History Awesome / TheGodfather

*** Remember that Enzo '''also''' was a soldier. He was in the Italian army who got captured and sent to America as a prisoner of war. He must have experienced combat as well but still wasn't as calm as Michael.

* The last 15 minutes or so of ''Film/TheGodfather'' are pure awesome for Michael Corleone. While he's standing to be named the godfather for his sister's baby, and the priest is asking him if he's a good Catholic who rejects Satan in all his devices, Michael calmly says yes while, at the exact same moment, his men all over the city and the country are pulling off a series of assassinations on every opposing mob leader or power broker that stand in his way. ''Then'' he goes up to his brother-in-law Carlo, whose baby he was just named godfather for, and tells him that he knows that Carlo was involved in the death of Michael's older brother and a conspiracy against Michael's family. He pretends he's [[PutOnABus putting Carlo on a bus]], but actually sends him off to be killed. And ''then'' he calmly denies it when his hysterical sister accuses him of doing this and uses every ounce of his wife's trust to tell her a stone cold lie and make her believe he had nothing to do with it, if only briefly. MagnificentBastard.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=435mkg6_eGQ The final flashback]] of ''Part II'' on Vito's birthday day and after Pearl Harbor. In just a few minutes it manages to summarize and flesh out the traits of many posthumous and still young ot not fully developed characters back then. Special mention to Sonny's role, who takes over several Vito's lines form the novel after Brando made a no-show. Vito, who is about to arrive still manages to haunt the scene being a literal [[TheGhost looming ghost]], as even in absentia he dominates the conversation.

** The whole story of Vito Corleone's rise to becoming the Godfather is basically just one Crowning Moment of Awesome after another, culminating in this line: "My father's name was Antonio Andolini...''and this is for you!''"

* In the first film, the murders of Solozzo and Captain [=McKluskey=] by Michael, sending the formerly squeaky clean war hero down the same criminal path as the rest of his family. It was such a CMOA that it convinced Paramount, who had been looking for any reason to fire Francis Ford Coppola (and Al Pacino) and get another director, that he might actually know what he was doing.

** More concise, and yet more devastating, in ''The Godfather Part II''. New Year's Day in Havana, Michael at a celebration with his brother Fredo, the brother who secretly (and unintentionally) nearly had him assassinated. In the middle of the roaring party, Michael whispers some travel arrangements in Fredo's ear, then delivers the KissOfDeath to him full on the lips and grabs him without letting go. "I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. ''You broke my heart''."

* In a scene only shown in the ''Saga'' edition, Michael's cronies have tracked down his treacherous bodyguard Fabrizzio. He is shown getting into his car, turning the ignition key--[[LaserGuidedKarma and the car explodes, killing him the way he killed Michael's first wife.]]
* In Part III Sonny's bastard Vincent Mancini shows he's his father's son by expertly taking out two goons sent by Joey Zaza to kill him in his apartment.

* Michael's PassingTheTorch moment to Vincent in Part III is a truly awesome piece of cinematography, mainly because of how quiet and understated it is. It begins with Michael gently trying to dissuade Vincent, telling him that being a Mafia Don isn't all power and glamour. And when it's clear that Vincent genuinely wants it, he calls his lieutenants in to witness, and declares, "From this moment on, [[YouAreInCommandNow call yourself Vincenzo Corleone]]." Cue the kissing of hands and theme music.

* Hyman Roth's legendary "Moe Green" speech. Many found themselves rooting for him after that part.

* When Connie protests the Corleone men discussing business at the dinner table (something Vito didn't do), hubby Carlo silences her rather harshly. Even though Mama Corleone rebukes Sonny's defense of his sister, he's still able to retaliate by shooting down [[CoattailRidingRelative Carlo's request to get more involved in the family business]].

* In a scene only shown in the ''Saga'' edition, Michael's cronies have tracked down his treacherous bodyguard Fabrizzio. He is shown getting into his car, turning the ignition key--and the car explodes, killing him the way he killed Michael's first wife.

* In Part III Sonny's bastard Vincent Mancini shows he's his father's son by expertly taking out two goons sent by Joey Zaza to kill him in his apartment.

* Sonny's bastard Vincent Mancini shows he's his father's son by expertly taking out two goons sent by Joey Zaza to kill him in his apartment.

* In a scene only shown in the ''Saga'' edition, Michael's cronies have tracked down his treacherous bodyguard Fabrizzio. He is shown getting into his car, turning the ignition key--and the car explodes, killing him the way he killed Michael's first wife.

* The last 15 minutes or so of ''TheGodfather'' are pure awesome for Michael Corleone. While he's standing to be named the godfather for his sister's baby, and the priest is asking him if he's a good Catholic who rejects Satan in all his devices, Michael calmly says yes while, at the exact same moment, his men all over the city and the country are pulling off a series of assassinations on every opposing mob leader or power broker that stand in his way. ''Then'' he goes up to his brother-in-law Carlo, whose baby he was just named godfather for, and tells him that he knows that Carlo was involved in the death of Michael's older brother and a conspiracy against Michael's family. He pretends he's [[PutOnABus putting Carlo on a bus]], but actually sends him off to be killed. And ''then'' he calmly denies it when his hysterical sister accuses him of doing this and uses every ounce of his wife's trust to tell her a stone cold lie and make her believe he had nothing to do with it, if only briefly. MagnificentBastard.

** [[FridgeLogic Given Michael's military experience, it makes perfect sense that he was able to keep it together]]

--?''"Nothing."''

* In a scene only shown in the ''Saga'' edition, Michael's cronies have tracked down his treacherous bodyguard Fabrizzio. He is shown getting into his care, turning the ignition key--and the car explodes, killing him the way he killed Michael's first wife.

* The apologetic way Neri closes the door between Michael and Kay as Michael receives Clemenza and other mafia lieutenants. Counts as Kay's DethroningMomentOfSuck as it makes her realize Michael just lied to her about the Family business. But it's also [[BittersweetEnding the best way to end the film]].

** In the first film, the murders of Solozzo and Captain McKluskey by Michael, sending the formerly squeaky clean war hero down the same criminal path as the rest of his family. It was such a CMOA that it convinced Paramount, who had been looking for any reason to fire Francis Ford Coppola (and Al Pacino) and get another director, that he might actually know what he was doing.

** In the first film, the murders of Solozzo and Captain McKluskey by Michael, sending the formerly squeaky clean war hero down the same criminal path as the rest of his family. It was such a CMOA that it convinced Paramount, who had been looking for any reason to fire Francis Coppola and get another director, that he might actually know what he was doing.

** Considering that the second film is often cited as ''[[EvenBetterSequel SUPERIOR]] also counts.

** The whole story of Vito Corleone's rise to becoming the Godfather is basically just one Crowning Moment of Awesome after another, culminating in this line: "My father's name was Antonio Andolini...''and this is for him!''"

* [[spoiler:It's bad news for the horse,]] but the way the Corleones handle the corrupt movie producer (and pedophile) Woltz by [[spoiler:discreetly placing the head of Woltz's prized race horse Karthoum in Woltz's bed. The fact the mobsters were capable of doing such an act quietly and efficiently demonstrates some serious skills. Not to mention how far they were willing to go to punish Woltz.]]