Movies Filmed on Staten Island: “The Godfather”

The movie of all movies filmed on Staten Island — Francis Ford Coppola’s epic Gangster movie, based on the Mario Puzo best-selling 1969 novel.

Plot

Set in 1945 in NYC, the Corleone family’s Don, Vito Corleone, is asked by drug baron Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo to invest in his narcotics business and for police protection. Vito declines and that sets off a war between the families.

You know the rest — if you’ve seen the movie which most people have and if you haven’t — you have to.

Producer, Director, Actors

• Producer: Albert S. Ruddy
• Director: Francis Ford Coppola
• Actors:
  • Marlon Brando
  • Al Pacino
  • James Caan
  • John Cazale
  • Richard Castellano
  • Robert Duvall
  • Sterling Hayden
  • John Marley
  • Richard Conte
  • Diane Keaton

Filmed When & Where

The Corleone compound was on Staten Island — 110 Longfellow Avenue on Emerson Hill. This is where the big wedding scene at the start of the movie was filmed, as well as scenes during and at the end of the movie.

The famed Christening scene at the end of the movie was filmed in front of the church in Mount Loretto.

Local mobsters got bit parts in the movie — as did my wife’s uncle and aunt, who were both filmed on the steps of the church at Mount Loretto at the end of the christening.

Review

One of the all-time classic movies. A 10 out of 10.