The Godfather Part II
The expansive second part of Francis Ford Coppola’s Mafia saga continues the Corleone family story, charting in parallel young Vito’s earlier rise to prominence.
“The whole picture is informed with such a complex sense of the intermingling of good and evil that it may be the most passionately felt epic ever made in this country.”
Pauline Kael, The New Yorker, 1974
Sequels had not yet become the Hollywood norm when Francis Ford Coppola signed up for a continuation to his hugely successful 1972 adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather, but this second film set a high standard for follow-ups in the way that it enriches and deepens the Corleone family narrative.
Ranging over multiple locations, Coppola’s film ambitiously intertwines two time periods: the story of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) becoming increasingly consumed and isolated by his new power as head of the family, and flashbacks to his father Vito Corleone’s (Robert De Niro) arrival as an immigrant in New York, and his gradual ascent to power.
The project’s ambition did not go unrecognised: like the first film, it won best picture at the 1974 Academy Awards.
Coppola completed his chronicles of the Corleone family sixteen years later, with The Godfather Part III (1990).
Cast & credits
Cast
- Michael Corleone Al Pacino
- Tom Hagen Robert Duvall
- Kay Corleone Diane Keaton
- Vito Corleone Robert De Niro
- Fredo Corleone John Cazale
- Connie Corleone Talia Shire
- Hyman Roth Lee Strasberg
- Frankie Pentangeli Michael V. Gazzo
- Senator Pat Geary G.D. Spradlin
- Al Neri Richard Bright
- Fanucci Gastone Moschin
- Rocco Lampone Tom Rosqui
- young Peter Clemenza Bruno Kirby
- Genco Frank Sivero
- young Mama Corleone Francesca De Sapio
- Mama Corleone Morgana King
- Deanna Corleone Marianna Hill
- Signor Roberto Leopoldo Trieste
- Johnny Ola Dominic Chianese
- Michael's bodyguard Amerigo Tot
- Merle Johnson Troy Donahue
- young Tessio John Aprea
- Willi Cicci Joe Spinell
- Tessio Abe Vigoda
- Theresa Hagen Tere Livrano
- Carlo Rizzi Gianni Russo
- Vito's mother Maria Carta
- Vito as a boy Oreste Baldini
- Don Ciccio Giuseppe Sillato
- Tommasino Mario Cotone
- Anthony Corleone James Gounaris
- Mrs Marcia Roth Fay Spain
- 1st FBI man Harry Dean Stanton
- 2nd FBI man David Baker
- Carmine Rosato Carmine Caridi
- Tony Rosato Danny Aiello
- policeman Carmine Foresta
- Ritch, the bartender Nick Discenza
- Father Carmelo Joseph Medeglia
- senate committee chairman William Bowers
- Michael's buttonman Joseph Della Sorte
- Michael's buttonman Carmen Argenziano
- Michael's buttonman Joe Lo Grippo
- impresario Ezio Flagello
- tenor in "Senza Mamma" Livio Giorgi
- girl in "Senza Mamma" Kathleen Beller
- Signora Columbo Saveria Mazzola
- Cuban president Tito Alba
- Cuban translator Johnny Naranjo
- Pentangeli's wife Elda Maida
- Vincenzo, Pentangeli's brother Salvatore Po
- Mosca Ignazio Pappalardo
- Strollo Andrea Maugeri
- Signor Abbandando Peter Lacorte
- street vendor Vincent Coppola
- Questadt Peter Donat
- Fred Corngold Tom Dahlgren
- Senator Ream Paul B. Brown
- 1st senator Phil Feldman
- 2nd senator Roger Corman
- Yolanda Yvonne Coll
- Freddy, attendant at brothel J.D. Nicols
- Ellis Island doctor Edward Van Sickle
- Ellis Island nurse Gabria Belloni
- customs official Richard Watson
- Cuban nurse Venancia Grangerard
- governess Erica Yohn
- midwife Theresa Tirelli
- Santino 'Sonny' Corleone James Caan
- [Tahoe bandleader] Herkulis E. Strolia
- [3rd senator] Richard Matheson
- [Sonny as a child] Roman Coppola
- [gunsmith] Romano Pianti
- [Sam Roth] Julian Voloshin
- [boy flutist] Themes Mars
- [extra] Max Brandt
- [dancer at Lake Tahoe party] Steve Peck
Credits
Direction
- Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
- Assistant Director Newton Arnold
- Assistant Director (2nd) Henry J. Lange Jr.
