‘The Godfather’ Mistakes You’ll Never Be Able to Unsee

Even a perfect film like ‘The Godfather‘ has small mistakes and production errors. These are usually minor details you might miss – things like objects changing position between shots, props moving on their own, or noticeable special effects. These errors don’t affect the plot, but once you see them, they’re hard to unsee! Here are ten of the most discussed mistakes in Coppola’s classic, so you can look out for them next time you watch it.

Sonny’s Infamous Alley Punch That Never Lands

While Sonny is hitting Carlo on the sidewalk, a wide shot reveals one of his punches clearly misses. Despite the miss, the sound of the punch landing still plays, making the error more noticeable. If you watch near the trash cans as Sonny swings, you can clearly see the gap between his fist and Carlo’s face. The scene quickly cuts to close-ups, which hide the distance between them.

Bullet Holes on Sonny’s Car Before the Ambush

Even before the shooting starts at the tollbooth, careful observers can notice small, pre-made holes in Sonny’s car. These marks were intentionally placed by the effects team to coordinate with the gunfire. From certain viewpoints, as the car stops, you can just barely see these punctures on the car’s body. When the ambush begins, these spots explode, showing how the scene was carefully planned and filmed.

Vito’s Office: The Cat That Won’t Sit Still

During the office scene, the cat resting on Vito’s lap seems to move around on its own. It’s curled up comfortably in one shot, then sitting up or looking another way in the next, as the characters keep talking. The cat even briefly vanishes and reappears in his hands. This happens because the scene was filmed in several short takes that were then edited together to create the longer conversation.

Restaurant Hit: Table Settings That Shuffle

During the dinner scene with Michael, Sollozzo, and McCluskey, look closely at the details on the table. Things like the bread plate, napkin, and wine glass seem to move between different camera angles. You’ll also notice the amount of liquid in the glasses changes as the conversation gets more intense. These are common filmmaking tricks—small adjustments made when scenes are reshot or when extra footage is added.

Hospital Visit: Michael’s Hat and Coat Jump

When Michael visits his father at the hospital, there’s a noticeable continuity error with his hat and coat. As he enters, the way he’s holding them changes between shots. Because the scene was filmed from different angles, his hat and coat seem to move on their own, sometimes appearing in his hand, other times not, or held at a different angle. This happened because of the multiple camera setups used.

Market Shooting: Vito’s Fedora and Fruit Scatter

I’ve noticed something strange when I watch the scene at the street market. Vito’s hat and the oranges scattered on the ground seem to change position between shots. After the first burst of gunfire, his hat is in one spot, but a few moments later, it’s subtly different, maybe closer to his shoulder. The oranges roll into the frame, and then, in the next shot, they’re either closer or further away. The way the director quickly switches between wide and close-up shots really makes these little changes stand out – it’s like things are being reset between takes.

Luca Brasi’s Strangling: Wire Telegraphed Early

During the scene where Luca is strangled, you can briefly see the wire used for the effect before it actually tightens around his neck. The camera angle momentarily shows the wire in place from the attacker’s perspective. While the close-up shot then effectively conveys the suddenness of the choke, that earlier glimpse reveals how the stunt was set up. This happens because the filmmakers needed to ensure the stunt was performed safely while still keeping the camera close to the action.

Woltz’s Bedroom: Bed Linens That Rearrange

When Woltz discovers the horse’s head, the bedsheets and pillows appear to move on their own as he reacts. A crumpled sheet suddenly shifts upwards, and pillows change positions between his cries. These inconsistencies happened because the realistic blood and gore effects, combined with the need to film multiple takes, meant the bed linens had to be constantly reset.

Moe Greene’s Glasses: Blood Pattern Swaps

The scene showing the aftermath of the attack has some noticeable inconsistencies. The blood splatters and cracks on Moe Greene’s glasses appear to change between different shots. The pattern of damage is different when the camera switches angles, and it changes again when the camera returns to the same view. This likely happened because the filmmakers used multiple versions of the glasses to precisely match the timing of the special effects with the editing.

Closing Door: Kay’s Position Shifts

During the last moments in the hallway, Kay’s body language subtly shifts as the door closes. From one camera angle, she faces the doorway directly, while another shows a slightly different posture and hand position. Her distance from the door also seems to change between shots. The way the scene is edited, cutting between these different views, highlights these small changes in her positioning.

Did you notice that little mistake in ‘The Godfather’? I’m curious – what’s your favorite blooper from the movie? Share it in the comments below – I love finding those hidden moments!

2025-11-13 21:15