Francis Ford Coppola‘s The Godfather redefined the essential gangster film, giving cinematic life to Mario Puzo‘s best-selling novel and delivering one of the greatest films of all time. With two additional films in the franchise, The Godfather movies continue to reign as the definitive contribution to the film genre and are universally recognized for its master storytelling, exceptional performances, and setting the standard for the modern mobster movie.
Through the years, fans have dissected Coppola’s work, conversing over details and symbolism that have heightened the impact of the classic films. One of these major elements revolves around the presence of oranges, which can be seen at vital moments in all three films. While Coppola has admitted that he initially used the bright-colored fruits to contrast the dark lighting of certain scenes, there’s no denying that seeing an orange is a clear indicator that something significant to the story is about to unfold.
10
Meeting with the Partners in Cuba
‘The Godfather: Part II’ (1974)
In The Godfather: Part II, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) travels to Cuba where he meets with Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg) and others who are involved in Roth’s investments under the Batista government. The table is lined in the middle with bowls of fruit which contain oranges. At this point, Michael has not officially agreed to the partnership with Roth and, shortly after the meeting, Michael witnesses an incident involving a group of Cuban rebels and officers which makes him reconsider the business venture.
Prior to the meeting, Michael had led Roth to believe that he was going to invest and had given no hint that he knew he had tried to have him killed. Once they are back at Roth’s place after the meeting, Michael expresses his opposing opinions to Roth for the first time, which leads to a clashing discussion between them. After their disagreement, their relationship never recovers and things take a downward turn when not only does the government fall to the rebels, but Michael finally discovers that his brother, Fredo (John Cazale), is the one who betrayed him.
The Godfather Part II
- Release Date
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December 20, 1974
- Runtime
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202minutes
- Director
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Francis Ford Coppola
9
Don Fanucci and the Feast of San Rocco
‘The Godfather: Part II’ (1974)
It’s rare that a sequel surpasses the original film, but many will argue that The Godfather: Part II is one of the best sequels/prequels that is perfect from start to finish, mainly because it features Vito Corleone’s origin story, providing not only more insight into the iconic character but also a brilliant contrast between father and son. At one point in Vito’s story, the local boss, Don Fanucci (Gastone Moshin), discovers that Vito (Robert De Niro), Peter Clemenza (Bruno Kirby), and Salvatore Tessio (John Aprea) are making money without giving him a cut.
Vito agrees that he and his associates will let him wet his beak, but he assures Clemenza and Tessio that Fanucci won’t get a single dime (“I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse”). After Vito meets with Fanucci, the don leaves and strolls through the streets during the Feast of San Rocco, picking up an orange along the way. It’s not long after, when Fanucci arrives home, he unexpectedly finds Vito, who is lying in wait and fittingly guns him down. Fanucci picking up the orange doesn’t necessarily give Vito’s plan away entirely and even though audiences know something unfortunate is most likely going to happen, the orange just adds more suspense and anticipation to the grand scheme of things.
8
Meeting The Commission Before Being Ambushed
‘The Godfather: Part III’ (1990)
In The Godfather: Part III, the Commission wants to be included in the Immobilaire deal, but since Michael wants the Corleone family to become legitimate, he instead offers to sell his Las Vegas shares to them. Michael meets with the others to explain how he intends to split his shares among them and, as they sit around a grand table, a large bowl of oranges can be seen in the middle of the table with other fruits and food. When an orange accidentally rolls onto the table, everyone in the room is quickly under fire as they are ambushed by a helicopter raining bullets.
After narrowly escaping, Michael returns home safely, but he eventually puts two and two together and realizes that New York mob boss and Connie’s godfather, Don Altobello (Eli Wallach), is the traitor who arranged the brutal attack, causing him to have a diabetic stroke. Coppola takes the presence of the oranges to another level in this particular scene, letting audiences believe the event is simply just an attack on the Commission, but he follows up with a curveball, essentially demonstrating the director’s ingenious creativity and brilliance.
7
The Death of Vito Corleone
‘The Godfather’ (1972)
Towards the end of the first film, Vito can be seen outside in his garden with his grandson while enjoying some wine and eating an orange. As he peels the fruit, he uses the peels to try and entertain his grandson, but accidentally ends up scaring him. Once the little boy realizes his grandfather is only playing, he pretends to chase him like a monster through the stalks of his tomatoes, but the joyful moment takes a morbid turn when Vito suddenly collapses and dies.
Vito’s death scene is one example where Coppola’s excuse of trying to lighten up the scenery falls a bit short. The scene itself is well-lit, featuring an array of colors, from the ripe tomatoes, lush green grass and glistening fruit next to sun-soaked wine. Since Vito was buying oranges when he’s attacked earlier in the film, it can’t be that much of a coincidence that he was also eating one shortly before his death. Either way, the foreshadowing of Vito’s death is among the most bittersweet scenes involving an orange. As he spends his final moments with his grandson, audiences have the chance to see Vito’s genuine humility and playful candor in a full-blown light, which ultimately portrays him as being much more than just a mob boss.
6
Orange in Front of Emilio Barzini
‘The Godfather’ (1972)
After the brutal murder of his son, Sonny (James Caan), Vito tells Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) to call for a meeting with all the families, stating this civil war and senseless violence stops now. The major conflict lies between Vito and Philip Tattaglia (Victor Rendina), who have both suffered the immense loss of a son, but others chime in during the meeting, notably Emilio Barzini (Richard Conte), who can be seen with an arrangement of fruit in front of him, including an orange which is front and center.
