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Vlcsnap-2010-06-25-23h16m47s21 "Godfather is a term used by his friends, one of affection, one of respect."
The title of this article is a nickname.
This article is about the hired assasin. You may be looking for Don Ciccio's enforcer.

"You are my 'ace in the hole,' as we say in America. I have a stone in my shoe. You can remove it."
Don Altobello[src]

Mosca was a notorious Sicilian assassin and an old friend of Don Altobello, who sometimes hired him to 'remove stones from his shoe'.

Biography[]

"I know you. You are Mosca of Montelepre. You were an assassin then, and you're an assassin now!"
"I know Michael Corleone is at your house. I will pass through the gates with you.
"
―Don Tommasino and Mosca[src]

Mosca was known throughout Sicily as a man who never failed in an assignment, and thus, the Corleone family were constantly on their guard for him. He was known to operate alongside his close associate, Spara. In 1980, Osvaldo Altobello hired him to assassinate Michael Corleone whilst he was staying in Sicily.

Mosca failed in his first attempt to kill Michael, attempting to force his way into Don Tommasino's estate by hitching a ride in the old man's car whilst dressed as a priest. However, Mosca was recognised and was forced to kill the old man.

Tommasino killed

Mosca kills Don Tommasino.

Final hit[]

Mosca's second attempt came not long after, as Michael and his family attended a performance of the opera Cavalleria rusticana featuring his son Anthony at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. Still disguised as a priest, he slipped past the guards among a group of legitimate clergy, then made his way to the top floor, where he had previously stashed a sniper rifle in an alcove overlooking Michael's box. As he attempted to draw a bead on his target, however, he was successively interrupted by three of Michael's bodyguards, including The Twins. Although he was able to dispatch each of them with a knife, by the time he returned to his rifle, Michael had left the box and the opera was drawing to a close.

Screen Shot 2019-08-25 at 11.35

Mosca of Montelepre's death.

Retreating to the building's facade staircase, Mosca (unaware that his employers have all been murdered by Michael's men during the performance) readied a pistol. As Michael and his family emerged from the theatre, Spara distracted the guards, and Mosca fired two shots at Michael. The first shot grazed Michael's shoulder, but the second misses him entirely, fatally wounding his daughter Mary. As Mosca was wrestled to the ground by the group of real priests, Vincent Mancini shot him through the heart, killing him instantly.

Personality and traits[]

A ruthless assassin, with pure loyalty towards Don Altobello, a man with few words, always attempting to do his job no matter what is stopping him, as shown when he was tasked to assassinate Michael Corleone.

Behind the scenes[]

In an earlier draft of the screenplay he is referred to as "Don Mosca", implying that he may have been the don of Montelepre. Furthermore, this earlier draft describes that he is in charge of a group of men, further strengthening this possibility. In the film several bodyguards are seen at his compound. However, a boss usually hands out a contract to one of his underlings instead of carrying it out personally. It is however likely that he was a high-ranking member of the Mafia.

Notes and references[]

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