This article
is about the 1972 film. For the novel on which the film is based, see The
Godfather (novel). For male godparent in many Christian traditions, see
Godfather.
In
1945, at his daughter Connie's wedding, Vito Corleone hears requests in his
role as the Godfather, the Don of a
New York crime family. Vito's youngest son, Michael, who was a Marine during
World War II, introduces his girlfriend, Kay Adams, to his family at the
reception. Johnny Fontane, a famous singer and Vito's godson, seeks Vito's help
in securing a movie role; Vito dispatches his consigliere, Tom Hagen, to Los
Angeles to persuade the obnoxious studio head, Jack Woltz, to give Johnny the
part. Woltz refuses until he wakes up in bed with the severed head of his
prized stallion.
Shortly
before Christmas, drug baron Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo, backed by
the Tattaglia crime family, asks Vito for investment in his narcotics business
and protection through his political connections. Wary of involvement in a
dangerous new trade that risks alienating political insiders, Vito declines.
Suspicious, Vito sends his enforcer, Luca Brasi, to spy on them. However, a
Tattaglia button man garrotes Brasi during Brasi's first meeting with Bruno
Tattaglia and Sollozzo. Later Sollozzo has Vito gunned down in the street, then
kidnaps Hagen. With Corleone first-born Sonny in command, Sollozzo pressures
Hagen to persuade Sonny to accept Sollozzo's deal, then releases him. The family
receives fish wrapped in Brasi's bullet-proof vest, indicating that Luca
"sleeps with the fishes." Vito survives, and at the hospital Michael
thwarts another attempt on his father; Michael's jaw is broken by NYPD Captain
Marc McCluskey, Sollozzo's bodyguard. Sonny retaliates with a hit on Bruno
Tattaglia. Michael plots to murder Sollozzo and McCluskey: on the pretext of
settling the dispute, Michael agrees to meet them in a Bronx restaurant. There,
retrieving a planted handgun, he kills both men.
Despite
a clampdown by the authorities, the Five Families erupt in open warfare and
Vito's sons fear for their safety. Michael takes refuge in Sicily and Fredo is
sheltered by Moe Greene in Las Vegas. Sonny attacks his brother-in-law Carlo on
the street for abusing his sister and threatens to kill him if it happens
again. When it does, Sonny speeds to their home, but is ambushed at a highway
toll booth and riddled with submachine gun fire. While in Sicily, Michael meets
and marries Apollonia Vitelli, but a car bomb intended for him takes her life.
Devastated
by Sonny's death, Vito moves to end the feuds. Realizing that the Tattaglias
are controlled by the now-dominant Don Emilio Barzini, Vito assures the Five
Families that he will withdraw his opposition to their heroin business and
forgo avenging his son's murder. His safety guaranteed, Michael returns home to
enter the family business and marry Kay, who gives birth to two children by the
early 1950s.
With
his father at the end of his career and his brother too weak, Michael takes the
family reins, promising his wife the business will be legitimate within five
years. To that end, he insists Hagen relocate to Las Vegas and relinquish his
role to Vito because Tom is not a "wartime consigliere"; Vito agrees
Tom should "have no part in what will happen" in the coming battles
with rival families. When Michael travels to Las Vegas to buy out Greene's
stake in the family's casinos, their partner derides the Corleones for being
run out of New York; Michael is dismayed to see that Fredo has fallen under
Greene's sway.
Vito
suffers a fatal heart attack. At the funeral, Tessio, a Corleone capo, asks
Michael to meet with Don Barzini, signalling the betrayal that Vito had
forewarned. The meeting is set for the same day as the christening of Connie’s
baby. While Michael stands at the altar as the child's godfather, Corleone
assassins murder the other New York dons and Moe Greene. Tessio is executed for
his treachery and Michael extracts Carlo’s confession to his complicity in setting
up Sonny's murder for Barzini. A Corleone capo, Clemenza, garrotes Carlo with a
wire. Connie accuses Michael of the murder, telling Kay that Michael ordered
all the killings. Kay is relieved when Michael finally denies it, but, when the
capos arrive, they address her husband as Don Corleone, and she watches as they
close the door on her.
