Apollonia Vitelli-Corleone
Encyclopedia
Apollonia Corleone is a fictional character
in Mario Puzo
's novel The Godfather
. She is portrayed by Simonetta Stefanelli
in Francis Ford Coppola
's film adaptation
.
shortly after he arrives in Sicily
. A humorous scene ensues when Michael and his bodyguards inquire of Signore Vitelli, a local tavern keeper, if he can identify the beautiful woman Michael is in love with, describing her as a woman of Greek features and wearing a purple dress and pink hair bow. Vitelli angrily says he does not know her, then leaves their table suddenly frustrated and outraged. Michael's bodyguards realize that the girl is Signore Vitelli's own daughter and attempt to flee, but Michael, speaking through his trusted bodyguard and interpreter Fabrizio, gains Signore Vitelli's respect by introducing himself (revealing his concealed true identity) and apologizing for any offense he delivered. He then asks and receives Signore Vitelli's permission to court Apollonia under the chaperonage of her family.
After a brief courtship, they are married; but Apollonia, when attempting to show Michael that she has taught herself how to drive, is killed by a car bomb
intended for her husband. The attack was set up by Fabrizio, who had betrayed Michael to Corleone family enemies in New York. In the book, she is pregnant at the time of her death. The explosion is powerful enough to throw Michael off his feet; in the novel, he is knocked unconscious for about a week.
After Apollonia's death, Michael returns to the United States
and marries his previous girlfriend, Kay Adams. She is unaware that he had been married, then made a widower, while he was living in Sicily; however, Kay does mention the marriage in The Godfather III when she and Michael travel around Sicily together. The marriage to his first wife is also a large factor in Michael's protectiveness towards his daughter Mary
. He reveals to her that she bears a resemblance to his first wife, but ironically states that he has not even revealed his first marriage to Kay, Mary's mother.
. He is shot in the chest by an assassin
who walks into the pizza parlor. The assassin then tells him "Michael Corleone sends his regards", before shooting him again in the head. In a deleted scene from the film's script, Michael kills Fabrizio with a shotgun
. This scene was never filmed, although publicity photos were distributed of Al Pacino
, who portrayed Michael, firing a shotgun.)
A scene was then filmed in which Michael is informed that Fabrizio was found and was successfully killed in his car with a bomb wired to the ignition, matching the car bomb that he used to kill Apollonia. The scene was removed from the final cut of the film, but it can be seen in The Godfather Saga
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in Mario Puzo
Mario Puzo
Mario Gianluigi Puzo was an American author and screenwriter, known for his novels about the Mafia, including The Godfather , which he later co-adapted into a film by Francis Ford Coppola...
's novel The Godfather
The Godfather (novel)
The Godfather is a crime novel written by Italian American author Mario Puzo, originally published in 1969 by G. P. Putnam's Sons. It details the story of a fictitious Sicilian Mafia family based in New York City and headed by Don Vito Corleone, who became synonymous with the Italian Mafia...
. She is portrayed by Simonetta Stefanelli
Simonetta Stefanelli
Simonetta Stefanelli is an Italian film actress. She is best known outside Italy for her role in The Godfather , in which she played Apollonia Vitelli-Corleone, Michael Corleone's wife...
in Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
's film adaptation
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
.
In the novel
Apollonia, a breathtakingly beautiful young Sicilian woman, meets Michael CorleoneMichael Corleone
Michael Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novels, The Godfather and The Sicilian. He is also the main character of the Godfather film trilogy that was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, in which he was portrayed by Al Pacino, who was twice nominated for an Academy Award for his...
shortly after he arrives in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. A humorous scene ensues when Michael and his bodyguards inquire of Signore Vitelli, a local tavern keeper, if he can identify the beautiful woman Michael is in love with, describing her as a woman of Greek features and wearing a purple dress and pink hair bow. Vitelli angrily says he does not know her, then leaves their table suddenly frustrated and outraged. Michael's bodyguards realize that the girl is Signore Vitelli's own daughter and attempt to flee, but Michael, speaking through his trusted bodyguard and interpreter Fabrizio, gains Signore Vitelli's respect by introducing himself (revealing his concealed true identity) and apologizing for any offense he delivered. He then asks and receives Signore Vitelli's permission to court Apollonia under the chaperonage of her family.
After a brief courtship, they are married; but Apollonia, when attempting to show Michael that she has taught herself how to drive, is killed by a car bomb
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
intended for her husband. The attack was set up by Fabrizio, who had betrayed Michael to Corleone family enemies in New York. In the book, she is pregnant at the time of her death. The explosion is powerful enough to throw Michael off his feet; in the novel, he is knocked unconscious for about a week.
After Apollonia's death, Michael returns to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and marries his previous girlfriend, Kay Adams. She is unaware that he had been married, then made a widower, while he was living in Sicily; however, Kay does mention the marriage in The Godfather III when she and Michael travel around Sicily together. The marriage to his first wife is also a large factor in Michael's protectiveness towards his daughter Mary
Mary Corleone
Mary Corleone is a fictional character in The Godfather Part III, portrayed by Sofia Coppola. She is the daughter of Michael Corleone and Kay Adams and sister of Anthony Vito Corleone.-The Godfather Part II:...
. He reveals to her that she bears a resemblance to his first wife, but ironically states that he has not even revealed his first marriage to Kay, Mary's mother.
Michael's revenge
In the novel, Michael avenges Apollonia Corleone's death. Fabrizio is found running a pizza parlor in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. He is shot in the chest by an assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
who walks into the pizza parlor. The assassin then tells him "Michael Corleone sends his regards", before shooting him again in the head. In a deleted scene from the film's script, Michael kills Fabrizio with a shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
. This scene was never filmed, although publicity photos were distributed of Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
, who portrayed Michael, firing a shotgun.)
A scene was then filmed in which Michael is informed that Fabrizio was found and was successfully killed in his car with a bomb wired to the ignition, matching the car bomb that he used to kill Apollonia. The scene was removed from the final cut of the film, but it can be seen in The Godfather Saga
The Godfather Saga
The Godfather Saga is a TV miniseries that combines The Godfather and The Godfather Part II into one film. It originally aired on NBC over four consecutive nights in November 1977...
.