What is the significance of the dust-up toward the beginning involving the wedding photographer? One moment he takes a picture of a group including rival mobster Barzini, who takes the film out of the camera and destroys it. A few minutes later Sonny and a couple of henchmen, absolutely livid, escort the photographer out to his car. Sonny smashes his camera into atoms, and then contemptuously tosses money on the ground to pay for it.
What the hell? Everyone knows wedding photographers photograph everybody in every possible combination. Why did they hire a photographer if they didn’t want pictures taken? If they changed their mind later, that’s fine, but why get livid at the guy for doing his job?
This is one of the few incidents in the movie not found in the book.
I do not think that was the photographer they hired for the wedding. I always got the idea that is was a tabloid photographer, a paparazzi, someone whose pictures would be plubished in the press.
Barzini just doesn’t want his picture taken by anyone, including the wedding photographer. It is a different incident than the license plates with different photogs for different purposes.
There’s a separate incident involving the FBI, where two guys are jotting down license plate numbers. Sonny comes out, very angry, but when they show him their badges he knows there’s nothing he can do, and he spits on the ground and walks away. That incident is mentioned in the book.
Barzini is photographed at the party, by a presumably authorized photographer. His men grab the camera and he destroys the film.
Sonny goes outside and confronts the man writing down plate numbers. After finding out they are FBI, he makes some cutting comments, spits, and walks away.
As he’s walking away the “tabloid photographer” takes his picture. He smashes the camera and throws the money down.
I thought the Barzini scene was there to establish him as a bad guy. I mean, who minds getting photographed at a wedding? It also establishes him as someone who doesn’t mind making a scene at the Don’s party - so not beholden to or scared of the Don.
The Sonny scenes are there to show that the Family is being harassed and that Sonny is a hot-head.
I just watched the scene again. Your description is very close, Zakalwe, except that the #3 photographer is never shown actually taking anybody’s picture. As Sonny turns away from the FBI agents to walk back to the party, Clemenza and one of his goons are hustling the man out with his camera. Sonny grabs him roughly and destroys the camera.
I believe you’re correct that the photographers in incidents (1) and (3) are two different people, although each is shown so briefly that it’s hard to be certain. I don’t believe the #3 cameraman is intended to be affiliated with law enforcement, even though incidents (2) and (3) follow within seconds of each other. Both book and movie emphasize that the Mafia can’t get rough with law enforcement except in extreme situations, like McCluskey.
So I guess you’re right in identifying the #3 cameraman as a rogue tabloid photographer of some kind. You gotta give the guy props for balls, crashing a Mafia wedding without an invite and taking pictures.
Thanks! Our DVDs are scattered/disorganized right now and I couldn’t quickly lay my hands on The Godfather to confirm. I was working off memory. Now if I can just find…wait, what the hell was I looking for again?
In GFI, the New York Times shows a photo of Don Vito, after his attempted assassination, with the title “Syndicate head Vito Corleone Shot”-or words to that effect.I know that most mafia guys detest being photographed-they always pull their coats over their heads when being led into court. of course, more flamboyant dons (like John Gotti) liked being in the news.