Emilio Barzini
Encyclopedia
Don Emilio Barzini is a fictional character in Mario Puzo
's novel The Godfather
and in its film adaptation, in which he is portrayed by Richard Conte
's Five Families
, and is reckoned as the second most powerful Mafia boss in the country, behind only Vito Corleone
. He has interests in markets such as narcotics, gambling
and prostitution
, and is also interested in Las Vegas
and Nevada
. Unlike Corleone, he is not considered a "Mustache Pete
" and is greatly respected by younger Mafia
leaders.
Corleone respects him enough to invite him to the wedding of his daughter Connie
. However, when Corleone refuses to participate in the heroin trade, Barzini secretly conspires with the other families to make war against the Corleones, forcing them to make peace and open up their territory to drug trafficking. To this end, he approaches Corleone's son-in-law, Carlo Rizzi, with a ploy to draw Sonny Corleone
into an assassination
. After Sonny's death, Don Corleone agrees to lend his political protection to the enterprise and to never break the peace. It had initially appeared that Philip Tattaglia
was leading the anti-Corleone alliance. However, at the peace summit, Vito realizes that Barzini was the actual mastermind.
Not satisfied with the Corleones' submission, Barzini begins chipping away at their territory in New York City. At Don Corleone's funeral, Barzini approaches Corleone caporegime
Salvatore Tessio
to organize another peace summit where Corleone's successor, Michael
, would be ambushed. Barzini doesn't know, however, that he has walked into a trap. Michael has been planning for some time to eliminate Barzini and the other dons, and deliberately allowed Barzini to move in on the Corleone interests in order to lull him into inaction. Shortly after Vito's funeral, Barzini is assassinated along with the other conspirators. Corleone enforcer Al Neri
, disguised as a police officer, shoots and kills Barzini, his bodyguard, and his driver on the steps of the New York Supreme Court
courthouse at Foley Square
.
's film adaptation of The Godfather
, Barzini is portrayed by Richard Conte
.
In The Godfather: The Game
, Barzini has protagonist Aldo Trapani
's father killed, motivating him to take revenge. In the game, Trapani kills Don Barzini on the court steps.
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...
and in its film adaptation, in which he is portrayed by Richard Conte
Richard Conte
Richard Conte was an American actor. He appeared in numerous films from the 1940s through 1970s, including I'll Cry Tomorrow and The Godfather.-Life and career:...
In the novel
Barzini presides as head of one of New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Five Families
Five Families (The Godfather)
The Five Families are five major Mafia crime families in the novel and film The Godfather. The families are based on the real life New York Five Families, five major Italian American crime families.- The Five Families :The Corleones...
, and is reckoned as the second most powerful Mafia boss in the country, behind only Vito Corleone
Vito Corleone
Vito Andolini Corleone is a fictional character and the main character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather, as well as Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather trilogy, where he was portrayed by Marlon Brando in The Godfather and by Robert De Niro in The Godfather Part II. Premiere Magazine listed Vito...
. He has interests in markets such as narcotics, gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
and prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, and is also interested in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. Unlike Corleone, he is not considered a "Mustache Pete
Mustache Pete
Mustache Petes was the name given to members of the Sicilian Mafia who came to the United States as adults in the early 1900s.-History:...
" and is greatly respected by younger Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
leaders.
Corleone respects him enough to invite him to the wedding of his daughter Connie
Connie Corleone
Constanzia "Connie" Corleone , is a fictional character from The Godfather by Mario Puzo. In the films, Connie is portrayed by Talia Shire, the sister of director Francis Ford Coppola....
. However, when Corleone refuses to participate in the heroin trade, Barzini secretly conspires with the other families to make war against the Corleones, forcing them to make peace and open up their territory to drug trafficking. To this end, he approaches Corleone's son-in-law, Carlo Rizzi, with a ploy to draw Sonny Corleone
Sonny Corleone
Santino "Sonny" Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather and its 1972 film adaptation. He also appears as an infant, as a young boy, and an adult in The Godfather Part II....
into an assassination
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...
. After Sonny's death, Don Corleone agrees to lend his political protection to the enterprise and to never break the peace. It had initially appeared that Philip Tattaglia
Philip Tattaglia
Philip Tattaglia is a fictional character appearing in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather, the first installment of The Godfather film trilogy and The Godfather video game. He was portrayed by actor Victor Rendina.-In the story:...
was leading the anti-Corleone alliance. However, at the peace summit, Vito realizes that Barzini was the actual mastermind.
Not satisfied with the Corleones' submission, Barzini begins chipping away at their territory in New York City. At Don Corleone's funeral, Barzini approaches Corleone caporegime
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
Salvatore Tessio
Salvatore Tessio
Salvatore "Sal" Tessio is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather and the film based on it. In the film, Tessio was portrayed by Abe Vigoda. In the sequel, Vigoda reprised the role in a flashback, set in late 1941, at the end of the film...
to organize another peace summit where Corleone's successor, Michael
Michael 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...
, would be ambushed. Barzini doesn't know, however, that he has walked into a trap. Michael has been planning for some time to eliminate Barzini and the other dons, and deliberately allowed Barzini to move in on the Corleone interests in order to lull him into inaction. Shortly after Vito's funeral, Barzini is assassinated along with the other conspirators. Corleone enforcer Al Neri
Al Neri
Albert "Al" Neri is a fictional character appearing in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather and the three films based on it. In all three motion pictures, he is portrayed by actor Richard Bright. In The Godfather: The Game, he is voiced by Gary Chalk...
, disguised as a police officer, shoots and kills Barzini, his bodyguard, and his driver on the steps of the New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
courthouse at Foley Square
Foley Square
Foley Square is a street intersection and green space in the Civic Center neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City and – by extension – the surrounding area, which is dominated by civic buildings. The space is bordered by Worth Street, Centre Street and Lafayette Street and lies...
.
In other media
In Francis Ford CoppolaFrancis 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 of The Godfather
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...
, Barzini is portrayed by Richard Conte
Richard Conte
Richard Conte was an American actor. He appeared in numerous films from the 1940s through 1970s, including I'll Cry Tomorrow and The Godfather.-Life and career:...
.
In The Godfather: The Game
The Godfather: The Game
The Godfather: The Game is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Electronic Arts. It is the second video game in the Godfather series and based upon the 1972 film of the same name. Originally released in March 2006 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows, The Godfather...
, Barzini has protagonist Aldo Trapani
Aldo Trapani
Aldo Trapani is the protagonist and player character of the video game The Godfather: The Game, based on the film The Godfather. He also briefly appears in the sequel, The Godfather II, which is based on The Godfather Part II....
's father killed, motivating him to take revenge. In the game, Trapani kills Don Barzini on the court steps.