There is one masterpiece that continues to cast a long, illustrious shadow over the film industry: Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather.
Isn’t it remarkable how a film can so thoroughly capture the collective imagination, resonating with audiences decade after decade? Steeped in authenticity, the 1972 gangster masterpiece is heralded as one of the most acclaimed films of all time, etching its lines, scenes, and characters into the very fabric of cinematic history.
Take Coppola’s ensemble cast, which starred Diane Keaton, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Robert Duvall. The latter played Tom Hagen, the unofficially adopted son of Vito Corleone, played by Brando. Well, his portrayal of Tom in Paramount Pictures’ series is iconic, and it’s no surprise that his favorite scene from the film revolves around the revelation that he is the adopted son.
The Godfather Revisited: Robert Duvall’s Ultimate Favorite Moment
Have you ever wondered which scene Robert Duvall, the actor behind the consummate consigliere Tom Hagen, cherishes the most? In a heartfelt reflection with The A.V. Club in 2022, the actor, now 93, revealed that his favorite scene from Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather was the one where he was poignantly reminded of his character’s status as the adopted son of Marlon Brando’s Vito Corleone.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Tom Hagen is his position within the Corleone family. As an adopted son, he is both a member of the family and an outsider, a fact that Duvall discovered was essential to his portrayal of the character. He explained:
As an actor and a character both, you can’t step over the line. He’s an adopted son, so he is a member of the family, kind of; maybe not a thousand percent, but he’s very important to the family.
Duvall’s attention to detail in his approach to the character is evident in his recounting of the rehearsal process, which involved the family sitting down for dinner. He reflected on the significance of sitting at the table with Brando “at the head”, noting that it brought a sense of cohesion to the family dynamic.
The Apocalypse Now actor explained:
With Brando at the head of the table, the family made sense because Brando was like the head of the family. And in life he was for the most part an actor that so many young actors looked up to in a very intense way.
Given that his phenomenal performance was one of the major factors in The Godfather’s success, Duvall was asked about his thoughts on how special he thought the movie was.
Robert Duvall’s Thoughts on the Everlasting Appeal of The Godfather
When asked how special he thought The Godfather was, Robert Duvall conceded as much in an interview with The A.V. Club:
Well, I’ve only felt that twice. I felt that about a third of the way through ‘The Godfather I.’ I said, ‘we’re really doing something I think pretty special here that will live on for a long time to come.’ I felt that we were making a really important film.
Needless to say, Duvall’s remarks were promptly validated. With 11 Academy Award nominations and several wins, including Best Picture, The Godfather was a serious contender for several honors. The film went on to become a box office success, earning over $270 million on a $7 million budget (see The Number).
Duvall’s insights into his work on the film provide a better understanding of the complexities of the characters and relationships in the classic mafia drama.
The Godfather is currently available on Netflix.
