Still,The Godfather’s story is as much about life and death as it is crime and violence.
When Vito dies inThe Godfather, he is outside in a garden setting, relaxing as a retired man.
The sun is out, and Vito plays with his grandson while snacking on an ominous orange.
Michael’s final minutes inThe Godfather PartIIImirror Vito’s almost perfectly.
Both scenes portray their ex-dons as harmless old men enjoying the simplicity and stillness of nature.
The crucial difference is thatMichael dies alone.
This is the only aspect of Vito’s final sceneThe Godfather Part IIIdoes not give Michael.
The Godfather contains one of the most classic, dramatic finales in cinematic history.
But how does the ending play out, and what does it mean?
The sight of Michael abandoned by children, grandchildren, lovers, and friends makes his ending inherently sadder.
That Michael is undeniably the colder of the two dons might be the reason.
As ruthless and hardened as Vito can be, he maintains a relatively cuddly family man exterior.
Custom image by Ana Nieves
This warmth is arguably what prevents Vito from dying alone.
Despite a far more tragic passing, Michael achieves what Vito never could.
Michael, on the other hand, takes on a more steely persona after inheriting the family business.
Ultimately, this distinction can explain why one don dies alone, yet the other does not.
From another angle,Michael dying alone can also be viewed as a selfless act of kindnesstowards his family.
Vito only dies playing with his grandson because he manages to keep his children close to the family business.
By accepting a lonelier death, Michael bargains for the protection of his remaining family members.
Curiously, this is what Vito always wanted for Michael.
Despite a far more tragic passing, Michael achieves what Vito never could.
The audience is then left to decide for itself what Michael’s actual final moments look like.
The Godfather Codahas an 86% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes compared to the original cut’s 67%.
The Godfatheris one of the most iconic and influential film franchises in cinematic history.
The first two films, in particular, are widely regarded as some of the greatest films ever made.
