The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
39
this mission. By family business standards whether Johnny Fontane got his coveted part 
in the war movie, or did not, was a minor matter. Far more important was the meeting 
Hagen had set up with Virgil Sollozzo the following Friday. But Hagen knew that to the 
Don, both were of equal importance, which settled the matter for any good Consigliere. 
The piston plane shook Tom Hagen’s already nervous insides and he ordered a martini 
from the hostess to quiet them. Both the Don and Johnny had briefed him on the 
character of the movie producer, Jack Woltz. From everything that Johnny said, Hagen 
knew he would never be able to persuade Woltz. But he also had no doubt whatsoever 
that the Don would keep his promise to Johnny. His own role was that of negotiator and 
contact. 
Lying back in his seat, Hagen went over all the information given to him that day. Jack 
Woltz was one of the three most important movie producers in Hollywood, owner of his 
own studio with dozens of stars under contract. He was on the President of the United 
States’ Advisory Council for War Information, Cinematic Division, which meant simply 
that he helped make propaganda movies. He had had dinner at the White House. He 
had entertained J. Edgar Hoover in his Hollywood home. But none of this was as 
impressive as it sounded. They were all official relationships. Woltz didn’t have any 
personal political power, mainly because he was an extreme reactionary, partly because 
he was a megalomaniac who loved to wield power wildly without regard to the fact that 
by so doing legions of enemies sprang up out of the ground. 
Hagen sighed. There would be no way to “handle” Jack Woltz. He opened his briefcase 
and tried to get some paper work done, but he was too tired. He ordered another martini 
and reflected on his life. He had no regrets, indeed he felt that he had been extremely 
lucky. Whatever the reason, the course he had chosen ten years ago had proved to be 
right for him. He was successful, he was as happy as any grown man could reasonably 
expect, and he found life interesting. 
Tom Hagen was thirty-five years old, a tall crew-cut man, very slender, very 
ordinary-looking. He was a lawyer but did not do the actual detailed legal work for the 
Corleone family business though he had practiced law for three years after passing the 
bar exam. 
At the age of eleven he had been a playmate of eleven-year-old Sonny Corleone. 
Hagen’s mother had gone blind and then died during his eleventh year. Hagen’s father, 
a heavy drinker, had become a hopeless drunkard. A hardworking carpenter, he had 

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