Summary
Although Robert De Niro’s performance inThe Godfather Part IIis critically acclaimed, the actor’s real-life age complicates the timing of the trilogy somewhat. Director Francis Ford Coppola’sThe Godfathertrilogy is a legendary crime epic that spans numerous generations.TheGodfathermoviestell the story of the Corleone family, a mafia dynasty established by Italian American immigrant Vito Corleone in the early 1900s. InThe Godfather Part II, the aftermath of Vito’s death sees his son Michael take over the family business, while flashbacks illustrate Vito’s rise to prominence as an ambitious young gangster in 1920s New York.
WhileMarlon Brando’s Vito Corleoneis central toThe Godfather, his younger self is played by Robert De Niro inThe Godfather Part II. Corleone’s death occurs around 1955 at the end ofThe Godfatherand the source novels specify that the future crime boss was born in 1887. This means that Corleone is 68 years old when he dies but, asAl Pacino’s age throughoutThe Godfathertrilogyproves, that doesn’t necessarily track with his actor’s real-life age. Amazingly, Brando was only 47 when he portrayed the aging mobster, whereasThe Godfather Part II’s Vito was much closer.
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Robert De Niro Was 17 Years Younger Than Marlon Brando When Filming The Godfather Part II
Brando Was Younger Than He Looked In The Godfather
Robert De Niro was 30 when he filmedThe Godfather Part IIin 1973, while Brando was 47 when he filmedThe Godfatherin 1971. De Niro’s scenes as Vito take place between approximately 1920 and the early 1930s. This means that De Niro’s portrayal accounts for Vito between the ages of around 33 and 40, meaning the actor wasn’t too far from the age he was playing. Althoughthe divisiveGodfather Part IIIearned critical backlash for aging up Pacino’s Michael,The Godfather Part IImostly ignored De Niro’s unchanging appearance throughout his scenes as Vito.
This was a wise decision since Vito didn’t need to visibly age in the decade the movie covers and De Niro’s 30-year-old self could comfortably pass for a 33-year-old Vito. Unlike Brando, De Niro didn’t need to make any major adjustments or accommodations to make his performance believable. The star was already well-known thanks to his roles inMean Streetsand director Brian De Palma’s moviesHi, Mom!andGreetingsbut, like Pacino, his career was brought to new heights byThe Godfather Part II. In contrast, Brando was already very famous before his central role inThe Godfather.
How Old Robert De Niro Was Compared To The Godfather Part II’s Vito Corleone
De Niro Was Roughly The Right Age To Play The Godfather Part II’s Vito Corleone
De Niro was slightly too young to playThe Godfather Part II’s Vito, but the actor parlayed his success into a string of roles that saw him play other prematurely aged characters. InTaxi DriverandThe Deer Hunter, the star played disturbed Vietnam veterans who were aged beyond their years by their experiences of war. InRaging Bull,De Niro transformed his bodyto play boxer Jake La Motta throughout every era of his life. In the process, the star proved that his standout turn inThe Godfather Part IIwas no fluke and became a celebrated screen talent.
