FOR CREATIVES: THE COME UP OF VITO CORLEONE
It’s fucking simple. The Godfather 1 & 2 are my all time favorite films and they are the greatest films ever created. Don’t tell me some bullshit like “Gone With The Wind” or “Citizen’s Kane” fuck outta here. It’s The Godfather and it’s not close.
I’ve wanted to write this for 3 years but I would always get stuck but after watching all 3 films over the weekend I feel I’m finally ready to give my trilogy through writing and showing the parallels between the lessons in The Godfather Trilogy and the lessons as a creative. This is Part 1 of 3 which starts with The Come Up.
My favorite arc in the entire trilogy is The Come Up of Vito Corleone. We see how The Corleone Family was constructed and how Vito became The Godfather. Vito’s is one of the most complex and fascinating characters in the series and his come up being one of the most important stories in The Godfather 2 was needed.
If you never seen The Godfather Trilogy I will be spoiling. If you don’t give a fuck bout spoilers thanks for reading anyway. Let’s begin.
YOUR ENVIRONMENT DOESN’T DEFINE YOU
Vito’s childhood was very traumatic. During the funeral for his father his brother was killed. His mother was killed in front of him and he was hunted by the crime family that killed his entire family and he escaped to America where he spoke zero English and had nowhere to go.
Vito seen so much as a child and was dealt a bad hand before he could understand life or have his own view of the world. He became a man before he was 10 years old. The innocence in Vito’s voice as he sings on Ellis Island is so dark and frightening because we know what he will become and we know these moments did not stop him from becoming the most powerful man in New York.
Some people start out with unfathomable obstacles. Some people are in dangerous environments that they didn’t choose to be in. It wasn’t in their control. All we control is our actions moving forward and how we utilize the environment and situation we’re placed in.
Despite his circumstances Vito grew up to be a good guy. He was a family man. He worked hard for his family. He never bothered anyone. Minded his business. Never judged. He didn’t have much but he was truly happy with his wife and children. Outside of his family he made choices. He always made choices he felt that would put him and his family in the best position possible.
I know people who grew up in terrible environments and they created some of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. They’ve started good businesses. They’ve achieved goals that they didn’t think were possible because they’ve never seen them achieved in their families history.
Poverty isn’t their fault and there’s people who can’t get out of poverty and there is no shame in that and Vito showed no shame he was happy with what he had. There’s people right now who are happy no matter if it’s $100 in their bank account or $100 million.
Your environment doesn’t define you. Your trials don’t define you. You’re YOU with or without them. You’re just in that environment and you will have your own identity. What is important is that you have choices and it’s vital that you choose the best choice for you. Vito’s beginnings in New York City are proof.
OTHER PEOPLE BUSINESS DOESN’T CONCERN YOU
Simple. The best quote in The Godfather 2 if you ask me. Vito told Clemenza what time it was with him. Other people business does not concern you. Focus on what you building. Focus on your home. Stay the course of your mission.
STAY LOW AND OBSERVE
One of Vito’s talents is observation. He just observes and he takes notes. This was very key to his rise.
There was this man in Vito’s neighborhood named Don Fanucci. This man would shakedown the neighborhood, rob poor people of their money, ruin their lives if they did not pay him. He was a bully. Vito’s first introduction to Don Fanucci was through his friend Genco and Genco yelled at Don Fanucci unknowingly knowing it was him and Genco instantly shrank. Vito took note of the man everyone feared and the fear on Genco’s face.
Fanucci continued to terrorize the neighborhood but there was pivotal moment in a deleted scene of The Godfather 2 that changed everything.
Vito was walking from his job he seen Fanucci was being attacked by 3 kids from the neighborhood. Vito chose to stay back and watch. They ended up slashing Fanucci throat and running away. Fanucci later kills one of the teens and let the other 2 teens live because their families paid him to not seek revenge.
But what Vito did next was important.
Vito just took a mental note of what he saw, minded his business and kept living his life. He did nothing.
Fanucci appears at Vito’s job at the grocery store. Genco tells Vito that Fanucci wants double payments from the entire neighborhood. Vito could’ve easily said “Fanucci can be touched. I seen it” but Vito didn’t. He just went along with the act. Fanucci bullies Genco’s Father (Owner of the store) into hiring his nephew and he cant afford another employee so he fires Vito. This scene highlighted Vito’s character as a man and I’ll go in depth why later but Vito didn’t get upset about being fired or with Genco’s father. He even refused a box of food Genco’s father tried to give him as a parting gift. He just took another mental note of the attempted good deed Genco’s father tried to do, went home to his wife and kid and smiled over dinner.
Vito kept a sheet full of guns for a stranger/future friend Peter Clemenza. Clemenza introduced Vito to crime and making plays. They took things from stores and sold it around the neighborhood. They had a good solid business. Fanucci finds out that they’re making good money and tries to muscle them and threatens to tell the police. Clemenza and Tessio are afraid and agrees to pay Fanucci. Vito objects and tells them to give him $50 each and he will get Fanucci to agree with what he gives him.