- Assistant Director (2nd) Charles Myers
- Assistant Director (2nd) Mike Kusley
- Assistant Director (2nd) Alan Hopkins
- Assistant Director (2nd) Burt Bluestein
- Assistant Director (Sicilian Unit) Tony Brandt
- Script Supervisor John Franco
- Script Supervisor B.J. Bachman
- Script Supervisor (Sicilian Unit) Serena Canevari
Production
- © Paramount Pictures Corporation
- ©/Production Company Coppola Company
- A Paramount picture Paramount Pictures
- Produced by Francis Ford Coppola
- Co-produced by Gray Frederickson
- Co-produced by Fred Roos
- Associate Producer Mona Skager
- Unit Manager (Sicilian Unit) Mario Cotone
- Production Manager Michael S. Glick
- Production Supervisor (Sicilian Unit) Valerio De Paolis
- Miami Co-ordinator Tammy Newell
- Location Auditor Carl Skelton
- New York Location Supervisor Ronald Colby
- Location Co-ordinator Jack English
- Foreign Post-production Peter Zinner
- Production Assistant (Sicilian Unit) Bruno Perria
- Production Secretary Nanette Siegert
- Location Assistant Randy Carter
- Location Assistant Mona Houghton
- Location Assistant Melissa Mathison
- Research Deborah Fine
- Studio Paramount Studios
Casting
- Casting Mike Fenton
- Casting Jane Feinberg
- Casting Vic Ramos
- Casting (Sicilian Unit) Emy Desica
- Casting (Sicilian Unit) Maurizio Lucci
Writing
- Screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola
- Screenplay by Mario Puzo
- Based on the novel "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo
Photography
- Director of Photography Gordon Willis
- Camera Operator Ralph Gerling
- Camera Assistant William Gereghty
- Gaffer George Holmes
- Key Grip Bob Rose
Special Effects
- Special Effects A.D. Flowers
- Special Effects Joe Lombardi
Editing
- Editor Peter Zinner
- Editor Barry Malkin
- Editor Richard Marks
- Assistant Editor George Berndt
- Assistant Editor Bobbe P. Kurtz
- Assistant Editor Lisa Fruchtman
Design
- Production Designer Dean Tavoularis
- Art Director Angelo Graham
- Set Decorator George R. Nelson
- Assistant Set Decorator (Sicilian Unit) Joe Chevalier
- Properties V. Bud Shelton
- Properties Doug Madison
Costumes
- Costume Designer Theadora Van Runkle
- Wardrobe Marie Osborne
- Wardrobe Eric Seelig
- Wardrobe George Newman
- Wardrobe Tom Welsh
- Wardrobe Marilyn Putnam
- Wardrobe Nancy Mcardle
- Wardrobe Sandra Burke
Make-up
- Make-up Artist Dick Smith
- Make-up Artist Charles Schram
- Hair Stylist Naomi Cavin
Titles
- Title by Wayne Fitzgerald
Music
- Music Composed by Nino Rota
- Additional Music Composed by Carmine Coppola
- [Music] Conducted by Carmine Coppola
- Music Editor George Brand
Sound
- Production Recording Charles Wilborn
- Production Recording Nathan Boxer
- Sound Montage & Re-recording Walter Murch
- Sound Montage Associate Pat Jackson
- Sound Montage Associate Mark Berger
- Sound Effects Editor Howard Beals
- Sound Effects Editor Jim Fritch
- Sound Effects Editor James J. Klinger
Subtitles
- Subtitling Sonya Friedman
Consultant
- Senate Hearings Adviser Ed Guthman
- The Producers Would Like to Thank James Caan
- Production Facilities Furnished through American Zoetrope
- Sicilian Translation Romano Pianti
Publicity
- Unit Publicist Eileen Peterson
