Thread: Godfather

I am curious to know if the actors of this movie speak with an Italian accent or their English is Ok? I like their English anyway, because they (except Don Carleone ) pronounce it very understandable. But I don't want to learn words in a wrong way.

I watched this movie in English and some actors speak without accent while others do have it (remember the guy who was learning his speech on the b-day?)

Ah, I thought he just has a tongue-tie. Now I got it - English is foreign language for him. So, basically the main characters speak it Ok?

I think so. Not sure if all of them do.

This is a New York accent. The older characters in the movie are immigrants from Sicily that move to New York City (this is explained in Godfather 2).

Originally Posted by Dima

I am curious to know if the actors of this movie speak with an Italian accent or their English is Ok? I like their English anyway, because they (except Don Carleone ) pronounce it very understandable. But I don't want to learn words in a wrong way.

They are New York accents, but specifically mainly Italian NY accents and a few Jewish ones. If you like the specific words; for instance "capish" (not sure how it is spelt!), this is a bastardisation of the Italian for "do you understand" into American. Similar to ponimaesh'!

Who were the few Jews in Godfather? I can only think of one: Moe Green.

It has been sometime since I have seen it! Wasn't the guy with the horse's head in his bed Jewish?? Also someone called Hyman Roth whom Al Pacino was schmoozing? If you are that pedantic with the "few" though you will probably say it does not count because it is part II!

The film director? I don't know, he didn't look or sound Jewish to me.

Yes, I am that pedantic and no, I don't think it counts because she was watching the first Godfather.

You have forced me to look it up in a desperate attempt to save face by finding at least two Jews in this film!

The horse guy was called Woltz. Surely this must give us some hope that he was Jewish!!! Don't make me watch it tonight!

Woltz is Swiss.

The name WOLTZ dates back to 1250 A.D. and is of Swiss origin. The name has been variously presented by historians. In the beginning they were known as Waltzer -- a name applied to a small community of farmers who sought refuge during the Gothic Dominion in secluded mountains of the Alpine Range, near the Rhine Glacier. Three Swiss Historians refer to these people as Walzer, Wilsor, and Voltzer. Other Historians have concluded that they were Eustacian of Gallic Celts who took refuge in the mountains after being overpowered by the Gauls and the Romans. Today the name WOLTZ is spelled Waltz, Voltz, or Woltz -- that last being the one generally accepted by the descendants of Dr. Peter and Major John George Adams Woltz's families.

There's no need to save face. No one here really cares about stupid crap like this anyway.

you can be Swiss and Jewish!