With Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, long-time followers and first-time viewers alike is perhaps questioning the place the Oscar-winning Godfather sequel was filmed. Loosely primarily based on Mario Puzo’s epic crime novel, The Godfather Part II serves as each a prequel and a sequel to the unique 1972 movie. The film’s twin timelines enable Coppola to parallel the story of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) with that of his father, Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro). While Michael’s story chronicles the decline of the household enterprise, Vito Corleone’s timeline traces the rise of his enterprise.

One of solely two sequels to win an Academy Award, The Godfather Part II is the uncommon follow-up that has exceeded the unique image’s success. Part of The Godfather motion pictures’ attraction is the sensation of authenticity. Whether Coppola is chronicling Vito’s time in Sicily or a shootout on a New York freeway, The Godfather‘s filming areas are essential to constructing the world of the Corleone crime household. Much like the primary Godfather movie, the sequel was largely filmed on location, although some spots are stand-ins for the settings known as for within the script.

Michael’s House On Lake Tahoe Is Not A Set

The First Communion Party Was Filmed At A Lakeside House In Fleur Du Lac

In the wake of The Godfather‘s ending, Michael turns into the Corleone household’s new don. When the sequel picks up with him in 1958, Michael is attending his son’s First Communion get together at an property on Lake Tahoe. Straddling the California and Nevada border, Tahoe is a shocking freshwater lake within the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and serves as an extremely cinematic backdrop. Of all The Godfather Part II‘s filming areas, the Corleone household’s lakeside Fleur du Lac Estates mansion, which is situated alongside the western shore of Lake Tahoe, is maybe essentially the most recognizable.

Although some parts on the property had been added by the movie’s manufacturing staff, the property may be very actual. Built by Henry J. Kaiser to have a good time the historic completion of the Hoover Dam, the 15-acre gated neighborhood boasts an enormous home, an outside swimming pool, tennis courts, and a personal marina (by way of SFGATE). Undoubtedly, the Lake Tahoe property illustrates the success of the Corleone crime household underneath Vito’s management. Most notably, Michael watches from the sunroom of the Lake Tahoe property as his orders to kill Fredo (John Cazale), his brother, are acted upon in The Godfather Part II‘s ending.

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The Godfather Part II’s Sicily Scenes Were Filmed On Location

The Town Of Corleone Uses Forza d’Agrò & Savoca As Backdrops

Coppola’s prequel-meets-sequel opens in Corleone, Sicily, with a nine-year-old Vito (Oreste Baldini) studying that his household has been killed by the native Mafia chieftain, Don Ciccio (Giuseppe Sillato), after his father didn’t pay tribute. Although Vito manages to flee Sicily and rise to the top of his personal crime syndicate in New York City, the Corleone Don returns to his dwelling island in 1922 along with his household underneath the guise of building an olive oil importing enterprise. The ulterior motive, after all, is that Vito desires to avenge his household by killing Don Ciccio.

The Godfather Part II‘s forged of characters truly traveled to Sicily to shoot these sequences on location. Primarily, the picturesque landscapes featured in Coppola’s movie are of the northeastern municipality of Taormina. In specific, the hilltop city of Forza d’Agrò, together with Savoca, served because the backdrop for the city of Corleone in The Godfather movies. While Savoca’s Bar Vitelli stays a preferred vacationer vacation spot, followers additionally go to the enduring Baroque nation home of Castello degli Schiavi on their travels.

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New York City’s East Village Was Transformed Into Little Italy

The 1917-Era New York City Street Scenes Were Filmed On Location

In order to seize an genuine depiction of 1917 New York City, The Godfather Part II‘s manufacturing staff reworked Manhattan’s East Village into the Little Italy of yesteryear. In addition to remodeling the streets, the movie additionally used a number of well-known companies and sights as backdrops. For instance, the scene the place Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo) meets the Rosato brothers (Carmine Caridi and Danny Aiello) at a bar was filmed on the 7B Horseshoe Bar within the East Village, whereas the baptism scene was shot at The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral.

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The Dominican Republic Was A Stand-In For Cuba In The Godfather Part II

Hyman Roth’s Home Was Actually Located In North Miama, Florida

After surviving an assassination try, Michael suspects a traitor throughout the household’s ranks, although he believes the scheme was plotted by Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg), a Jewish mob boss and long-time enterprise associate. Eventually, Michael decides to fulfill with Roth at his dwelling. In actual life, the property is situated off Biscayne Boulevard within the Keystone Islands of North Miami, Florida. However, Michael and Roth’s enterprise journey to Cuba was shot in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. From Florida to Sicily, it is clear that The Godfather Part II‘s desire for areas over studio units paid off.

As of August 2024, The Godfather Part II is streaming on Paramount+.

The Godfather Part II

5.0

Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather II continues Michael Corleone’s story as he expands the Corleones’ presence as a criminal offense syndicate. The movie can also be half dedicated to the backstory of Vito Corleone, following his rise to energy in Twenties New York City. While The Godfather is taken into account one of many biggest motion pictures ever made, The Godfather Part II was capable of stay as much as the unique and safe six Oscars on the 1975 Academy Awards.

Release Date

December 20, 1974

Studio(s)

Paramount Pictures

Distributor(s)

Paramount Pictures

Runtime

202minutes

Franchise(s)

The Godfather

Budget

$13 million

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Sources: SFGATE, IMDb