Comrades, if you have seen the movie, The Godfather, then you are familiar with he famous opening scene in Godfather Don Corleone’s dimly lit office. In the scene, Amerigo Bonasera asks the Don for deadly vengeance against the men who assaulted his daughter.
Of course, the real star of that scene is the kitty that Corleone strokes as he ponders the request. The cat steals the scene, and viewers are left wondering if he is the real power behind the Corleone Family.
While you are surely familiar with actor Marlon Brando, what do you know about this exceptional Hollywood kitty? Allow great teacher and respected film-critic, Chairman Meow, to educate you about the cat in The Godfather.
History of The Cat in “The Godfather” Movie:
Surprisingly, there was never a cat in The Godfather script. The gray and white cat held in the famous opening scene of the film was actually an affectionate stray that director, Francis Ford Coppola, found on the Paramount movie lot during filming. (source)
Feral cats were known to lurk around studio lots, including Paramount Pictures, at that time in the early 1970s and they helped to control rodents in the warehouses.
Coppola saw one of these strays while filming The Godfather, and spontaneously added the cat to the dramatic opening scene.
Critics have interpreted the cat’s presence in the scene in different ways, including how:
- The cat represents Corleone”s life-and-death power; a predator playing with his prey
- The cat shows Corleone’s tender side, but he has hidden claws
Claims of other mafia symbolism, omens, or Sicilian folklore are probably just speculation due to the unplanned nature of the scene.
Chairman Meow sees the cat as the real power behind the throne. As Bonasera asks Corleone for justice, the Godfather consults the kitty for guidance. Coppola may have used character Paulie Gatto to remind us of this, as “Gatto” means cat in Italian. During the rest of the movie and subsequent sequels, it’s clearly the cat pulling the strings from behind the scenes while the silly men kill each other.
The Godfather Cat Scene
Watch for yourself as the cat steals the opening scene in The Godfather!
Listen to the cat’s purring, and his dramatic “meow!” as he was placed on the desk. Bravo!
The cat reportedly purred so loudly during filming that it overpowered some of Marlon Brando‘s lines, which later had to be edited and looped.
Personally, I believe they should have mixed the audio so that Corleone’s lines didn’t distract from the powerful and mellifluous purring of the kitty!
In fact, why not give the movie itself a better, more appropriate title such as, “The Godfather’s Cat”?
Godfather Star, Marlon Brando, Was a Cat Man
Marlon Brando’s character, Don Corleone, was a cat-lover and servant in the movie, as was Brando himself in real life. In fact, he was once quoted as saying, “I live in my cat’s house.”
The white cat in the photo below is Brando’s beloved cat, named Desire.
The GodFather Cat, Mysterious Hollywood Legend
Much is still unknown about the cat from the Godfather.
Because it was an unplanned addition to the movie, it was never registered with the American Humane Association which normally monitors animal use in films. The cat was never given a name, and referred to only as, “the stray,” or “opening scene cat” on set.
It is unknown whether the cat was later adopted by anyone on the set of the movie. More than likely, the cat continued to live on the Paramount lot after filming where it probably held life or death power over its prey, like a true Don.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. Believe Chairman Meow!
*Cowie, Peter (1997). The Godfather Book