On their way home, Vito informs Tom that, while everyone thinks Tattaglia has been pulling the strings, he now knows it has been Barzini all along. The subtle placement of the orange comes before a pivotal moment in the film’s plot, almost acting as a signal to the audience that Barzini is the true mastermind. Vito’s realization essentially gives him and Michael the upper hand in this power struggle, allowing them to anticipate not only that Barzini will make an offer to meet with Michael that is secretly a deadly trap, but also reveal the traitor within the Corleone family.
5
Dinner with Jack Woltz
‘The Godfather’ (1972)
When Tom is sent to Los Angeles to speak to Hollywood producer, Jack Woltz (John Marley), about casting Johnny Fontaine in his upcoming movie, the producer invites Tom over for dinner where they discuss the sensitive situation. During the meal, a large stack of oranges in a shiny silver bowl can be seen in the middle of the table and directly between the two men who are sitting at opposite ends of the table. The meeting doesn’t end how Tom had hoped and, after relaying the information to Vito, the audience sees Woltz again as he wakes up in his bed, covered in blood, and discovers the head of his prized horse at his feet.
The horse’s head in Woltz’s bed is one of the most famous scenes in movie history and also a wicked foreshadowing with oranges. Some may think the horse head is overkill, but if Coppola had been allowed to keep a vital scene that sheds more light on Woltz’s disgusting character, it would make more sense. In a deleted scene and one of the worst changes made from Puzo’s novels, Hagen is leaving Woltz’s place when he sees an obviously underage and disheveled girl standing at the top of the staircase. This doesn’t sit well with Tom and even worse with Vito, which essentially provides more justification for Vito’s horrific message.
4
The Death of Michael Corleone
‘The Godfather: Part III’ (1990)
After the murder of his daughter, Mary (Sofia Coppola), Michael retires and lives out the rest of his days at his home in Lake Tahoe, seemingly alone. As the camera focuses in on the once-ruthless mob boss, he is sitting alone outside on a sunny, peaceful day, surrounded only by the sounds of nature and holding an orange in one hand. Soon after appearing on the screen, Michael peacefully dies, and the orange falls from his hand to the ground below.
In 2020, a re-cut of the third movie titled The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, was released in honor of the film’s 30th anniversary and ended with the death of Michael, which is strikingly similar to the death of his father. Sadly, Michael’s constant efforts to provide for his family and make the Corleone legitimate for his father led to his tragic downfall and losing everything and everyone he tried so desperately to hold onto. The loss of Mary takes a significant toll on Michael, who is left a broken and lonely man and, as viewers see him one last time, the orange clearly indicates that his final moments are near, but it also serves as a symbol of Michael’s loneliness and loss of everyone in his life who he ever truly loved.
3
Gift from Johnny Ola
‘The Godfather: Part II’ (1974)
In The Godfather: Part II, the audience meets Hyman Roth’s right-hand-man, Johnny Ola (Dominic Chianese), when he arrives at Michael’s home in Lake Tahoe to discuss business involving their friend down in Miami. Before they sit down, Johnny gives Michael an orange from Roth as a sign of friendship, but the gift from the Sicilian messenger boy is an early indicator of betrayal and conflict that soon arises between Michael and Roth.
Chianese, who is one of several actors from The Godfather movies who also starred in The Sopranos, provides audiences with an early hint that something significant is just around the corner for Michael. Whether it’s being the bearer of bad news or being the source of danger, that’s what audiences are not entirely sure of and incites an unwavering level of anticipation of what is yet to come. This is another instance where an orange foreshadows not only potential danger for Michael, but also symbolically indicates that Ola and Roth are not as trustworthy as Michael thinks. (“Your father did business with Hyman Roth, your father respected Hyman Roth, but your father never trusted Hyman Roth.”)
2
Assassination Attempt on Vito Corleone
‘The Godfather’ (1972)
Shortly after Vito declines Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo’s (Al Lettieri) business offer, he is seen picking out oranges at a local fruit stand when he is abruptly ambushed by gunmen. Vito tries to dodge the hail of bullets, but the men manage to hit him with several rounds before falling to the pavement. As the men flee, Vito’s oranges are scattered around the sidewalk and Vito’s lifeless body as his son, Fredo, falls to the ground, overcome by shock and fear as to what had just transpired.
Out of all the scenes that feature oranges, the one involving the assassination attempt on Vito is one of the most well-known and was even referenced in The Sopranos when two men try to gun down Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) while he’s buying orange juice. This is also one scene that initially sparked any notion that there may be something to the presence of oranges, deeming it to be a crucial and visually stunning scene, also highlighting Coppola’s clever use of the bright fruit in the aerial shot, which correlates perfectly with the pitch-black pavement where Vito lies motionless.
1
Salvatore Tessio at Connie’s Wedding
‘The Godfather’ (1972)
The Godfather opens during the wedding of Vito’s daughter, Connie (Talia Shire), which is a large and festive celebration full of people who are dancing and conversing at the Corelone home. As the camera moves about the joyous occasion, it stops on Vito’s wife, Carmela (Morgana King), who is sitting at a table with Vito’s longtime friend and loyal capo, Salvatore Tessio (Abe Vigoda), who is holding an orange in his hands.
Most scenes that feature oranges last for a few minutes and give the audience time to notice them, but the scene with Tessio and the orange is one that is quick and can easily be missed by any viewer who isn’t paying close attention. The importance of Tessio holding the orange, especially while sitting next to Carmela, is crucial and essentially gives away at the very beginning that Tessio will be the source of some danger for the Corleone family. Between the quick shot and the significance of Tessio’s shocking betrayal, this is perhaps one of if not, the best scenes where an orange serves as foreshadowing in The Godfather movies.
