Character Analysis
Don Barzini (played by Richard Conte) is the Corleone family's main rival. However, they don't realize this until late in the movie, when he's revealed as the power behind Sollozzo's and the Tattaglia family's actions, and their main opponent when fighting with the other four families.
He tries to set up a meeting to assassinate Michael, but Michael moves against him first. An assassin guns him down on the steps of New York's Supreme Court building.