The Godfather: 10 Best Kills, Ranked

It wouldn’t be a mob movie if there weren’t any kills, as this genre revels in bringing these on-screen in abundance. Strangely, The Godfather isn’t usually noted for the scenes that highlight the violence that comes with the gangster life. And yet, there are many character deaths available here. 

The unique aspect of the series is that these kills aren’t just shown for the heck of it, but have a meaning attached to the overall story. Among these are the ones that resonate the most due to the effectiveness of the kill and the impact they have on the characters and the series at large.

10 Don Fanucci: Shot Through Makeshift Silencer

Vito Corleone is generally agreed to be a better Don than his son Michael because of the timing of his decisions. The killing of Don Fanucci was a calculating decision as well, with Vito going through with it during a parade and with the use of a makeshift silencer on his gun.

As Fanucci returned to his house, Vito shot him straight-up with the cloth muffling the sound of the bullets along with the noise from the parade. This smart strategy does deserve points, along with the satisfaction of seeing the cruel Don Fanucci get his just desserts.

9 Moe Greene: Eye Shot

During Michael’s purge of all the figures that threatened the Corleones, Moe Greene happened to be one of his targets. This was due to Greene refusing to sell his share of the casino the Corleones wanted while colluding with the Barzinis and he certainly paid for it.

While getting a massage, Greene was ambushed without him even realizing it. The gunman entered the room and shot Greene straight in the eye just when he put his glasses on. This ended being rather hilarious as Greene simply fell back down as if he were taking a nap.

8 Mary Corleone: Shot In The Chest

This lands on this list due to the emotional weight it brings. With the series minutes away from concluding, Mary went up to her father to confront him for making Vincent break up with her. At the steps of the opera, Michael’s would-be assassin took his chance and shot at him.

The bullet went through Michael — miraculously leaving him unharmed — and hit Mary instead, instantly killing her. With Michael having commissioned the death of his brother years earlier, this was poetic justice as another dearly beloved family member was killed.

7 Don Ciccio: Stabbed In Revenge

Vito had a bunch of wise quotes to share during his time as Don, which was a result of him finding peace after gaining revenge for his father. Many years after Don Ciccio got Vito’s father killed, the latter tracked him down to even the score.

Under the guise of seeking Ciccio’s blessing for a business, Vito got close and gave him a “gift,” which involved stabbing the old man and slicing his stomach for added effect. Knowing what a horrible person Ciccio was, he had this death coming for a long time.

6 Fredo Corleone: Shot During A Hail Mary

The fact that Michael so easily got his own brother killed makes him the scariest character in the series. The kill itself is oddly satisfying, perhaps because it completed the downfall of Michael so spectacularly you just have to marvel at it.

Fredo was accompanied by Al Neri in the boat, the man specifically there to take his life. While saying a Hail Mary to catch fish, Neri quietly trained the gun on Fredo’s head and killed him. The complete silence, both in the surroundings and on Michael’s disposition, made the scene very chilling indeed and proved that The Godfather didn’t need complete violence to make an impact.

5 The Horse: Jack Woltz’s Morning Present

The horse death has garnered significant attention for behind-the-scenes facts from the film. The scene itself might not show the actual killing, but it says more than enough for it to still be considered as a kill. It easily had the most bloodshed in the entire trilogy.

The kill also doubled as a comedic moment, as Jack Woltz acted big and tough the previous night, only to be shown screaming like a helpless little boy when he saw the head of his favorite horse next to him in bed. It’s a shame about the poor horse, but the kill did do its job.

4 Paulie Gatto: Whacked In The Car

Paulie’s role in setting up the Don’s assassination guaranteed him a whacking in the near future. This came into fruition when Clemenza had Paulie drive them around the city into the outskirts for no reason other than to have somewhere to dispose of his body.

With one shot to the back of the head, Paulie was whacked like the no-good traitor he was. The kill scene was complete with Clemenza uttering the famous quote “leave the gun, take the cannoli,” and it was also a good representation of how easily the mob can have you killed.

3 Virgil Sollozzo & Mark McCluskey: Shot Point-Blank In The Head

Michael certainly has a long list of awful things he did, but you can’t count this among those. That’s because he delivered the perfect death to Sollozzo and McCluskey, both of whom had wanted Don Vito dead and began a war among the families.

It was a scene that solidified how Michael was far from a person to be taken lightly, as he suddenly stood up and firstly shot Sollozzo. McCluskey’s death was far more animated as he wriggled around for a few seconds before succumbing. The kill was superb because the tension preceding it was so immense that the explosive payoff was totally worth it.

2 Luca Brasi: Sleeping With The Fishes

If you want to know what a mob death looks like, then there’s no better example. Brutal and very realistic, Luca Brasi’s demise is unsettling yet quite iconic in the long-run. Blindsided by the sudden attack, he was finished in an agonizing few seconds.

Luca was firstly stabbed in the hand, and his scream of pain was throttled the next second by a garrote wire to the neck. The sounds of final breaths really drive home just how violent being whacked can be, although Luca “sleeping with the fishes” is somewhat of a humorous touch.

1 Carlo Rizzi: Garroted Out Of Revenge

Some mistakenly assume the Corleones to be among the worst families in cinema for their violence. However, they certainly did have each other’s backs, as Michael took revenge for Sonny. Carlo was the one who set Sonny’s death up, for which he paid with his life.

After Michael put him in a false sense of security when Carlo was threatened, the latter was seated in the front seat of a car with Clemenza in the back. Carlo was promptly garroted from behind, with his thrashes in vain as he was only successful in breaking the car window. The sheer satisfaction of seeing Carlo get his comeuppance makes this kill worth the film’s runtime.

About The Author

Saim Cheeda
(1354 Articles Published)

Saim Cheeda is an entertainment writer covering all of Film, TV, Gaming and Books. He’s been a writer for Valnet since 2017, contributing 500+ articles for The Gamer, The Things, Game Rant, Comic Book Resources and Screen Rant. Apart from freelance writing, Saim is a lifestyle blogger, co-owning the blog 3 States Apart.

http://3statesapart.com

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