20 Movie Scenes That Are Totally Flawless
8. I Do Renounce Them - The Godfather (1972)
At its core, The Godfather is an origin story charting the rise to power of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), the son of the gravely ill and immensely respected Don Vito (Marlon Brando). Throughout the film, Michael is forced to make decisions that will irreversibly affect the way he is seen by his family and enemies.
As the film draws to a close, Michael is only one step away from solidifying his place as the new don, and whilst he attends the baptism of his godson, his most trusted soldiers are sent out to assassinate his greatest enemies and finalise his rise to the title of Godfather.
A striking, violent and darkly atmospheric conclusion to Michael's development, the baptism murders allow the new syndicate leader to step up into the role he never thought he wanted, whilst symbolically becoming an actual godfather to his sister's child. Pure poetry.