Vito meets with Fanucci and gives him $100 instead of the $600 he demanded. Vito tells him he’s short on cash and he’ll pay the rest later. Fanucci admires Vito’s courage and even offers a partnership. Fanucci takes the money and leaves. Vito takes a final mental note and he comes to a conclusion that Don Fanucci is a fraud and he is prey. He’s not a lion. He’s not this big bad gangsta. Fanucci is a bitch. How did Vito arrive at this conclusion? Let’s review it.
When Fanucci was attacked by 3 teens and they cut his throat Vito saw that Fanucci is vulnerable. He walks alone. Fanucci killed one of the teens for the attack but he let the other 2 teens live because their families paid him to not seek revenge. That showed that Fanucci was not official. He got lucky with one teen but after the other 2 realize that he would be coming for them they would be harder to kill because they’re expecting him to come. Fanucci folded and took the money to let it go. That proved to Vito that Fanucci had no backing or army. Mafia members do not allow people to live that attempt to kill one of their own. Their power and reputation is at stake. Vito saw what real mobsters will do. He saw 3 of his family members killed by the mafia in a week over assumptions and pettiness. This man was attacked and did nothing.
Fanucci threatened to go to the police. No mob is threatening you with snitching. The mafia is not doing that.
Vito purposely low balled him with $100 instead of the $600 to see what he would do. Vito literally gambled with his life based on Fanucci’s feared reputation. Fanucci did nothing. It was the final mental note. Vito confirmed Fanucci was FOOD. Fanucci is prey. He wasn’t backed by anybody. There were other people who didn’t pay him and those other people didn’t pay him because they knew he was a bitch.
In any creative community you’re going to come across Don Fanucci’s. People who just do a lot of posturing. They’re fake as fuck. They’re not who they think they are or what they’ve tricked people into believing they are. They’re haters and leeches trying to ride whatever wave they can and cling onto the next person’s hard work. All you gotta do is just take notes like Vito. Just takes notes, mind your business and let them put on the performance of their life. Once they come your way with their bullshit that’s when you let them know you not one of the people who blindly following them and you know who they really are and what they stand for.
THE PLAY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
After Vito confirms Don Fanucci isn’t what he claims to be. Vito makes the move that changes his life. He kills Don Fanucci. He killed a fraud but earned a real reputation around the neighborhood. He was feared and respected. Possibly looked at as a hero because Fanucci was bullying these people for years. Vito took a huge risk but the payoff was huge. Now there was no one in the way of their business.
If you’re observant, working smart, and taking calculated risks you will make the play somewhere down the line that will change your life. You’re going to face resistance when attempting to make it like Vito did. Tessio and Clemenza did not want to challenge Fanucci. They did not want Vito to go talk to him but that conversation changed everything. They meant well by trying to stop Vito but their decision wasn’t the right one. The people in your life will mean well when they have worries about the risk you’re taking with your passion but you gotta gamble. You’ll never progress making side bets.
UNDERSTAND HUMAN BEHAVIOR
The quality that made Vito and Michael Corleone bosses for so long was their ability to understand human behavior. If you understand human behavior you know how someone will come at you good or bad. As humans we are complex but there are fundamentals to why the majority of us do the things we do. Vito had the ability to pick up on those things and it was key in always overturning manipulation. Whenever someone tries to manipulate The Corleone Family Vito and Michael could always make it benefit them. They knew how to use manipulation in their favor.
Understanding human behavior helps with customer service and marketing for sure but more importantly it helps with what you’re creating. If you have your finger on the pulse of the behavior of humanity you not only have an understanding of self but you’re able to create from multiple perspectives and that can make your work more relatable.
RESPECT WHEN YOU “UP”
When Vito took over his neighborhood he did the opposite of Fanucci. He respected everyone. He didn’t bully the neighborhood. He didn’t put fear into people on purpose. They feared him because of what he already did to the former bully so he didn’t need to demonstrate that to them. What Vito did was open his office to neighborhood problems. He didn’t judge. He heard everyone problems and he would solve them and all he would ask for in return is their loyalty.
Vito didn’t care if you were rich or poor he treated everyone with the same respect. He was powerful and treated everyone with respect. He didn’t shit on people and remind them that they’re beneath him. One of the people Vito respected the most was a grocery store owner that took him in when he was homeless. He gave Vito a job and treated him with respect and kindness when Vito had nothing. That is where Vito learned respect and that’s why Vito carried himself differently. He didn’t respect the wanna be mob boss or the real mob bosses he respected the man who provided for his people.
Even before Vito became a mafia don he was respected because of how he carried himself. He was reliable. Strong. Trustworthy. He didn’t have much but his wife loved him because of those qualities. His friends respected him because of those qualities.
It’s easy to respect people when you’re down but it shows a different kind of character to respect people when you’re up. When you’re in a better position than the majority and when the majority talks to you and they can feel that you respect them, that you don’t look down on them, that they feel and know that you’re one of them regardless of your stature and position in life. Arrogance is your enemy and needs to be avoided at all costs.
Respecting people while you’re up is the blueprint to longevity. It’s shows gratefulness and humbleness. It shows that you’re not full of shit and you’re bout it. When you’re blessed to be in a better position than most it’s real to respect others even more.
Peace. Benny
