Best Don Of The Corleone Family
 

I only read the first novel but for those who may've seen the movies, who do you feel is the Best Don of the Corleone Family? Vito or Michael?

Re: Best Don Of The Corleone Family
 

Having read the book, I always felt Sonny was the best Don given that he was the only one to legitimately terrify the other families.
Had he not be betrayed by Carlo, he would have destroyed them all.

Re: Best Don Of The Corleone Family
 

Everyone knows Fredo would have been the best.

Re: Best Don Of The Corleone Family
 

Hell no. Fredo was dimwitted. Even Vito knew he would never become the Don.

Sonny was underboss and successor but never the Don.

Re: Best Don Of The Corleone Family
 

Are there more potential answers than Vito, Michael and maybe Sonny?

If no, my vote goes to Michael. Vito had more style, but Michael was a perfect liar.


That was the joke...

A good one, btw. I smirked.

Re: Best Don Of The Corleone Family
 

It all depends.

If we're going by family and respect, then it's Vito, no question.

Business - Michael.

Re: Best Don Of The Corleone Family
 

De facto leader of the Corleone Family whilst Vito recovered from the assassination attempt. So he still counts.

Re: Best Don Of The Corleone Family
 

That's the point. For how terrified they were of him, they used his own weakness of being such a hothead and acting on impulses to kill him at the toll station. Literally, his tactics got the family nowhere. Then you look at Michael, who concocted the idea of assassinating Solozzo and McCluskey, and then returned from Italy under the guise of peacemaker as he and his father allowed the other families to take advantage of the Corleone's resources, only to make sure that no one had to fear him in the end because they were all dead. You don't want people to fear you...remember "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."? Sonny didn't do that.

Michael thought things through. Sonny did not.

Re: Best Don Of The Corleone Family
 

My Fredo comment was sarcasm in the purest form.

Re: Best Don Of The Corleone Family
 

Pretty obvious too.

VITO > Michael