The Godfather’s Most Overlooked Character Appeared In All 3 Movies & The Corleone Family Would’ve Failed Without Him

The Godfather saga is widely regarded as one of the best film trilogies of all time. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the series of films ushered in the Coppola family’s dynasty in Hollywood. The Godfather is a 1972 mob epic based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Mario Puzo, and The Godfather’s phenomenal cast boasts Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, and more. While the Corleones are the central crime family, their enforcer, Al Neri (Richard Bright), is an underrated factor in their success throughout the trilogy.

The enforcers in the Italian mafia system are the people responsible for keeping organized crime in order and punishing those who break the rules. In The Godfather novel, Al, a former police officer who is later convicted of manslaughter, is sought out by the Corleones to work as an enforcer due to his combined scare tactics and experience as an authority figure. This backstory is not mentioned in the films, but is alluded to. At the end of the day, Neri runs such a tight ship that Michael Corleone frequently evades the law and finds success as a crime boss.

Al Neri Is The Most Overlooked Character In The Godfather Trilogy

Al Is The Mastermind Behind the Corleone Family

Al Neri is Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) bodyguard when he returns to New York City from exile in Sicily. He quickly becomes Michael’s second in command, managing major operations for the powerful Corleone crime family. Al is largely responsible for The Godfather‘s notorious baptism sequence, in which he kills the heads of the other mafia families during Michael’s daughter’s baptism ceremony in the Catholic Church. Al is disguised as a police officer, likely in homage to his character in the novel.

Without Al, the blood-soaked deed could not have been accomplished. Michael would have had his cover blown, and ruined what was supposed to be a special milestone for his family. Al got the job done, and cleaned up the scene, all before the mass was over. Without this level of organization, Michael would not have become a successful crime don in the violent world of The Godfather.

Why Al Neri Was So Important To Michael Corleone’s Success

Al Is Not Torn Between Two Worlds

Al Neri goes on to save Michael’s life several times throughout The Godfather trilogy, notably in the third installment in which they attend a meeting with the Commission in Atlantic City that turns into an attempt on his life. Al is so important to Michael’s success because he always had his back in unprecedented situations. Michael did not always want to go into the family business and is fairly inexperienced with its atrocities at the start of the trilogy. Al helps him find his blind spots.

Michael Corleone’s rise to power in
The Godfather


and the success of the Corleone Family weren’t possible without Al Neri.

Michael’s father, Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), raised him around organized crime, and he understood Michael’s initial desire to avoid the family business and lead a normal life. Michael attends Dartmouth College and served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. While highly intelligent, Michael was originally not cut out for this life, but Al always has been. Michael Corleone’s rise to power in The Godfather and the success of the Corleone Family weren’t possible without Al Neri.