My favourite scenes (there are actually many more good scenes!) from The Godfather:
When Michael, Sonny and Tom Hagen discuss about killing Sollozzo and McCluskey. I like how this shot seems to foreshadow Michael's later ascension to become the Godfather, just look at the way he sits in the chair, and even though Michael is at the lowest point in the room, he still feels the most powerful. Also the frame cuts Sonny in half, implying how little importance his input plays in the conversation (and future), and the contrast in the close up is nicely done when he/they start to not take Michael seriously. The shot after is framed behind Michael which forces him to turn around in his chair, showing that the others don't see him eye to eye yet/seriously yet.
Sonny: You've gotta get up close like this and - bada-BING! - you blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit.
The last scene where Michael flat out lies to Kay about Carlo Rizzi's death. Kay is shown getting a drink, and is separated and distanced from Michael in the background by the room wall; a hint at how she is an outsider to the Corleone family affairs, and this is further emphasized when we see the door being closed on her.
Also, the presence of oranges seems to indicate impending death or violence, although the production designer Dean Tavoularis says it was really to add colour to dark scenes. (Apparently the oranges in part 2, and 3 were use with intent and purpose)
source: http://www.jgeoff.com/godfather/oranges.html
http://www.destinationhollywood.com/movies/godfather/feature_oranges.shtml
The Godfather is the greatest film of all time? Agree. I was told to watch this by countless people and finally got round to it a forthnight ago. I had zero inkling about what it really was about before I watched it, just that it was a show about the Mafia and... that's about it. It's brilliant! Everything about this movie just works so wonderfully well that it definitely warrants a another look in depth in greater detail.
