The family unit has always existed within cinema and, when it comes to classic films, the Corleone family from Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather trilogy reigns as one of the most beloved families on the silver screen. Like the majority of families, the Corleone family is not perfect and, of course, has their fair share of flaws and vices, but overall, they try to be a loving family and most are deeply rooted in tradition and honor.
Each main member of the Corleone family brings something unique and distinct to the table. Whether it be Santino’s (James Caan) fiery but passionate temper, Carmela’s (Morgana King) gentle compassion or Vito’s (Marlon Brando) unwavering loyalty and wisdom, the Corleone family is made up of memorable members who all contribute to their family’s timeless cinematic legacy.
He may not be a direct blood relative to the Corleone family, but Carlo Rizzi (Gianni Russo) still plays a pivotal part in the family business and the war between the families that earn him a spot on the list. Let’s be honest, Carlo has absolutely no redeemable qualities and is an all-around terrible person. Not only does he mentally and physically abuse his wife, Connie (Talia Shire), he also has the nerve to knowingly set up Sonny Corleone to be murdered.
…It’s hard for anyone to feel any sympathy for Carlo when he’s greeted by Peter Clemenza.
In a business sense, that’s cold, but to have your own brother-in-law brutally gunned down because he rightfully beat you in the street like the dog you are is just the lowest of lows. Even when Michael confronts him about it at the end of The Godfather, it’s hard for anyone to feel any sympathy for Carlo when he’s greeted by Peter Clemenza (Richard Castellano). Some may think Michael was wrong for having his brother-in-law whacked, but let’s face it, Carlo’s misplaced ego and sense of entitlement would have eventually put him six feet under.
Michael’s wife, Kay Adams (Diane Keaton), serves as the outsider looking in on the Corleone family and, while some may sympathize with her and her unfair situation, she still knew exactly who and what she was marrying into. In Kay’s defense, her choice to leave Michael in The Godfather: Part II was in an effort to try and protect her children, which no one can really blame her for trying to do, but how she goes about it is rather cruel.
The only reason why Kay told him the truth about what happened was because she wanted to hurt Michael, which she successfully achieved.
Michael is initially told by Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) that Kay had lost their third baby, leading him to believe she had suffered a miscarriage. The only reason why Kay told him the truth about what happened was because she wanted to hurt Michael, which she successfully achieved. Whatever someone’s opinion is on Kay’s actual choice is not what earns her place on the list. It’s the fact that she knew what she was getting herself into, and then, when she decided she wanted out, she never thought about how her choices and actions would affect her children and their entire family.
The second son in the Corleone family, Fredo (John Cazale), is what many would consider to be the black sheep of the family who isn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. Despite being Vito’s second-born, Fredo’s weak demeanor and sensitivity condemn him to be passed over and even his own father deems him to be unfit for the job. While he may not be the most suitable successor, his family still loves and accepts him for who he is, knowing he does bring some value to the business on a smaller scale.
…Fredo’s weak demeanor and sensitivity condemn him to be passed over and even his own father deems him to be unfit for the job.
In the beginning, some may even sympathize with Fredo and the unfortunate hand he’s dealt with, but his unforgivable betrayal of going against his own blood is what earns him such a low ranking. Whether he genuinely knew or didn’t know what Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg) and Johnny Ola (Dominic Chianese) were planning isn’t important. Fredo still spoke to people outside the family with the expectation that he would somehow benefit from it. Whoever is willing to go behind their own family’s back for a chance to further their personal gain is someone who can never be trusted by anyone.
Vito and Carmela’s youngest child and only daughter, Connie, is an interesting character who endures a lot of growth and maturity throughout the trilogy. Initially, she’s presented as an emotional and naive young woman who has very little to no experience outside her family’s world. Connie is a source of a lot of drama and her inability to take charge of her life and always turn to Sonny for help unfortunately leads to her brother’s murder.
…Connie eventually turns over a new leaf and becomes one of the stronger members of the Corleone family.
After the death of their mother, Connie begins to show maturity and realizes that everything Michael has ever done was in an effort to protect her and their family. Whether it’s the fallout between Michael and Fredo or their mother’s death, Connie eventually turns over a new leaf and becomes one of the stronger members of the Corleone family. Although Connie starts out as an overly emotional brat, she does grow into a respectable and ruthless matriarch of the Corleone family, which ultimately redeems her.
In The Godfather: Part III, fans meet Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), who is Sonny, and his mistress, Lucy Mancini’s (Jeannie Linero) son. Vincent is very much his father’s son and inherited many of Sonny’s traits, including his infamous temper, impulsivity, and blatant disregard for some forms of authority, but once he’s taken under Michael’s wing, he calms down a bit, showing immense potential as the next head of the Corleone family.
