With an olive oil importing business as a front, he builds up a powerful mafia family of his own, based in gambling, prohibition, and political influence. Sent to America as a young boy to escape a mafia vendetta, he grows into a quiet and devoted family man (played by Robert De Niro in Part II), uninterested and unconnected to crime until a series of events tied to a local don awaken his violent ambitions.
Across The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Vito’s role is in broad strokes and fine detail very close to Puzo’s book.
