The Godfather Page #3

HAGEN:

Hello Kay. Your father's inside,

doing some business.

(privately)

He's been asking for you.

MICHAEL:

Thanks Tom.

HAGEN smiles and moves back to the house, LUCA ominously

following.

KAY:

If he's your brother, why does he

have a different name?

MICHAEL:

My brother Sonny found him living

in the streets when he was a kid,

so my father took him in. He's a

good lawyer.

INT DAY:
DON'S OFFICE (SUMMER 1945)

DON CORLEONE at the window. He has seen the intimacy of the

YOUNG COUPLE.

LUCA (O.S.)

Don Corleone...

THE DON turns to the stiffly formal LUCA, and he moves

forward to kiss his hand. He takes the envelope from his

jacket, holds it out, but does not release it until he makes

a formal speech.

LUCA:

(with difficulty)

Don Corleone...I am honored, and

grateful...that you invited me to

your home...on the wedding day of

your...daughter.

May their first child...be a

masculine child. I pledge my never

ending loyalty.

(he offers the envelope)

For your daughter's bridal purse.

DON CORLEONE:

Thank you, Luca, my most valued

friend.

THE DON takes it, and then LUCA's hand, which he squeezes so

tightly we might imagine it to be painful.

LUCA:

Let me leave you, Don Corleone. I

know you are busy.

He turns, almost an about-face, and leaves the study with

the same formality he entered with. DON CORLEONE breathes

more easily, and gives the thick envelope to HAGEN.

DON CORLEONE:

I'm sure it's the most generous

gift today.

HAGEN:

The Senator called--apologized for

not coming personally, but said

you'd understand. Also, some of

the Judges...they've all sent gifts.

And another call from Virgil

Sollozzo.

DON CORLEONE is not pleased.

HAGEN:

The action is narcotics. Sollozzo

has contacts in Turkey for the

poppy, in Sicily for the plants to

process down to morphine or up to

heroin. Also he has access to this

country. He's coming to us for

financial help, and some sort of

immunity from the law. For that we

get a piece of the action, I

couldn't find out how much.

Sollozzo is vouched for by the

Tattaglia family, and they may have

a piece of the action. They call

Sollozzo the Turk.

He's spent a lot of time in Turkey

and is suppose to have a Turkish

wife and kids. He's suppose to be

very quick with the knife, or was,

when he was younger. Only in

matters of business and with some

reasonable complaint. Also he has

an American wife and three children

and he is a good family man.

THE DON nods.

HAGEN:

He's his own boss, and very

competent.

DON CORLEONE:

And with prison record.

HAGEN:

Two terms; one in Italy, one in the

United States. He's known to the

Government as a top narcotics man.

That could be a plus for us; he

could never get immunity to testify.

DON CORLEONE:

When did he call?

HAGEN:

This morning.

DON CORLEONE:

On a day like this. Consiglero, do

you also have in your notes the the

Turk made his living from

Prostitution before the war, like

the Tattaglias do now. Write that

down before you forget it. The

Turk will wait.

We now begin to hear a song coming over the loud-speakers

from outside. In Italian, with unmistakable style.

DON CORLEONE:

What that? It sounds like Johnny.

He moves to the window, pulls the blinds up, flooding the

room with light.

DON CORLEONE:

It is Johnny. He came all the way

from California to be at the wedding.

HAGEN:

Should I bring him in.

DON CORLEONE:

No. Let the people enjoy him. You

see? He is a good godson.

HAGEN:

It's been two years. He's probably

in trouble again.

EXT DAY:
MALL (SUMMER 1945)

JOHNNY FONTANE on the bandstand, singing to the delight and

excitement of the wedding GUESTS.

KAY:

I didn't know your family knew

Johnny Fontane.

MICHAEL:

Sure.

KAY:

I used to come down to New York

whenever he sang at the Capitol and

scream my head off.

MICHAEL:

He's my father's godson; he owes

him his whole career.

JOHNNY finishes the song and the CROWD screams with delight.

They call out for another when DON CORLEONE appears.

DON CORLEONE:

My Godson has come three thousand

miles to do us honor and no one

thinks to wet his throat.

At once a dozen wine glasses are offered to JOHNNY, who

takes a sip from each as he moves to embrace his GODFATHER.

JOHNNY:

I kept trying to call you after my

divorce and Tom always said you

were busy. When I got the Wedding

invitation I knew you weren't sore

at me anymore, Godfather.

DON CORLEONE:

Can I do something for you still?

You're not too rich, or too famous

that I can't help you?

JOHNNY:

I'm not rich anymore, Godfather,

and...my career, I'm almost washed

up...

He's very disturbed. The GODFATHER indicates that he come

with him to the office so no one will notice. He turns to

HAGEN.

DON CORLEONE:

Tell Santino to come in with us.

He should hear some things.

They go, leaving HAGEN scanning the party looking for SONNY.

INT DAY:
DON'S OFFICE (SUMMER 1945)

HAGEN glances up the staircase.

HAGEN:

Sonny?

Then he goes up.

INT DAY:
DON'S UPSTAIRS ROOM (SUMMER 1945)

SONNY and LUCY are in a room upstairs; he has lifted her

gown's skirts almost over her head, and has her standing

against the door. Her face peeks out from the layers of

petticoats around it like a flower in ecstasy.

LUCY:

Sonnyeeeeeeee.

Her head bouncing against the door with the rhythm of his

body. But there is a knocking as well. They stop, freeze

in that position.

HAGEN (O.S.)

Sonny? Sonny, you in there?

INT DAY:
DON'S UPSTAIRS HALLWAY (SUMMER 1945)

Outside, HAGEN by the door.

HAGEN:

The old man wants you; Johnny's

here...he's got a problem.

SONNY (O.S.)

Okay. One minute.

HAGEN hesitates. We HEAR LUCY's head bouncing against the

door again. TOM leaves.

INT DAY:
DON'S OFFICE (SUMMER 1945)

DON CORLEONE:

ACT LIKE A MAN! By Christ in

Heaven, is it possible you turned

out no better than a Hollywood

finocchio.

Both HAGEN and JOHNNY cannot refrain from laughing. The DON

smiles. SONNY enters as noiselessly as possible, still

adjusting his clothes.

DON CORLEONE:

All right, Hollywood...Now tell me

about this Hollywood Pezzonovanta

who won't let you work.

JOHNNY:

He owns the studio. Just a month

ago he bought the movie rights to

this book, a best seller. And the

main character is a guy just like

me. I wouldn't even have to act,

just be myself.

The DON is silent, stern.

DON CORLEONE:

You take care of your family?

JOHNNY:

Sure.

He glances at SONNY, who makes himself as inconspicuous as

he can.

DON CORLEONE:

You look terrible. I want you to

eat well, to rest. And spend time

with your family. And then, at the

end of the month, this big shot

will give you the part you want.

JOHNNY:

It's too late. All the contracts

have been signed, they're almost

ready to shoot.

DON CORLEONE:

I'll make him an offer he can't

refuse.

He takes JOHNNY to the door, pinching his cheek hard enough

to hurt.

DON CORLEONE:

Now go back to the party and leave

it to me.

He closes the door, smiling to himself. Turns to HAGEN.

DON CORLEONE:

When does my daughter leave with

her bridegroom?

HAGEN:

They'll cut the cake in a few

minutes...leave right after that.

Your new son-in-law, do we give him

something important?

Rate this script:3.9 / 20 votes