There is something sweet about a man who does not match the fear he inspires—who is quickly deemed the ‘scary’ guy while possessing a slightly softer, grateful side within. Kay echoes this notion at the wedding, remarking to Michael in a low tone, “See that scary guy over there?” The actor who fills this “scary guy” role is 6’6” Lenny Montana, an ex-wrestler who had been known by the moniker “The Zebra Kid” and was the World Champion at one point. He wasn’t sure if it was Barzini or Tataglia. Surely, no violence can erupt in a place as sedate and sophisticated as this? He is out of place—a dark, lonely figure situated among a landscape of brilliant white. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Why was he suspicious? Our emotional response to Luca’s death hinges on what we’ve come to know about him: at this point in our experience of the film, he is not just some brawny, dispensable crony, but rather an actualized, round character. I'm watching it for the first the. Teachers and parents!

Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Brasi’s suffering is key to the film’s greater significance, as this short scene marks a monumental turning point within it. This Brasi exhausts himself with perfecting a memorized speech of gratitude, and even gives money afterward for the bridal purse of the Don’s daughter. He is a fabricated defector who must, for now, bury his unshakable allegiance to Corleone. Sollozzo, chatty and encouraging, leads the conversation with a piercing, alert gaze. Tattaglia immediately sets the tone, introducing himself as if he were all smiles and good cheer: “Luca! -Graham S. The timeline below shows where the character Luca Brasi appears in. but luca was extremely loyal, and the enemy saw through that. Sollozzo was extremely smart, plus he had Barzini in his corner that knew Don Corleone all too well. The opposing family would have surely known about Luca, and his strong affiliation with the Corleone's. Ah, right.

We are here directed to see how Luca will fare, this loyal, eagerly-obliging man who has been thrust into the Don’s dirty work.
A film is written thrice — in pre-production through screenwriting, in production through shooting, and in, In a film as eminently quotable as Coppola’s The Godfather, perhaps only one choice line emerged, Alcoholic beverages – wines and spirits – are an essential aspect of Italian-American dining culture. He wasn't a advisor. Then when Luca spied on Sollozzo, why was he killed if it looked like he was switching sides? We cannot help having some stored attachment for this man, who first endears himself to us at the wedding with his poorly performed thank you to the Don. While he is slow-witted and brutish, Brasi is feared throughout the criminal underworld as a savage killer. Sonny also wonder what happened to, ...orders Clemenza to kill Paulie Gatto. the giveaway in that scene is when luca refused the cigar (if i remember correctly) which was a sign of disrespect as well. Instead of ceasing, Brasi’s strangulation is extended as long as possible. He sends Luca to feel him out more as a mole, or maybe to lay a future potential trap. ( Annotated Godfather , 75) In the film, Brasi is a much-abbreviated version of this ruthless killer, but he is fleshed out just enough, and with singular idiosyncrasies, to draw our attachment. First impression-wise, it is difficult for the viewer to focus on any aspect of Brasi other than his gigantism. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Then the quiet, steady hum of this scene is shattered in an instant. And even if it does, we have faith in the reliable, tried-and-true Brasi. The death of Brasi is much more than transactional—not “strictly business,” to use a phrase from the film. His eyes are pushed out of their sockets and become two vacant bulges as his tongue sticks unnaturally outside his mouth. You might recall that after Luca Brasi was killed, Sonny had Tattaglia's son Bruno killed in response. Luca’s loyalty is executed in the form of a betrayal—one that is acted, of course. In Puzo’s novel, Luca Brasi’s loyalty to Don Corleone is established through a long history of violence—murders committed on Corleone’s behalf. The scene seeds, within the audience, feelings of shock, disgust, betrayal, and sadness—out of which emerges a heightened wonder of ‘What next?’ Moreover, Luca’s eventual death does not mean an end to the violence; it is, in fact, the jump starter for it. The men are Amerigo Bonasera.

Wikipedia says Vito was suspicious of Sollozzo, but why? It was actually Barzini masterminding the whole thing, and he didn’t fall for Brasi’s story, so had him killed. Why is Luca Brasi killed in the godfather?

They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!”, “This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. In preproduction, Coppola’s special effects memo reads, “This is probably the most difficult effect in the movie.” Luca’s dying moments here are backed by sufficient research to capture all the unpleasant physiological changes that occur realistically with strangulation. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. His garments are dark-toned, contrasting with the surge of brightness that is the background. We hit Bruno Tattaglia four o'clock this morning. Our. Jenny M. Jones, The Annotated Godfather (New York: Black Dog & Leventhal, 2007). At the start of the scene that leads to his death, we already know what Luca Brasi really is. He dresses warmly, in welcoming beige and camel-colored tones—all in all, appearing as a lighter flash of color against Luca, who is on the opposite side, darkly attired, stoic and shadowed, with a reserved nature that seems unwittingly out of place.
LitCharts Teacher Editions. The Don knew Sollozzo was a front for one of the other families, so sent Brasi to find out what was happening behind that front. But the longer the camera focuses upon Brasi, the more we see of his contrasting, almost endearing interiority.

