The Corleones, a family of Sicilian immigrants, are at the head of a powerful mafia empire led by Don Vito, also known as "The Godfather". When Sollozzo Tattaglia, another major figure in the underworld, proposes an alliance to Don Vito in the drug trafficking business, he refuses despite the favorable opinion of his eldest son, Sonny. Sollozzo then decides to have Don Vito killed in order to deal directly with Sonny. But the assassination fails, and the retaliation is not long in coming.