Exploring The Use Of Oranges In The Godfather Films

Something that audiences have noticed over the years in The Godfather is the movie’s use of oranges. Not the colour, but quite literally, the constant use of the fruit in the foreground or background of scenes. Oranges appear all throughout the film, and once you become aware of this you can’t stop seeing them. This is a phenomenon that has been extended to the movie’s two sequels also, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III. So is this symbolism for doom or is it just a coincidence?

[LqdSanity]

Oranges, and fruit in general, were a sign of wealth back in the day. The only people who had oranges were those who lived in an area where oranges are grown or those rich enough to have them imported. I remember one time asking my grandpa what was his favorite Christmas present he got as a kid. He said, "An orange." I laughed because I thought he was joking (I had just opened the new SNES I got that year) and he got a bit ticked off and said, "God damn it, I'm telling you, an orange!" His dad would save up money every year and buy everyone ONE orange a piece for Christmas and grandpa still remembered it as the best present he ever got.

[wiseauserious]

Tony Soprano is holding a bottle of orange juice during his assassination attempt on the street in season 1

[jtodora]

The amount of fruit in the film and especially the oranges always reminded me that these people were Sicilian. Having been to Sicily many times, oranges (citrus fruits in general) are very popular on the island. I always just assumed it was their way of keeping a connection with the home land.

[ndogg]

No one can argue against the fact that every time a cannoli shows up, someone dies.

[currypablo]

Carmine always said Vitamin C is nothing more than a glorified nutrient!

[cha]

Actually as to when Apollonia dies there is a poster on a wall that has an orange on it right in the town square area where Michael and Apollonia are celebrating their wedding with her family. Although the idea that oranges were used mainly for their color contrast especially in the first film makes sense, they also used walnuts in Godfather 1 a couple of times (when Vito, Tom, and Sonny are discussing the upcoming meeting with Sollozzo, and the Five Family meeting after Sonny’s death) and IMHO those walnuts were used for color contrast more than anything else just like the oranges were in Godfather 1.

[deshanbrown]

Michael biting the orange was a signal that even tom hagen wasnt safe either . Its all about the conversations leading up to the appearance of the orange . Or the setting in the room when oranges are present

[deshanbrown]

Tessio holding an orange is actual prefect considering how dedicated to the family he was, his betrayal was detrimental

[zareththealchemist]

I noticed this decades ago. The oranges. For Coppola to deny it, is gaslighting. Like when Tarantino says that Pulp Fiction isnt about making a deal with the Devil, and trying to reneg on the deal. Zed, at the end, is the biggest clue - Zed is an old English name for the Devil. Good find CR.

[jacobcooperlong]

You could also attribute the inclusion of citrus fruit in general as referential to how Cosa Nostra started by guarding Lemon Plantations (another citrus fruit), but by using oranges it's something more grounded, people eat oranges, most folks don't just eat lemons.

[realitiesreloaded]

Theory: the producers whanted to subconsciously program suspense in the viewer by placing oranges during key points in the show? So every time an orange is in the scene it subconsciously creates a pattern of suspense 😅

[VanirTraditionalist]

To my knowledge there is no historical, mythological, or occult symbolism that links oranges with danger or death. But since The Godfather is one of the most powerful cinematic sagas of all time perhaps a new mythology has been created that takes on a life of its own, whether this was Copolla’s intention or not.

[Jabulani]

The oranges initially were used to add color to the dark scenery. Our confirmation bias adds significance to the oranges 🍊

[zareththealchemist]

I was a stagehand and worked on over 2 dozen feature films. I did some set dressing and even product placement as a craft service guy - it was NO COINCIDENCE. EVERYTHING in the frame IS INTENTIONAL. But, getting Coppola to cop to it apparently seems to be impossible. Just an unintentional coincidence of film making. Yeah right. And like I said in the other comment (I cant edit from this iPad) Tarantino cannot convince me that the entire storyline of PULP FICTION isnt based on Mercel's deal with Zed (the Devil) to become wealthy and then trying to hire a couple of hit guys to retrieve what was in the case - his Soul. Ask yourself, just WHAT WAS in the case? Then go and watch the movie again. It all played out perfectly. Why was there a band aid on the back of his neck? Was that there to cover the "mark of the beast - the 666"? Remember when Sam Jackson started spewing Ezekiel, and the bullets went right around/through? him? Or how about Zed having his way with him in the gun shop? Clues everywhere.

[skyshark-qq]

Excellent, the breakdown of how Mario puzo saying the use of oranges is incidental does not x out the oranges are Doom theory.

[kdoncorleone]

Yes symbolism. Thanks for covering this CineRanter.

[matthewtuckey]

I'm sure I read something about a Sicilian tradition where oranges are thrown about all over the place in some kind of festival.

[RobinMarks]

Oranges have often been used in Renaissance art to signify wealth and prosperity. Also, oranges are all through art history along with the apple. The apple wasn't always the evil fruit in the garden of Eden. That only came along later and in the early days of the story and art, many different fruits were used including the orange. The colour is also just a focal point of bright colour. Just like a glint of light or a reflection to play with light and colour. Oranges and apples can be shiny which highlights and shows a light source. It's all about artistic choices and has been done all throughout art history.

[aaronrowell]

A lot of people get motif and symbolism mixed up because they can be the same thing but also different.
If I recall correctly a motif is a reoccurring thing that may not necessarily be symbolic of something but can give you a clue to a plot development.
I could be getting it mixed up with another term but like for example an orange in the hands of a character is like the Jaws music, just the fact in Orange is on the scene clues the reader or The watcher that something is about to happen. A similar saying happens in The road to perdition movie where if a scene has water in it that means that someone is about to die. But it could be argued that the water itself is symbolic but it also clues The watcher that anytime that water is on screen something bad is about to happen.

Also it's hard to say that orange is mean death necessarily because for example Don Vito survives the hit when he is buying oranges so it's one of those things where orange equals death is not perfect so that's why I say it's probably something more than just symbolism but I hope I'm getting my terms right off the top of my head that it's more of a motif.

[jonplukehughes]

Love your videos could you maybe do some theories on Scarface and or Carlitos Way please?