One of the most iconic scenes in The Godfather is of Marlon Brandon, playing Don Vito Corleone, talking to people while playing with a kitten in his lap. Many see the kitten as reflecting the Don himself - assured, affectionate but sharp. Its presence is considered a cinematic master stroke by director Francis Ford Coppola. The truth is that it was totally unplanned. The cat wandered into the set on the day of the shoot, and Coppola handed it to Brando.