Great Scene: “The Godfather”

The dramatic denouement from the classic 1972 movie The Godfather, screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, novel by Mario Puzo.

IMDb plot summary: The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.

After the infamous baptism / assassination scene, there’s this:

Here is the final scene in the movie:

“This one time. I’ll let you ask me about my affairs.” Kay does. Michael bald-face, stone-cold lies. And how about those last shots:

The final image, the door closing on Kay… and the complete uncertainty in her face about who and what Michael is… and has become.

Interesting to note it isn’t the last scene in the script. Instead, it’s this:

Presumably shot, but not included in the film. That last image of Kay staring at Michael as the door closes a more dramatic way to end the story.

Great scene. Great movie.

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