Vincent is very much his father’s son and inherited many of Sonny’s traits…
Everything Michael throws at Vincent, he manages to handle and complete with sheer ease, especially when he successfully deceives Don Osvaldo Altobello (Eli Wallach) by pretending to pledge his allegiance to him. Vincent’s charisma, tact, and courage are hard not to admire and when he steps up to serve Michael and his family, it’s easy to rank him as one of the more likable members of the Corleone family.
Michael has the most fascinating character development in The Godfather movies. He starts out as an honorable war hero with no involvement with his family’s business and transforms into a cold and calculated Don whose relentless efforts to protect and legitimize his family led to his tragic downfall. Now, before rushing off to the comments section, this is about “likability” and while Pacino is simply sublime as Michael, the third Corleone son isn’t exactly meant to be seen as a likable character.
As a mobster, Michael is near perfect, but as a husband and father, he neglects his wife and children and believes that the wealth and luxury he provides them is enough to compensate for his lack of presence and involvement in their lives. What really earns Michael his spot is his choice to kill his brother, Fredo. Yes, what Fredo did is unforgivable, but Michael’s choice to have him killed doesn’t make him any better. Of course, this decision haunts Michael for the rest of his life and is hands down the worst thing a brother and a son could ever do.
Sonny kind of gets a bad rap in The Godfather and is portrayed as a hot-headed gangster full of toxic masculinity, but Mario Puzo’s novel paints a more vivid and detailed picture of the oldest Corleone son than in the movie. In both the book and movie, Sonny is unfaithful to his wife and did have a long-term affair with Lucy Mancini before his untimely death, but he does have some positive qualities, such as loyalty, charisma, and ambition, that make it hard for fans not to like the guy.
Sonny is compassionate and does have somewhat of a heart even if he doesn’t wear it out in the open on his sleeve…
Unlike his father, Sonny fails to look at the bigger picture before making a decision. Instead, he reacts without hesitation, usually with violence, which is what eventually leads to his demise. Behind that hard exterior, there is a sentimental side to Sonny. When he was just a boy, he found Tom Hagen on the streets, homeless, and brought him home, where Tom was raised and treated like one of the family. Sonny is compassionate and does have somewhat of a heart even if he doesn’t wear it out in the open on his sleeve, which is essentially why fans can overlook his vices and qualms so easily.
Vito and Carmela’s adopted son, Tom, is an intelligent, understanding, and admirable member of the Corleone family who also serves as the family’s attorney and consigliere at one point. It’s difficult to find any fan who doesn’t like Tom or at least admire his professional stamina and loyalty to his family, especially in times of crisis. He rarely loses his temper and tries to exhaust every potential option before resorting to violence and bloodshed.
…Tom simply knows how to pick and choose his battles wisely.
Tom is incredibly trustworthy and always does as he’s asked. While some may find it to be a negative characteristic, Tom simply knows how to pick and choose his battles wisely. It’s kind of ironic that out of all the children in the Corleone family, the one who isn’t biologically related to anyone turns out to be the most like Vito and Carmela combined. When it comes to listing all of Tom’s pluses and minuses, the pluses far outweigh the minuses, which ultimately solidifies his place on the list.
Even though Carmela doesn’t have a lot of screen time in the movies, she’s still one of the most likable members of the Corleone family who holds her family together. Carmela is the traditional Sicilian woman who has dedicated her life to her husband and her family, devoting all of her time and energy to them, which just in itself makes her a lovable person. She is generally gentle and kind, but she isn’t afraid to show a firm hand. When her daughter, Connie, shows up in The Godfather: Part II, demanding to see Michael, Carmela puts her right in her place without missing a beat.
Carmela is the traditional Sicilian woman who has dedicated her life to her husband and her family…
Carmela and Vito are also a perfect match, both genuinely in love and considerate of each other, which is something for anyone to envy. She knows her place when it comes to her husband, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have some sense of authority over him, which is briefly seen when she tells him to help Anita Colombo in The Godfather: Part II. After her husband’s death, Carmela stepped up even more for her family and understood that even though Michael was in charge of the family business, she was still the matriarch of their family and maintained a respectable and strong presence that kept things afloat.
There’s no doubt that Vito, who is also one of the best mob bosses in movie history, is the most likable member of the Corleone family. While some may not approve of Vito’s unconventional career choice, he only resorted to organized crime because he had no other way to provide and support himself and his family. Unlike the majority of mobsters, Vito isn’t greedy and is content with what he has in life and understands that no amount of money or power can compensate or replace family.
Vito is respected and beloved by many because he is a man of reason and always a man of his word.
While he has committed murder and broken the law, it has always been for a valid reason. Vito intentionally goes out of his way to avoid any unnecessary bloodshed. He knows that nothing good can come from war and is willing to be the first to make a gesture of peace, proving his humility and modesty. Vito is respected and beloved by many because he is a man of reason and always a man of his word. Between his genuine love for his family and friends and the number of people who truly respect and admire him, Vito is without a doubt the most likable member of the Corleone family.
