Connie Corleone

Constanzia "Connie" Corleone is a fictional character in The Godfather, a novel by Mario Puzo and the 1972 film The Godfather. In the film, Connie is portrayed by Talia Shire, the sister of the director Francis Ford Coppola. Shire was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Connie Corleone in The Godfather Part II. 2The Godfather Born in 1925, Connie is the youngest child and only daughter of Mafia don Vito Corleone and his wife Carmella. She is the sister of Sonny, Fredo and Michael Corleone. In 1945, she marries Sonny's friend Carlo Rizzi. Her father disapproves of the relationship, and only agrees to the marriage on condition that they hold an old-style Sicilian wedding. Carlo, whom Puzo characterizes as "a punk sore at the world", abuses and cheats on Connie out of frustration at being shunted aside by the Corleone family. Their wedding night turns out to be a harbinger of things to come; he gives Connie a black eye when she refuses to give him a purse containing cash gifts from the wedding guests. After one particularly bad beating, Connie complains to her father, who refuses to help. Vito is in fact outraged at how Carlo treats Connie, but is powerless to help due to Italian tradition that forbids a father to interfere in a daughter's marriag