Brasi's loyalty to Don Corleone is unquestioned, and he is said to have killed a Corleone soldier for making the Corleone fa… It is emotionally affecting —the poignant consequence of his “pledge [of] never ending loyalty.”. He needed Corleone's bribed judges and police officers to protect his drug distributors. ...one of the Don’s long-time friends. The men also wonder what has happened to. With swift movements and efficient teamwork, the violence occurs almost too quickly to even process. The inaptness of the meeting is magnified by his unrelenting stoniness. Vito didn't take part in the drug trade so it won't affect him. The murder of Luca Brasi colors Sollozzo and Tattaglia as merciless villains, and seeds feelings of shock, disgust, betrayal, and sadness—out of which emerges the heightened question, “What next?”. His looming stature fills up almost the entirety of vertical space from ground to ceiling, as he ascends with a casual, confident gait. Struggling with distance learning? By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our, Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Signet edition of. His face becomes tinged with a purple, bruised color. Luca Brasi was a sort of mad man. It is a test for Sollozzo—in the most obvious sense, we want to know if he can be trusted—but more so it is a test for Luca, our principal interest in this scene. The opposing sides are clear contrasts in this way. After the meeting with Sollozzo and declining his offer, why does Don Corleone send Luca to spy on him? It takes one scene to dramatically color Sollozzo and Tattaglia as merciless villains. Thus, when Luca first steps foot into the club, with the intention to carry out the Don’s plan, a silent tension smothers the air. When we meet the figures of Bruno Tattaglia and Virgil Sollozzo inside, there is something about them that blends into this cool, fashionable setting. It is a mere hallway but spacious, a series of platforms and stairs—pristine, white, heavily mirrored, gold-accented, and possessing an opulence that plainly states “luxury.”. Thanks. Luca had to go if Barzinis plan was going to work out. Luca was the most feared muscle. Vito didn't take part in the drug trade so it won't affect him. And why is Vito suspicious of Sollozzo? A. By the time the garrote is placed around Brasi’s throat by an unknown assailant, we want Luca to overpower him, to use brute strength or even his gun to turn the outcome around.

(including. Brasi’s death, then, opens onto many forms of loss—the loss of a trusted friend, the loss of peace among the Five Families, and all the human losses that we anticipate will arrive with the unprecedented storm that is about reach the Corleones. When he reaches the top he removes his coat and, if we were unsure before about the identity of the tall figure, the wide profile allows us to see him clearly now: it’s Luca Brasi, Don Corleone’s most valued henchman. Yes, he kills for Don Corleone, but he also receives an invitation to an exclusive family wedding; we come to know him purely through this bond to Don Corleone. Don Corleone orders Luca Brasi, one of his most trusted muscle men, to infiltrate the ranks of a rival family and gain their trust and information. The business pauses for a moment, as Brasi, thinking the ‘deal’ over, takes out a cigarette. After the meeting with Sollozzo and declining his offer, why does Don Corleone send Luca to spy on him? Your email address will not be published. He is a man sent out on a mission—a mission by Don Corleone. That was Sollozzo's specialty, and was what he was trying to get Corleone to join him in. From his death alone, The Godfather forges its overarching conflict and defines the ensuing direction of the plot. He is, indeed, a professional. Instant downloads of all 1364 LitChart PDFs The morning after the hospital incident. (c) 2018. He possesses all the properties of a menacing assassin whose sheer bulk and size instantly disclose his raw strength. He strains himself in the midst of merriment. As with many scenes in The Godfather, we could not possibly have guessed the coming action. The night before Don Corleone is shot, ...eat spaghetti, they hear a noise in the kitchen. :). That’s why they started to plot against the Corleones when the deal fell through. There is something ironic about Luca’s presence here, and it is not simply his appearance. Eventually Luca decided he had had enough and killed his father with a two by four, shortly after his father had induced a miscarriage in his wife by stabbing her in the abdomen. This is the Italian-American Mafia—sleek entrepreneurs, cleverly veiled criminals—and this is where they meet, as businesspeople accustomed to a tableau of luxury. “This is a beautiful piece of misdirection.” (Annotated Godfather, 75). Project created by the students of "The Seventies" (UC Berkeley, Spring 2018) From the previous scene, we already know that Luca is to prepare the bait, to feign discontent with the Corleone family, and to ultimately test the waters for this newly emerging character, Sollozzo.