Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II (1974)
Vitals
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, calculating Mafia boss
Washington, D.C., Winter 1959
Film: The Godfather Part II
Release Date: December 12, 1974
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Costume Designer: Theadora Van Runkle
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
Just over a week after its New York City premiere on December 12th, The Godfather Part II was widely released 50 years ago today on December 20, 1974. The follow-up to Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 epic continued chronicling the ambitions of underworld boss Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) following his ascension to power after the death of his father and the orchestrated murders of his enemies.
By the latter half of Part II, the tension between Michael’s public persona and private life reach a boiling point as he’s faced with the consequences of his ruthlessness. Called to testify in front of a Senate subcommittee investigating organized crime, he maintains composure while defending his reputation—starkly contrasted by the emotionally charged confrontation with his wife Kay (Diane Keaton).
Kay’s revelations about the loss of what would have been their third child strains their already fragile marriage to a pivotal breaking point that underscores Michael’s increasing isolation and the personal cost of his choices.
What’d He Wear?
In contrast to the opulent costumes of some movie gangsters—think the neon-hued tailoring worn by Robert De Niro in Casino—Michael Corleone maintains a rotation of only four suits through The Godfather Part II, each serving its own purpose. Michael reserves his fashionable gray dupioni silk suit for public appearances like his son’s communion and a conference in Cuba. His subtly checked tan suit is ideal for the warmer climates during his visits to Havana and Florida. His solid black silk suit serves him at occasions where he needs to be taken seriously among his underworld confederates.
Finally, Michael wears a black pinstripe three-piece suit that he wears to project professional decorum while testifying to the Senate. Unlike the bold chalk-striped suits often associated with gangsters, this suit’s subdued white pinstripe is more akin to what a banker or businessman might wear, reinforcing Michael’s cultivated public image; indeed, it recalls the very suit that Senator Geary (G.D. Spradlin) wore for their first meeting during the aforementioned communion.
Though not a common choice in professional attire, black can be appropriate in business contexts when patterned with a restrained pinstripe like Michael’s suit.
The style is contemporary to tailoring of the 1950s, though the somewhat closer fit of Michael’s suit reflects a sleeker, more continental-inspired tailoring than the then-fashionably boxy Ivy-style suits worn by Geary and Michael’s own lawyer, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall).
Michael’s single-breasted suit jacket reflects the same 3/2-roll button configuration as the other men’s suits, with the notch lapels rolling over the top button. The jacket has straight flapped hip pockets and a welted breast pocket that remains unadorned. The padded shoulders are typical of the era’s tailoring and build up his silhouette but not to the extremes of his solid black silk suit jacket with its dramatically roped sleeveheads. Each sleeve is finished with two vestigial cuff-buttons, and the back likely has a single vent.
The matching waistcoat has four welted pockets and six buttons that fasten high on the chest. Michael wears all six buttons fastened without leaving the bottom one undone, subverting a common sartorial practice, though he’s quick to unbutton them all when relaxing on the couch in his suite at the Hotel Washington. Rigged with an adjustable strap across the bottom, the black satin-finished back lining contrasts against the white inner lining.
The suit’s pleated trousers have side pockets, back pockets, and turn-ups (cuffs). Through the belt loops around the waist, Michael wears a black leather belt that closes through a gold-toned single-prong buckle. The belt leather appropriately coordinates to this black leather cap-toe oxfords, naturally worn with black socks that maintain a continuous line from his trousers into his shoes.
Michael wears his usual white cotton shirts, styled with a point collar, front placket, and button cuffs. Unlike Frankie Pentangeli’s Italian brother Vincenzo (Salvatore Po) who appears in court wearing Sicilian folk costume complete with the fuzzy red pom-pom neckwear resembling two cherries, Michael prefers a traditional four-in-hand necktie—patterned in a regal gold paisley jacquard woven against a black ground.
The gold watch shining from Michael’s left wrist has been speculatively identified as a 1950s-era Omega Constellation chronometer. A 14-karat yellow-gold 34mm or 35mm case encloses the white or light champagne-colored “pie pan” dial with its gold non-numeric hour indices, connected to a gold link bracelet.
Hoping to convey to the Senate that he’s a family man—but no, not that Family—Michael is sure to continue wearing his gold wedding band on the ring finger of his left hand.
How to Get the Look
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II (1974)
- Black pinstripe three-piece suit:
- Single-breasted 3/2-roll jacket with notch lapels, welted breast pocket, straight flapped hip pockets, 2-button cuffs, and single vent
- Single-breasted 6-button waistcoat with four pockets and adjustable back strap
- Pleated trousers with belt loops, side pockets, back pockets, and turn-ups/cuffs
- White cotton shirt with point collar, front placket, and button cuffs
- Gold-on-black paisley tie
- Black leather belt with gold-toned single-prong buckle
- Black leather cap-toe oxford shoes
- Black dress socks
- Omega Constellation gold wristwatch with round champagne “pie pan” dial on gold link bracelet
- Gold wedding band
Do Yourself a Favor and…
Check out the series, including the masterpiece sequel The Godfather Part II.
The Quote
Do you expect me to let you take my children from me? Don’t you know me? Don’t you know that that’s an impossibility—that that could never happen, that I would use all my power to keep something like that from happening? Don’t you know that?
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