: Alfredo: Not very smart, in fact probably very stupid. Sonny: Somewhat street smart, but lacked control of his temper and reacted from emotion rather than thought out planning.
Luca Brasi is Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcer and the only man Vito himself fears. While slow-witted and brutish, Brasi is fiercely loyal with a reputation as a savage and remorseless killer.
Ultimately, Tessio betrays Michael by helping arrange his assassination at a peace summit with Barzini and Philip Tattaglia. The summit will be held in Tessio's fiefdom in Brooklyn, where Michael will presumably be safe. In return, Tessio was to inherit the Corleone family upon Michael's death.
After her brother's debut concert, the assassin Mosca tries to kill Michael. One bullet grazes Michael's shoulder, but the other accidentally hits Mary in the chest, fatally wounding her. Michael is devastated by Mary's death, and screams in torment while cradling her dead body.
After the performance, Mosca shoots Michael, wounding him, and a second bullet hits Mary, killing her. Mary's death breaks Michael's spirit, and he screams in agony over her body. In an epilogue scene set in 1997, an elderly Michael dies in the same courtyard where he married Appollonia.
Michael prides himself on his belief that he has great insight to people and their motives, just the same as his canny father. But he's incapable of understanding himself. Nor can he find more than a fleeting personal happiness. That is because he continually deceives himself.
Michael is the third son of Vito Corleone, and he takes over the role of godfather when his father retires. Originally Michael is not involved in the family business, although he is aware of what the business is. Before Michael became Don, he held almost opposite ideals than did his family.
Notably, this unflinching drive to protect the family is exactly what led us to this scene in the first place. Paulie has seemingly betrayed Vito—and thus the family—by selling him out. In The Godfather, this kind of betrayal is the worst of all sins.
Fredo later betrays Michael after being approached by Johnny Ola (Dominic Chianese), an associate of rival crime boss Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg). Ola and Roth tell Fredo that Michael is being particularly difficult in business negotiations between Roth's organization and the Corleone family.
Enraged, Sonny speeds towards Connie's apartment in Hell's Kitchen ahead of his bodyguards. At the Long Beach Causeway toll plaza, Barzini's men trap Sonny and shoot him to death. During a meeting with the other crime family dons to establish peace, Vito realizes that Barzini masterminded Sonny's murder.
Comedic Instincts: Brando's comedic instincts played a significant role in shaping the character of Don Corleone. He added a touch of humor to the role through his physicality and delivery, such as the exaggerated speech and the playful interaction with a stray cat in his lap during the opening scene [1].
Vito warns Michael that Barzini will set Michael up to be killed under the guise of a meeting; Barzini will use one of the Corleone family's most trusted members as an intermediary. Shortly afterwards, on July 29, 1955, Vito dies of a heart attack in his garden while playing with his grandson, Michael's son Anthony.
Clemenza. No one was more loyal to the Corleone Crime Family than the first capo, Clemenza. Among his most iconic scenes was when he had the traitor Paulie executed and when he trained Michael on how to whack Sollozzo and McCluskey.
Michael quickly realizes that Roth ordered the hit. Remembering his father's advice to "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer", he maintains a good business relationship with Roth. Michael also suspects a mole within the Corleone family aided Roth, and needs time to uncover his identity.
