Paramount Pictures

Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, James Caan

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Synopsis: Based on the popular novel by Mario Puzo. Aging New York mafia boss Don Corleone (Marlon Brando) deals with a changing world in which the ways of the old country are no longer being respected. He hopes to pass off his empire to his son Michael (Al Pacino) who has just returned from the war, but Michael is a reluctant inheritor until a series of events force his hand.

Kitty Cameo: The famous opening scene sees Don Corleone entertaining requests for favors from visitors on the day of his daughter’s wedding. As The Godfather sits and listens to the requests, he holds and lovingly pets a grey striped tabby cat.

The cat was not actually scripted in the scene. As director Francis Ford Coppola explained on the DVD commentary track, “It’s interesting, the cat in Marlon’s hand was not planned for. I just saw the cat kind of running around in the studio and I took it and I put it right in his hands without a word and said, ‘Here, Marlon.’ He, of course, loved children and animals and he immediately took to this cat. And the cat took to him and it became part of the scene. Not at all planned, just a random idea.”

Final Mewsings: Most people don’t know that Don Corleone was just a figurehead . . . it was really the cat that was in charge.

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