The Godfather centers around the criminal activities of five mafia families, but the way the acclaimed movie is structured means you may have only noticed three of them. Based on the novel by Mario Puzo, The Godfather trilogy focuses on the lives of the Corleone family and their dealings with mafia groups and organized crime around the world. The cast of The Godfather needs no introduction, with the trilogy having won nine Academy Awards out of 28 nominations, and the first two entries both winning Best Picture.
The Corleone family, led by six Dons throughout The Godfather franchise, does their best to keep hold of their power as the most feared crime family in New York. As the story progresses, the family does business with four different crime families, but the franchise’s structure means two of the families stand out more in the story.
The Godfather Mostly Focuses On The Corleone, Barzini & Tattaglia Families
They Are The Three Most Powerful Crime Families Throughout The Franchise
The Five Families in TheGodfather consisted of the Corleones, Barzini, Tattaglia, Cuneo, and Stracci crime families, who each own a seat on the Commission and are involved in individual areas of the mafia industry. The trilogy mainly focuses on the rivalry between the Corleones, Tattaglia, and Barzini families. The Tattaglia family, led by Philip Tattaglia, was involved in the drug trade and was initially seen as the main rivals of the Corleone family, as they were blamed for an assassination attempt on Vito and the death of Sonny Corleone.
After a meeting between the five families, it becomes clear that the Barzinis, led by Emilio Barzini, were the true enemy and the masterminds behind the assassination attempt and Sonny Corleone’s murder. Before the Olive Oil Wars, the Barzinis had established themselves as the most powerful mafia family and betrayed the Corleones to regain their power; while the Tattaglias assisted, it became clear that they were merely involved for the rewards. Philip Tattaglia was described by Vito Corleone as “a pimp” and unable to carry out any meaningful threat without assistance from Emilio Barzini.
What We Know About The Cuneo & Stracci Families During The Godfather
The Cuneo & Stracci Families Play Small But Pivotal Roles Throughout The Franchise
While the Cuneo and Stracci families don’t feature as heavily, they still play important roles throughout TheGodfather. Led by Carmine Cuneo, the Cuneo family appears to be involved in all aspects of crime, including racing track licensing and the smuggling of Italian immigrants from Canada, later investing in Las Vegas hotels and casinos. The family fronts their criminal activities with a fleet of milk trucks, earning Don Cuneo the nickname of “The Milkman.” In TheGodfather, Cuneo assists Don Tattaglia and Don Barzini against the Corleone family.
Meanwhile, the Stracci family, led by Victor Stracci, is involved with illegal gambling businesses across New Jersey and New York, along with a freight-hauling truck business, which they used in distributing narcotics. They also held strong political connections, allowing them to escape police suspicion. In a change from The Godfather book, the Straccis do not remain loyal to the Corleones and instead align with the families against them. While Vito called a truce after Sonny’s death, the four family dons were eventually killed by Michael Corleone at the end of TheGodfather.
The Godfather’s Story Works Because It Focuses On 2 Villain Families & Sidelines The Others
The Godfather Has A Relatively Straightforward Story
TheGodfather did the right thing by focusing its story on two villain families, rather than trying to prioritize all of them. Throughout the movie, Emilio Barzini had the strongest motivation for eliminating the Corleones; Vito Corleone had upstaged Barzini as the strongest mafia don, and Barzini was willing to do what was necessary to regain his title. Meanwhile, the Tattaglias saw an opportunity to reap the rewards by aligning with the Barzinis and eliminating the Corleones. Despite Barzini’s threats, Vito Corleone still shows respect for his rival, as seen when he invites Barzini to his daughter Connie’s wedding.
The actions of both the Barzini and Tattaglia families in the movie heavily influenced Michael Corleone’s transformation from reluctant participant to powerful don. The death of his brother and attempted murder of his father motivates Michael and eventually turns Michael into a better don than his father, Vito. Focusing on all the villain families in The Godfather would have over-complicated the movie’s narrative and could have ruined one of the greatest movies in history.
