Premiere Magazine listed Vito Corleone as the greatest film character in history. He was also selected as the 10th greatest film character by Empire.

Vito prides himself on being careful and reasonable, but does not completely forsake violence. In 1945, when his godson, singer Johnny Fontane, wants to be released from his contract with a bandleader, Vito offers to buy him out, but the bandleader refuses. Vito then threatens to kill the bandleader unless he releases Fontane for a much smaller sum. Later, when movie mogul Jack Woltz refuses to cast Fontane in a film role that could rejuvenate his waning career, Vito's men kill Woltz's champion racehorse and place the severed head in Woltz's bed as he sleeps.