The Godfather Page #21

DON TOMMASSINO waves them off, as the little car drives off,

rocky and bouncing on the dirt road.

The Sunday churchbells ring.

--------------------------------------DISSOLVE----------

EXT DAY:
VITELLI HOUSE

MICHAEL is presented to each of the Vitelli relatives, by

the yard of their little hilltop house; the BROTHERS; the

MOTHER, who is given a gift; several UNCLES and AUNTS.

Finally APPOLONIA enters, dressed beautifully in appropriate

Sunday clothing. Now he presents the wrapped gift to

APPOLONIA. She looks at her MOTHER, who with a nod gives

her permission to open it. She unwraps it. Her eyes light

at the sight of a heavy gold chain; to be worn as a necklace.

She looks at him.

APPOLONIA:

Grazia.

--------------------------------------DISSOLVE----------

EXT DAY:
VITELLI CAFE

Now the little Alpha drives into the village near VITELLI's

cafe.

MICHAEL is, as ever, accompanied with his two BODYGUARDS,

though they are all dressed differently.

They go up to the cafe...and sit with VITELLI, who is

talking and talking.

MICHAEL looks at APPOLONIA; who sits, respectfully quiet.

She wears the gold necklace around her neck.

--------------------------------------DISSOLVE----------

EXT DAY:
HILLTOP NEAR VITELLI HOME

MICHAEL and APPOLONIA are walking through a hilltop path,

seemingly alone, although a respectful distance apart.

As the VIEW PANS with them, we notice that her MOTHER and a

half dozen AUNTS are twenty paces behind them, and ten paces

further behind are CALO and FABRIZZIO, their luparas on

their shoulders.

Further up the hill, APPOLONIA stumbles on a loose stone,

and falls briefly onto MICHAEL's arm. She modestly regains

her balance, and they continue walking.

Behind them, her MOTHER giggles to herself.

--------------------------------------DISSOLVE----------

EXT DAY:
VITELLI VILLAGE CHURCH

Church bells in an ancient belfry ring out. Music, old and

dissonant, plays.

There is a bridal procession in the street of the village;

the same in feeling and texture as it might have been five

hundred years ago.

Donkeys and other animals have been decorated with abundant

flowers; children carrying candles and wearing white

confirmation gowns walk in the procession, followed by

countless townspeople, members of the clergy, even the police.

We present the entire bridal procession and ceremony with

all the ritual and pageantry, as it has always been, in

Sicily.

APPOLONIA is radiant as the Bride; MICHAEL is handsome

despite the grotesque jaw and occasional white handkerchief.

--------------------------------------DISSOLVE----------

EXT NITE:
VITELLI VILLAGE SQUARE

CALO and FABRIZZIO dance wildly through the night of the

great wedding celebration. It is held in the Village

Square; under the watchful eyes of SHEPHERDS above on the

tops of buildings, carrying luparas.

--------------------------------------DISSOLVE----------

INT NITE:
MICHAEL'S ROOM IN VILLA

MICHAEL opens the shutters in his darkened room; moonlight

fills the room.

He turns, and there, in her wedding slip, is APPOLONIA. A

little frightened; but lovely.

He moves to her; and for a moment just stands before her,

looking at her incredible face; her lovely hair and body.

Slowly and tenderly he kisses her. Her tiny hands come up

to his face; touch his cheek and embrace him.

She lets her bridal slip fall to the floor.

--------------------------------------FADE OUT----------

INT DAY:
MICHAEL'S ROOM AT VILLA

Morning. MICHAEL sits on the window ledge, gazing into the

room.

APPOLONIA is asleep; she is naked, and only partially

covered by the bedsheets.

He looks at her for a long time in the early morning light.

EXT DAY:
TOMMASSINO COURTYARD

HIGH ANGLE ON DON TOMMASSINO'S VILLA

We HEAR girlish laughter; the little Alpha is driving

erratically, knocking down an occasional wall, and almost

hitting th inner court wall.

APPOLONIA is laughing, driving. MICHAEL pretends to be

frightened, as he teaches her to drive.

Outside the walls, we notice SHEPHERDS with luparas, walking

guard duty.

The car stops and a laughing MICHAEL gets out.

MICHAEL:

It's safer to teach you English.

APPOLONIA:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

Thursday, Friday...See, I learned

it. Now teach me to drive!

DON TOMMASSINO enters the Courtyard. He seems tired and

concerned.

MICHAEL:

Ciao, Don Tommassino.

APPOLONIA kisses him.

MICHAEL:

Things went badly in Palermo?

DON TOMMASSINO:

The younger men have no respect.

Things are changing; I don't know

what will happen. Michael, because

of the wedding, people now know

your name.

MICHAEL:

Is that why there are more men on

the walls?

DON TOMMASSINO:

Even so, I don't think it is safe

here anymore. I've made plans to

move you to a villa near Siracuse.

You must go right away.

MICHAEL:

What is it?

DON TOMMASSINO:

Bad news from America. Your

brother, Santino. He has been

killed.

For a moment, the whole world of New York, Sollozzo, the

Five Family War, all comes back to MICHAEL.

EXT DAY:
VILLA COURTYARD

Morning. MICHAEL leans out of the bedroom window.

Below, FABRIZZIO is sitting in one of the garden chairs,

combing his thick hair.

MICHAEL whistles and FABRIZZIO looks up to his window.

MICHAEL:

Get the car. I'll be leaving in

ten minutes. Where's Calo?

FABRIZZIO:

Calo is having a cup of coffee in

the kitchen. Is your wife coming

with you?

MICHAEL:

No, she's going home to her family.

She'll join me in a few weeks...

INT DAY:
VILLA KITCHEN

MICHAEL, dressed, crosses from the hallway, and into the

kitchen. CALO is just finishing a bite. He rises when he

sees MICHAEL.

CALO:

Should I get your bag?

MICHAEL:

No, I'll get it. Where's Appolonia?

CALO:

(smiling)

She is sitting in the driver's seat

of the car, dying to step on the

gas. She'll be a real American

woman before she gets to America.

MICHAEL smiles.

MICHAEL:

Tell Fabrizzio and wait for me in

the car.

He leaves the kitchen, after a quick sip of coffee.

He looks out from the opening in the doorway.

EXT DAY:
VILLA COURTYARD

There is the car, with APPOLONIA sitting in the driver's

seat, playing with the wheel like a child.

CALO moves to the car, and puts a lunch basket in the rear

seat.

Then MICHAEL seems disturbed.

Over, on the other side of the courtyard, he sees FABRIZZIO

disappear through the gate.

MICHAEL:

(muttering to himself)

Where the hell is he going?

MICHAEL goes down the hallway, and outside.

MICHAEL steps out into the bright sunlight of the outer

courtyard, causing him to shade his eyes.

APPOLONIA sees him, and waves, motioning that he should stay

where he is.

APPOLONIA:

(calling out)

I'll drive to you.

He smiles affectionately.

CALO stands beside the car, smiling, with his lupara dangling

by his side. There is no sight of FABRIZZIO. Suddenly the

smile fades from MICHAEL's face. He steps forward and holds

out his hand.

MICHAEL:

No. No!

His shout is drowned in the roar of a tremendous EXPLOSION,

as she switched on the ignition.

Rate this script:3.9 / 20 votes