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‘The Godfather’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan

January 8, 2019 · The Godfather (1972) · Crime · Drama · 2:06:48 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 32:12Listed multiple candidates including Salazzo meeting the Corleones to pitch his deal, and Clemenza making meatballs while giving Michael advice

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 45:28The house in The Godfather was also used as the Stanwyck house in Fletch

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 55:11Abe Vigoda as Tessio — 'Tell Michael it was only business, I always liked him' — loves that the business-vs-personal thread is kept to the bitter end.
Sean Fennessey▶ 55:27The Don's death scene — the oranges and playing with Anthony in the garden — still holds up beautifully.

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 55:17How about you get me off the hook, Tom? For old times sake. Can't do it, Sally.

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 58:42Kate Corleone character - finds her behavior unrealistic and problematic, particularly how she takes Michael back after he disappeared for years and married someone else
Chris Ryan▶ 1:02:16Agrees with Bill about problems with Kate Corleone character, though distinguishes between the character being problematic vs Diane Keaton's performance
Sean Fennessey▶ 58:47Defends Kate Corleone character as necessary - argues she serves as the audience avatar and that her holding a candle for Michael is believable

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:28George C. Scott — Lists extensive casting alternatives including George C. Scott for Don Vito, Warren Beatty/Jack Nicholson for Michael, Ryan O'Neill preference by Robert Evans, De Niro originally cast as Pauly, and Stallone auditioning for Pauly/Carlo roles
Chris Ryan▶ 1:11:01Robert Redford — Notes Redford fits the book description for Michael, agrees Stallone would have been good as Carlo the shitbag
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:10:20George C. Scott — George C. Scott would have been interesting as Don Vito - has the weight and tortured, dark affect, though not Italian

The 10 Godfather Lessons for Life

Unranked list · Bill Simmons · ▶ 1:12:57

  1. ·It's not personal, it's only business▶ 1:12:57
  2. ·Never let anyone outside your family know what you're thinking▶ 1:13:19
  3. ·In Sicily, women are more dangerous than shotguns▶ 1:13:39
  4. ·Never take sides against your family in public▶ 1:13:46
  5. ·If your biggest rival sets up a meeting through someone you trust, you'll be assassinated▶ 1:14:02
  6. ·No Sicilian can refuse a request on his daughter's wedding day▶ 1:15:04
  7. ·When you shoot somebody in public, drop the gun and walk briskly▶ 1:15:18
  8. ·Women and children can be careless, but not men▶ 1:15:48
  9. ·Make your meatballs and sausages first, then put them in the tomato sauce and add wine▶ 1:15:53
  10. ·A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man▶ 1:16:05

Bill's Mount Rushmore for the Dion Waiters Award

Mount Rushmore · Bill Simmons · ▶ 1:16:29

  1. ·Clemenza▶ 1:16:29
  2. ·Salazzo▶ 1:16:29
  3. ·Mo Green▶ 1:16:30
  4. ·Jack Waltz▶ 1:16:32

Categories, continued

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:41John Marley — Jack Waltz - said he fits the award definition best, being in three scenes and 'dialed up to 100 in all of them'
Chris Ryan▶ 1:18:02Alex Rocco — Mo Green - compared him to a player who 'plays eight minutes, scores 15 points, tears Achilles' and goes out amazingly with his death scene
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:19:35John Marley — Jack Waltz - praised his performance as constant heat checks, especially the horse head scream scene

All the one-episode crime dramas Alex Rocco was in

Unranked list · Bill Simmons · ▶ 1:23:45

  1. ·The Rookies▶ 1:23:45
  2. ·Kojak▶ 1:23:46
  3. ·Cannon▶ 1:23:46
  4. ·The Blue Knight▶ 1:23:47
  5. ·Police Story▶ 1:23:48
  6. ·The Rockford Files▶ 1:23:49
  7. ·Barnaby Jones▶ 1:23:50
  8. ·Beretta▶ 1:23:51
  9. ·Starsky and Hutch▶ 1:23:51
  10. ·Del Vecchio▶ 1:23:53
  11. ·Chips▶ 1:23:54
  12. ·Matt Houston▶ 1:23:54
  13. ·Hardcastle and McCormick▶ 1:23:55
  14. ·Simon▶ 1:23:57
  15. ·TJ Hooker▶ 1:23:58

Categories, continued

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:28:47Gordon Willis — Not apex for any of the major stars - not James Caan, Coppola, Pacino, or Brando. Considers Gordon Willis and Robert Evans as possibilities.
Chris Ryan▶ 1:29:20Gordon Willis — Gordon Willis for cinematography and Al Martino
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:28:56Robert Evans — Not apex for James Caan since he'll be one of the biggest movie stars in three years. Agrees on Robert Evans as a possibility.

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:59:41Francis Ford Coppola — Torn between Pacino (who transforms and couldn't be replaced) and Coppola (who made an unprecedented film), ultimately seems to lean toward Coppola while also mentioning Bob Evans as a possible supporting case
Chris Ryan▶ 1:59:29Francis Ford Coppola — Francis Ford Coppola - agrees with Sean, considered Gordon Willis briefly but doesn't want to get too cute
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:58:36Francis Ford Coppola — Francis Ford Coppola - because he sets a new course for his career, creates the most important movie in American history, and turns a trashy novel into the highest art form

Movies Referenced (29)

The Godfather Part II (1974)

13 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chinatown (1974)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 4:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jaws (1975)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 0:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Miami Vice (2006)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 45:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Love Story (1970)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 13:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Easy Rider (1969)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:59:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Goodfellas (1990)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 19:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

On the Waterfront (1954)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 24:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rollerball (1975)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:26:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rushmore (1998)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 29:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 2:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Godfather Part III (1990)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 2:03:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (10)

Francis Ford Coppola

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II▶ 16:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

AFI

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 22:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Arthur Penn

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Bonnie and Clyde, The Miracle Worker▶ 12:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bob Fosse

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Cabaret, All That Jazz▶ 27:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Clooney

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Ides of March, Good Night, and Good Luck., Michael Clayton▶ 1:04:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Moore

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Bowling for Columbine▶ 28:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Otto Preminger

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Stalag 17, Anatomy of a Murder, Laura▶ 12:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Peter Jackson

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Bad Taste, King Kong▶ 1:05:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sofia Coppola

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Godfather Part III, The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation▶ 1:24:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Von Ryan

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (62)

Marlon Brando

37 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, On the Waterfront▶ 10:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Sinatra

31 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for From Here to Eternity, High Society▶ 51:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Pacino

28 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 12:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Nicholson

25 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed▶ 5:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Hayden

20 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 9:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Martino

15 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for The Godfather, The Godfather Part III▶ 1:05:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Caan

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Thief, Rollerball, Misery▶ 9:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Evans

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Chinatown, Marathon Man▶ 11:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Abe Vigoda

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Godfather, Good Burger▶ 55:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alex Rocco

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Godfather, The Wedding Planner▶ 52:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert De Niro

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 10:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Diane Keaton

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Annie Hall, Reds, Something's Gotta Give▶ 58:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (8)

George Lucas

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, THX 1138, American Graffiti▶ 1:04:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mario Puzo

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Godfather, Superman, The Godfather Part II▶ 14:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 23:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Cameron

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 28:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jackie Files

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Peter Bart

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Revenge of the Nerds, Fun with Dick and Jane, Youngblood▶ 15:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Towne

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Chinatown, Mission: Impossible, The Last Detail▶ 40:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Goldman

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride▶ 26:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Gordon Willis

6 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Godfather Part II, Manhattan▶ 13:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