Robert Duvall: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

4. Tom Hagen - The Godfather/The Godfather: Part II

There's a lot of acting genius going on throughout the course of The Godfather and it sequel, The Godfather: Part II, and yet Robert Duvall - who plays a supporting role as Corleone family lawyer Tom Hagen - refuses to let his character fade into the background. But he doesn't try to compete with the likes of Brando or Pacino, either, offering up a beautifully observed and confidently assured performance across two films. Tom Hagen serves as something of an adopted family member without the Corleone clan, of course, but he's still an outsider: although he is loyal to his employers, there is also resentment brewing beneath the surface, which Duvall puts across brilliantly without making it too obvious. Above all, we really believe who Tom Hagen is - it's what he doesn't say as opposed to what he does that cements this as a truly great role.