![]() ![]() The performance of power is what leads to his death - both literally, in this scene, and symbolically for the overall story arc of his character. ![]() In his final exertion of power before he dies, he pretends to be a big and scary monster to frighten his grandson. To get his grandson’s attention, Vito cuts an orange peel and fashions a pair of fangs for his mouth. The only gesture of power that Vito conveys in this scene is reliant on artifice. ![]() Even the simple act of calling out to his grandson and extending his arm as gesture seems like an extra strain on his body. His body appears languid and shriveled by age. By contrast, this scene presents Vito in casual clothing, and with unruly hair protruding out of his hat. His words carry weight and deliberation in his monologue he wears a fine suit, and his hair neatly slicked back. In the introductory scene of the film, Vito comes across as a powerful figure. Vito Corleone’s loss of power is reflected in his physical appearance and presentation. He has passed down the power to the new generation of his family: how they use that power, and how it affects them, are completely out of his control. Come here.” In the same way that he cannot control how Michael runs the family business, Vito cannot control how Anthony uses the water gun to feed the tomato vines. ![]() Be careful, you’re spilling it, you’re spilling it. From this position, Vito still seeks out any control he might have, shouting at his grandson, “over her, over here. As a fatigued old grandfather, Vito can no longer stand for too long and he must sit down to watch Anthony play. This power dynamic is reenacted in the garden scene when Vito hands his grandson the watering gun. Though Michael is not unkind with Vito, neither is he overly deferential: the scene signals clearly that Michael, as the new Don, will make his own decisions. Handing his status and the family business to Michael, he wants also to advise his son and ensure that the business can flourish. In that scene, Vito grapples with the guilt and uncertainty of having to transfer his power down to the next generation. (Water, not bullets, issue from its ‘barrel’.) Just before this scene, Vito speaks to his son, Michael, in the same garden. It is no accident that the central prop of this scene is a watering gun - an implement which evokes power and the potential for violence but does so lightly, even ironically. Unlike other critical scenes in the film, which rely on dramatic sequence and action, or intriguing dialogue between characters, this scene has a different way of registering with the viewer: its significance is encapsulated in the symbolic images that frame Vito’s final moments and the non-verbal gestures shared between Vito and his grandson. For five seconds, the only sounds that fill the soundtrack are the birds chirping and the wind blowing through the trees then the image fades and funeral bells ring in the next scene. Late in The Godfather, when Vito Corleone collapses to the ground and his grandson Anthony runs away to get help, viewers are left to look at the former Don’s body lying motionless in the shade of a trellised tomato garden. ![]()
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