The Godfather – A Feline Surprise
The image of Marlon Brando’s Don Corleone character petting his pet cat has become one of the most signature moments in The Godfather trilogy. But it turns out, this moment was totally unscripted. Director Francis Ford Coppola happened to see a cat running around the studio and placed it in Brando’s lap for a scene. The cat’s presence both adds a layer of sympathy for Don Corleone, and also makes him seem especially calculating and menacing.